Student Census Survey

The Student Census Survey is a voluntary, confidential survey that consists of eight (K-Grade 6) or nine (Grades 7-12) multiple choice identity-based questions. These include first languages, ethnicity, religion/spirituality, gender identity, disability, status in Canada, and sexual orientation (Grades 7-12 only).

We are asking all students to answer the online survey:

• Families of students in Kindergarten to Grade 6 will be asked to complete the Student Census Survey online with their child(ren) at home by accessing their secure DSBN student portal.
• Grades 7 to 12 students will be asked to complete the Student Census Survey online at school using their secure DSBN student portal.

We recognize the importance of equity, dignity, well-being, diversity, and inclusion of all individuals, groups, and communities.

The DSBN Student Census Survey will help us gain a clearer understanding of the needs of our students and communities we serve. It will also provide us with an opportunity to hear our students’ voices and learn more about their lived experiences, which will help us be responsive to their needs.

Kindergarten to Grade 6 students will be asked to complete the census with their parent/guardian between April 6 - 30, 2021

Grades 7-12 students will be asked to complete the census between March 22 - April 1, 2021

School boards across the province are currently gathering student census data as part of Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan. This plan encourages school boards to identify systemic barriers and/or gaps and develop ways to eliminate discriminatory biases.

DSBN is committed to providing students with high quality education within an inclusive and bias-free environment. Collecting identity-based information will help us identify student groups who are underserved. From this, we will be able to identify, eliminate and respond to systemic barriers to student success, create more equitable and inclusive school environments, and further support student achievement and well-being in targeted and intentional ways.

The Student Census Survey is important because it provides us with valuable insight into who our students are and the communities we serve.

This will assist us in:

• Better understanding the needs of our students
• Identifying, eliminating and responding to systemic barriers to student success
• Creating more equitable and inclusive school environments
• Further supporting student achievement and well-being in targeted and intentional ways

All students are asked to complete the census survey, however completing it is voluntary. The higher the completion rate, the richer and more reliable the information will be for school improvement and student success. The data collected will be used to inform and improve programming and instruction across the DSBN.

• Families of students in Kindergarten to Grade 6 will be asked to complete the Student Census Survey online for each of their children at home. Go to your child’s school website or dsbn.org and click on the Student Census link.
• You will be prompted to enter your child’s DSBN username and password.
• Grades 7 to 12 students, including DSBN Virtual School students, will access the Student Census Survey online during class time, using their secure DSBN student login.

Yes, the survey is voluntary and there are no consequences for not participating. Families can let their school principal know that they do not want their child to participate in the survey. Students in Grades 7 to 12 can choose not to participate if this is their choice or an agreed upon family decision. Participating in the census provides consent and permits the use of the data to support student learning and well-being.

The Student Census Survey is a voluntary, confidential survey that consists of eight (K-Grade 6) or nine (Grades 7-12) multiple choice identity-based questions. These include first languages, ethnicity, race, religion/spirituality, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, status in Canada, and sexual orientation (Grades 7-12 only).

Please note that the survey questions have been provided by the Ministry of Education and are informed by and based on recommendations from the Data Standards for the Identification and Monitoring of Systemic Racism, the Ontario Human Rights Commission, and the 2016 Canadian Census.

Yes. Written translations will be available in Arabic, Hungarian, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Spanish and Vietnamese. If you need assistance with translation to another language, please contact your school principal.

Please contact your school principal if you can not complete the survey online. Options such as paper copies or alternative formats will be made available.

To access the Student Census Survey, please use your child’s username and password. This is the same username and password that your child was using during the Learn At Home time. If you do not remember your student’s DSBN login information, please contact your school.

If you are having difficulty logging in, or require more technical support, please contact our Information Technology Services team at 905-704-7741 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, or email us at studentcensus@dsbn.org.

If we have not provided an answer to your question(s) in our FAQs please contact your school principal, email studentcensus@dsbn.org or call 905-641-2929 ext. 54137.

The census is confidential but it is not anonymous. The survey is linked to each student’s secure DSBN student account, so we can use the survey results to better understand outcomes and achievement for all of our students. Individual responses will be confidential and no individual student or family will be identifiable in the sharing of the results. Reports will not identify a student or family and will only contain summaries which will provide understanding of school community needs.

We respect the privacy of our students and families and we strictly adhere to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). MFIPPA is the provincial legislation that establishes responsibilities of school boards to protect personal information that is collected, used, retained, disclosed and disposed of.

• The online survey data will be collected using a secure web server.
• Student names will not appear on the completed survey.
• Each survey will include a unique survey ID.
• Processed paper copies will not include any information that will identify an individual student.
• Only authorized DSBN staff will have access to student data. Individual questionnaires will not be analyzed. Data will be used to identify and summarize trends among DSBN students. Once all responses have been received, student data will be anonymized and securely sent to an external company contracted by the DSBN for data analysis.
• All data will be stored in a secure, confidential database. The retention and disposal of data will be according to the DSBN records retention schedule.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission encourages the collection and analysis of identity data for the purposes of: identifying and removing systemic barriers; preventing discrimination; and promoting equity and inclusivity.

Collection of identity-based data is supported by human rights legislative framework, including the Ontario Human Rights Code, and Section 15(2) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.