Data collection will take place from April 11th to May 10th, 2024.
The OCDSB is committed to creating learning and working environments that are grounded in the principles of equity, human rights, inclusion, anti-racism, and anti-oppression. The collection and reporting of identity-based data, which is required of all school boards under the Anti-Racism Act, will support the OCDSB in upholding these commitments.
ollecting school climate data helps us better understand bullying, safety, engagement and well-being within the school. Results of the survey help us make informed decisions about programs to help prevent bullying and promote safe and inclusive schools. School climate data also help to support bullying prevention and intervention plans and help with school improvement planning.
Participating in the survey ensures your voice is heard and helps us better understand the diverse needs and experiences within your school community. Greater participation in the survey improves the quality of the data we collect, and ensures we can make more informed decisions and implement changes that truly meet the needs of our students (for example, through the programs we offer and the supports we provide to students) for the next four years and beyond.
About the Survey:
The survey includes questions about:
- Identity, including language, Indigenous identity, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious/spiritual affiliation and/or creed, and disabilities.
- School climate, including sense of belonging, relationships with others, engagement, school safety, bullying, discrimination, and well-being.
- Parents/Caregivers of children in Kindergarten through Grade 6 complete the survey on behalf of their child(ren).
- Students in grades 7 to 12 complete the survey during class time at school. An alternative activity will be arranged for those students who do not want to participate in the survey.
The survey is administered using Qualtrics, a secure online survey platform that is accessible on any mobile device, tablet, laptop or computer. Paper copies of the parent survey (Kindergarten to Grade 6) can also be made available upon request.
Yes. Unfortunately, there were some technical difficulties with the initial survey link. We successfully resolved those issues and sent updated links. Please use the most recent email invite to complete the survey again. We sincerely apologize and are grateful for your patience and support.
Unfortunately, there were some technical difficulties with the initial survey link. We successfully resolved those issues and sent updated links. Please use the most recent email invite to complete the survey again.
Privacy and Confidentiality:
The Government of Ontario introduced the Anti-Racism Act in 2017 which requires schools across the province to collect and publicly report on identity-based data. The accompanying Data Standards for the Identification and Monitoring of System Racism provide a framework for school Districts to collect identity-based data for the purpose of identifying and eliminating systemic barriers and bias. This work is also governed by the Education Act and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
The school climate portion of the survey also fulfills the Ministry of Education requirement (PPM No.145) that all schools conduct a school climate survey for students, staff, and caregivers every two years.
Yes, the survey is voluntary. Students and caregivers may choose to respond to all, some, or none of the questions.
The survey is confidential but not anonymous meaning that your name and responses will be kept private and protected. Each survey will include a unique survey ID that will only be used by research staff at the District to link identity data to other data sets (for example, achievement outcomes, participation rates in different programs/courses, suspension rates). This is necessary in order to identify trends and to develop programs, policies, and practices aimed at improving outcomes and services.
School climate data will be separated from identity data. School climate results will include identity information, but will be stripped of the individual unique survey ID to ensure this remains anonymous, and will only be reported at the aggregate (group) level. Individual level school climate responses will never be shared.
Data from the survey will be stored in a database that is separate from information which would identify individual students. Survey data will only be able to be linked to other data (such as achievement) by District research staff, using unique identifiers, which are stored in a separate database. Reporting will be based on groups of students, and not at the individual student level in order to protect students’ privacy.
Identity data will not be suppressed as it is important to acknowledge the unique and diverse characteristics of the OCDSB student population. Data suppression, typically employed when respondent numbers are low, involves removing data to prevent re-identification risks. With the use of unique identifiers and reporting identity information only at the group level, the risk of re-identification is low. Retaining this data acknowledges and respects participant responses and allows us to recognize the diversity of the community.
In addition to the school climate results being anonymous, suppression will be applied to school climate data when there are less than 5 respondents. This is because school climate data will be shared at the school-level and suppression will help ensure anonymity and the protection of student identities.
For students in Kindergarten to grade 6, parents/caregivers provide consent by completing the survey. If the parent/caregiver does not consent, they simply do not complete the survey.
For students in grades 7 to 12, parents/caregivers may complete an opt-out form indicating that they do not consent to their child’s participation. The form is included in the information letter and it must be returned by March 29th, 2024. You can also access the opt out form here.
Accessing the Survey:
A unique survey link will be sent for each child. Please complete one survey per child.
Yes, alternate arrangements for students who do not wish to participate will be offered during the survey administration, with careful consideration to ensure students not participating are not singled out. The arrangement might vary from school to school.
Parents/caregivers will receive the survey via email to complete on behalf of their child/children in Kindergarten to Grade 6. The survey will be sent to each student’s primary contacts. The invitation will contain a unique survey link to complete one survey per child. If an email address is not provided, but a mailing address is available, a paper copy will be sent in the mail.
If multiple parents/caregivers complete the survey for the same child, fullness and timing of survey responses will be considered when retaining data for reporting purposes.
There are multiple reasons why this may be occurring. Some email servers consolidate emails which are similar in nature. To view additional emails, fully expand the email (view full email) to view additional survey links. It is also possible that a browser or browser extension setting is preventing successful opening of the link. To resolve this issue, please open additional survey links using an incognito or private browsing window, or clear your browser’s cache (history) and cookies prior to opening additional survey links.
Yes, the survey can be completed using a mobile device.
Parents/caregivers may ask for the school to provide a paper copy of the survey, which can be completed at home, and returned to the child’s school.
While the survey has been sent to all primary parent and caregiver contacts, only one survey can be completed per student. If a caregiver tries to access a survey that has already been completed, they will receive a message that the survey has been submitted. If a survey has been started but not submitted, any caregiver will be able to access the responses through the survey link and submit the survey.
Yes. You can return to the survey using the link in your email (if it has not yet been submitted) between April 11 and May 10. Once a survey has been started, it can still be accessed (including partial responses) by all caregivers with the survey link until it has been submitted or the survey deadline has passed.
Yes, the online survey has been professionally translated in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, French, Urdu, Somali, Spanish, Russian, Pashto, and Inuktitut. Paper copies will also be available in these languages. For other languages, please use the translate feature in your browser (e.g., Google Translate in Chrome).
The survey is compatible with screen readers (such as Google Read & Write extension) and is compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) requirements.
Planning for accommodations for students with special education needs will be done at the school level and should be consistent with accommodations provided throughout the course of the year.
The survey administration platform is compatible with Read and Write for Google and has built in translation capabilities for students who may require them.
Please contact us by email at valuingvoices@ocdsb.ca for assistance.
After the Survey:
An initial report will provide a comprehensive overview of the demographic characteristics of the OCDSB student population. Demographic data will be used to disaggregate District reporting on student outcomes and experiences (for example, achievement, suspension, and credit accumulation). School administrators will be provided with actionable insights on school climate, which they will share with their school community.
A District-level summary report of student identity will be available in the Fall of 2024.
School climate data will include identity information for the purpose of disaggregation, but will be stripped of all identifiers to ensure it remains anonymous. Aggregated school-level and District-level results will be available to school administrators in August 2024 to support school improvement initiatives in 2024-2025. A District-level summary and infographic of school climate results will be available on the school climate webpage, and school administrators will share results with their school communities.
Please contact us by email at valuingvoices@ocdsb.ca.