Student census will give board snapshot of diverse communities
The Trillium Lakelands District School Board is seeking input from students and their families to better understand the communities it serves.
The Board has launched its second student census for all students and their parents/guardians.
The census required by Ministry of Education is designed to gather demographic information about the diverse composition of its students.
School boards are expected to use the Anti-Racism Act’s Data Standards (ARDS) for the identification and monitoring of systemic racism, which provides rules and guidance for the collection, analysis, and use of data. This report provides an initial summary of the data.
Student census data will be merged with academic achievement and well-being data to identify areas of inequity. Areas of focus include disabilities, gender, ethnicity and language.
Director of education Wes Hahn stated the census is part of the board’s commitment to continued progress toward equity and inclusion for all.
“The data collected from students will provide the school system with valuable information that will help to improve strategic planning, programming, and services with a focus on student achievement and engagement,” Hahn said in a news release.
For students in kindergarten to Grade 6, one census per student is to be completed by parents/guardians with their child online or on paper. Paper copies are available upon request at the school.
Grade 7 to 12 students will have the opportunity to complete the census in class prior to the March 8 closing date.
The census is confidential and voluntary, but not anonymous. Individual responses, and all personal student and family information will remain strictly confidential protected under the freedom of information and protection of privacy legislation.
Once compiled, the data will be shared with families to help communities better understand its population, helping to:
Improve learning opportunities and outcomes for all students.
Make schools aware of, understand, and support the diversity of our students and families.
Increase student engagement. Improve access to services. Identify groups of students being underserved.
Eliminate barriers to learning. Reduce challenges faced by some students and families.
Use resources to enhance programs and services.
Those parents who did not already receive a secure link to the census,are asked to check their spam/junk email folder or complete the TLDSB student census link request form and a link will be sent.
More information on the census is also available at tldsb.ca/studentcensus.