Here I Am – Student Census
Here I Am – Student Census
Students and their families are invited to complete the Here I Am – Student Census from January 11 to 27, 2023. The student census is a confidential and voluntary survey that asks about students’ identities and school experiences. All Ontario school boards are completing this work as part of Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan. The information students and families share will help us build on our efforts to support inclusion, well-being and success for students and provide a way to measure the impact of that work.
Why are we doing a student census?
Every day, we work to nurture a Christ-centred environment. We want our schools to be places of respect and justice, where all students, staff, families and community members feel welcome, valued and appreciated. By better understanding our students and the experiences they’re having in our schools, we can make sure our learning environments and opportunities meet their needs.
The Here I Am – Student Census will:
- Collect identity and school experience data about the student population. Identity data includes Indigenous identity, race, ethnicity, languages, disability, sexual orientation, gender and more.
- Support the work of the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Committee.
- Allow us to identify unfair differences or inequities in our school system.
- Support the development and implementation of board and school improvement plans.
The collection of this data is directed by the Ministry of Education as part of Ontario’s education equity action plan and is an important step forward in meeting the needs of students.
What are the questions on the census?
The Ministry of Education requires that ten categories be featured in the survey. The language in four of the questions is regulated by Anti-Racism Data Standards (ARDS) under the Anti-Racism Act, 2017. The categories are:
- Status in Canada
- First language
- Indigenous identity
- Ethnic origin
- Race
- Religion
- Disability
- Socio-economic status
- Sexual orientation (grades 9-12 only)
- Gender identity
We have also added questions related to school experience. You can view all questions prior to participating in the survey.
How will students and families receive the census?
Here’s some information about how the census will be implemented to help you prepare:
- There are three versions of the census: Kindergarten to Grade 6, Grades 7 and 8 and secondary school. The surveys for Kindergarten to Grade 8 students do not include questions about sexual orientation.
- The census for Kindergarten to Grade 8 students will be sent to students’ HPCDSB email addresses the week of January 16. Parents/caregivers will need to log in to their children’s email accounts to access the survey link. This is the same login your child uses for their Chromebook and Google Drive access. If you don’t know your child’s login, you can ask your child or their teacher.
- You’ll need to complete the survey for/with each child in your household. You may consider completing the survey with older children or letting them do it themselves.
- Secondary school students will receive the census directly and have time to complete it at school. Students at St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School and St. Michael Catholic Secondary School will complete the census on January 11-13.
- School staff are available to assist families that don’t have access to technology or need support completing the census.
- The census is voluntary. Students and families can choose not to participate or skip a question or questions on the survey.
- Parents/guardians of students under 18 may also request that their child not participate in the survey by completing this form.
Your participation in the survey can help us identify how we can best support all members of our community—it’s a simple thing you can do that could impact the well-being of children and families in your community.
How will the data be used?
We will analyze the student census data alongside other data we already collect under the Education Act, including achievement, discipline, attendance and credit accumulation data. This analysis will help us see if there are any unfair differences or inequities in our system. The data will also allow us to measure the impact of changes we make.
The data will only be viewed from a population level for the entire school board. We will be looking at trends to identify system-level issues. Staff will never have access to individual student data. The data cannot be used to review specific situations involving individual students or staff members.
Reports will be available on our website.
Additional questions and answers about the student census
Who can I contact about the survey?
Please send your questions or comments to research@hpcdsb.ca, and someone from our team will get back to you.
What’s the purpose of the survey?
The Here I Am Student Census will:
- Collect identity and school experience data about the student population. Identity data includes Indigenous identity, race, ethnicity, languages, disability, sexual orientation, gender and more.
- Support the work of the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Committee.
- Allow us to identify any unfair differences or inequities in our school system.
- Support the development and implementation of board and school improvement plans.
The collection of identity data is outlined in Ontario’s education equity action plan. It states, “Comparing identity-based student data with data on program enrolment, suspensions and expulsions, and graduation rates may reveal more precisely how certain groups are being disadvantaged, how to identify and remove systemic barriers to success and, accordingly, where to target our resources.”
How were the questions developed?
The survey questions are adapted from a template provided by the Ministry of Education and based on the Ontario Anti-Racism Act and Anti-Racism Data Standards.
Why are the gender identity and sexual orientation questions open-ended?
The survey questions related to gender and sexual orientation (grades 9 to 12 only) are part of the template that was developed by the Ministry of Education to ensure compliance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, which protects individuals from discrimination based on gender identity or expression, and sexual orientation.
The open-ended response area allows individuals to identify as they wish. If anyone wishes not to respond to the questions, they can be skipped, as can any question on the survey.
How long will it take to complete the survey?
The survey has 12 questions. It will take approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete. You will need to complete the survey for every child in your household. Secondary school students will complete the survey themselves at school.
Do I have to do the survey with my elementary school child?
The survey asks about students’ experiences and identity, so it would be great for you to complete the survey alongside your younger child/children. For older children who can read themselves, you may consider letting them do the survey on their own, and you can be there to answer questions and help if needed.
Can we skip questions on the survey?
Yes.
Is the survey anonymous? How are you able to maintain confidentiality?
While the survey is confidential, it’s not anonymous. Your child’s unique student number will be tied to their responses. To use the information to help identify disparities in our system and evaluate programs, we need to look at the data alongside other data we already collect under the Education Act.
School and board staff won’t access individual student information shared on the survey. Data will only be reviewed from a population level for the school board as a whole.
How are you securing the data?
Information collected will be stored in a secure, confidential database in Canada and only be accessed by authorized data analysts. We’re committed to the highest levels of privacy and confidentiality in collecting information about students. We follow all privacy requirements outlined in the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA).
What are some examples of other data you will link these survey results to?
We will analyze the data alongside other data to answer questions about:
- Achievement gaps – whether certain groups of students achieve at the same rate
- Suspension and expulsion rates – whether certain groups of students are suspended or expelled at a higher rate
- Streaming – whether certain groups of students are over or under-represented in particular programs or streams (e.g., academic versus applied courses; English with Core French versus Elementary French Immersion);
- Students’ sense of belonging at school and whether they see themselves represented in materials
Can the data be used to evaluate individual student experiences or staff members’ practices?
No, the purpose of this data isn’t to evaluate individual experiences or situations. Board staff are unable to access individual student responses. We also won’t be reviewing data from the school level. All reports will include data aggregated for the entire school board together to support system-level planning and change.
I don’t want my child/children to complete the survey. How can I opt-out?
Any student and family may choose not to participate, stop, or skip a question at any time. The survey for elementary students is completed by or with parents/guardians and so you can choose not to complete it. Parents/guardians of secondary school students under 18 can ask that their child be exempt from participating in the census.
There are two ways to request an exemption for your secondary school student:
- Online: You may ask for an exemption electronically by completing this online form.
- Contact your child’s secondary school: You may ask for an exemption by contacting your school administrator (by phone or by email).
Parents/guardians who would like their secondary school child to be exempted from participating in the census may request an exemption at any time before January 9. If a parent/guardian does not submit a request to opt out, all students are still free to choose not to participate in the student census.
What can parents/guardians do if they don’t have access to technology to complete the census?
Our schools will provide support to families that don’t have access to technology at home. Please contact your school principal to make arrangements.
Will the data and learning from the survey be shared publicly?
Yes, reports that are prepared based on the census information will be available publicly and posted on our website.
I don’t see much diversity in our community. Why do we need to do this survey here?
Not all diversity is visible. We need to gather the data because it helps to make the invisible visible. We don’t want anyone in our community to face barriers.
Who to contact with questions
Please send your questions or comments to research@hpcdsb.ca and someone from our team will get back to you. You can also contact your school principal.