The survey will collect demographic and identity data, including information about language, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and more. It also includes questions about school experience.
Why are we doing a student census?
Every day, we work to build faith-filled learning communities. We want our students and families to feel loved, inspired, and successful. By better understanding our students, we can make sure that we offer programs, supports and opportunities that best suit their needs.
The See Me in ALCDSB Student Census will:
· Collect accurate identity and experience data about the current student population
· Improve our ability to assess the disparities that exist within the system and to effectively measure efforts to improve outcomes for all students
· Support the development of 2026-2027 school improvement plans and the board improvement plan and inform new and existing programming and supports
The collection of this data is mandated by the Ministry of Education and is an important step forward for equity in the ALCDSB because it allows us to understand the ever-changing context in our schools.
Survey Implementation
Here’s some information about how the survey will be implemented to help you prepare:
· The survey will take place online. We will provide help for students with special education needs.
· There are two versions of the survey: one for Grades 4 to 6 and another for Grades 7 to 12.
· All students will be given the survey directly and have time to complete the survey at school.
· The survey is voluntary. Students can choose not to participate. They can also skip questions on the survey. Parents/guardians of students under 18 years of age may also request that their child not participate in the survey by using the opt-out form: Opt-Out Form
How we will use the data
We will analyze the student census data alongside other existing datasets. This will help us plan what we can do to remove barriers students face, and to make sure programs, supports, and opportunities best align with what students need. The data will also allow us to measure the impact of changes we make.
This analysis will likely also interest social services agencies working in our communities and other community partners. Many factors in communities affect whether individuals and families have access to services and opportunities, feel a sense of belonging and feel safe. We need to work together to address any gaps this census data and other data sources help uncover.
To learn more about the survey, please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):