PDSB LAUNCHING SECOND STUDENT CENSUS THIS SPRING

BOARD SAYS FINDINGS WILL CONTINUE TO ASSIST THEM IN IDENTIFYING AND ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO STUDENT SUCCESS

Peel District School Board students will have an opportunity this spring to provide feedback about their well-being and school experiences through an upcoming census.

PDSB announced in a notice it is launching a voluntary kindergarten to Grade 12 student census, collecting demographic data and students' perceptions.

From April 11 to May 5, students in grades 4 to 12 will be invited to complete the student census during class.

Families of students in kindergarten to Grade 3 will be invited to complete the census with their child at home through the email address they provided to the school. Paper copies will be provided upon request.

The survey will include multiple choice questions asking students about themselves, their identity, their school experiences, well-being and overall learning, according to the 2023 Student Census webpage at peelschools.org.

The findings will continue to assist PDSB to better understand student populations and school communities; identify and eliminate barriers to student success, inclusion and well-being; eliminate systemic

racism and discrimination; and establish effective programs, the board explained.

The student census is translated into the "11 most common languages spoken by students and families in Peel," according to the board. Students can choose a preferred language to answer

the questions.

The board pointed out the census is confidential but not anonymous. Only PDSB's Research and Accountability unit will have access to the data. The board said the unit will "report on group-level data only, ensuring information about individual students or groups with small population sizes will not be seen by anyone."

PDSB launched its first board-wide student census in November 2018 following a motion by the Board of Trustees, and the board's student census website said, "under the provincial Anti-Racism Act, public school boards are required to conduct a census of students at least every five years."

"Data from the new census is essential to monitor our progress in addressing the problems that have been identified and interrupting the barriers to success our students continue to face," the board website read.

According to the province's Annual progress report 2022: Ontario's AntiRacism Strategic Plan, school boards have been authorized since May 1, 2018 to "collect race-based data on students as it relates to academic performance, special education received and suspensions, expulsions or a decision of a principal to refuse to admit students to a school or classroom."

It noted the Ministry of Education accelerated the deadline to Jan. 1, requiring all 72 boards to collect race-based data.

The update said in 2021, the ministry announced a Board Improvement and Equity Plan (BIEP) that "asked school boards to analyze student demographic and outcomes data and develop equity-focused action plans to combat racism and promote student success, well-being and mental health."

A provincial backgrounder outlining legislation and regulation changes that came into effect on Jan. 1 also noted the racebased data collection is "in accordance with a regulation under the Anti-Racism Act, 2017 and the AntiRacism Data Standards."