Wellington Catholic District School Board Student Census

The Wellington Catholic District School Board will be conducting a Student Census in April 2024 in compliance with the Anti-Racism Act in s.7(2) with the goal of eliminating systemic racism and advancing racial equity.

Mandated for all school boards in Ontario to offer, this voluntary online survey will collect data specifically related to self-identity, demographics, and experiences at school. The Student Census is a confidential survey offered to all students in kindergarten to grade 12.

By completing this survey, we hope to learn more about the students we support and help us to identify differences and gaps in our students’ experiences and outcomes, based on their diverse needs. The data from the survey will help us understand our student demographics and experiences, identify systemic racism, sexism, and classism that affects the learning outcomes of our students, identify and minimize the barriers for our students and their families, guide our professional development, training, and pedagogy.

In preparation for the survey, our board administration conducting in-person stakeholder engagement sessions with parents, staff groups, students and community partners to explain the purpose of the census and how we will use the data to guide decisions and programming throughout our Board and provide an opportunity to raise concerns, provide suggestions and discuss issues that will not be identified through the census.

The consult sessions were extremely valuable and provided us with important information to help guide the direction of our finalized survey questions.

Please see the following questions that will be asked during the 2024 Student Census:

Notice of Collection of Personal Information

To comply with the Anti-Racism Act in s.7(2), the WCDSB is required to conduct a Student Census with the goal of eliminating systemic racism and advancing racial equity.

The authority to collect personal information in the Student Census comes from the Anti-Racism Act (ARA s.6(5)), and the Education Act (265(1)(d), 169.1(1)) in accordance with Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA s.28(2)).

Personal information collected in the Student Census will be combined with personal information already held by the Board in our student information system.

The types of information already collected under the Education Act include student achievement, credit accumulation, graduation rate, suspensions/expulsions, special education services, and academic/extra-curricular program participation. The purpose for combining Student Census and existing personal data already collected is to meet the requirements of the Anti-Racism Act, which includes research and longitudinal study.

No program, service or benefit may be withheld because a student does not participate, or refuses to participate, in the Wellington Catholic DSB Student Census.

Individuals may request access to, or correction of personal information collected in the Student Census that relates to them. Consent may be withdrawn for further use of your personal information, but withdrawal will not result in changes to analysis and reporting that has already been completed as part of the Student Census activity.

If you have questions about the personal information collected in the Student Census, please contact the Wellington Catholic DSB Research Team at [email protected].

For parents/guardians whose child is in grade 7 - 12

If your child has a cognitive or physical challenge and is unable to participate independently in the Student Census, please contact your school administrator to plan for another person (i.e., parent/guardian) to complete the Student Census on behalf of the student.

Opt-out Process

Beginning on May 6, 2024, all students in Wellington Catholic District School Board are asked to complete the 2024 Student Census. This voluntary and confidential online survey will collect data on the self-identity, demographics, and experiences of students in the Wellington Catholic DSB. While it is mandated by the Provincial Anti-Racism Act for all school boards to conduct a student census, information provided from the survey responses is vital for the Board to identify and eliminate systemic barriers for students and inform ongoing professional development.

While completion of this survey is important to guide student’s education experience, it is completely voluntary and you can opt-out of the survey prior to April 19, by completing this form: https://forms.office.com/r/Lzmg6zTfZA. A separate form is required for each child.