Student Census - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Limestone is committed to serving our students as best we can. To do this, we need to understand more about how students’ experiences, identities, and academic achievement are connected.

Collecting identity-based information through the Student Census will help us to understand barriers to equitable education that affect students. We will build on the information we gathered in the 2020 Student Census to develop and improve programming, strategies, policies, and teaching practices, as well as distribute resources and supports to improve school environments and help every student succeed.

LDSB looks forward to using the Student Census as an opportunity to honour students’ voices and learn more about their school experiences to be responsive to their needs.

School boards across the province complete censuses to better understand their school communities.

Collecting student identity-based data helps us to identify potential systemic barriers or gaps and work to end discriminatory biases in our classes and schools that affect student achievement and well-being.  By examining disparities among different student identity groups, we can work to reduce these gaps.  Regular reviews and updates to our plans are based on the student data and feedback we receive, and this will ensure that our initiatives are still effective and responsive to the needs of our students.

Collecting identity information (or demographic data, as it is often called) is required by law. The Anti-Racism Act (2017) states that all public sector organizations – which includes school boards – must collect identity information about students alongside outcome data. For schools, “outcome data” are things like EQAO test scores and graduation rates. The idea behind this law is to make sure all groups of students have the same opportunity to succeed in school. Research in Ontario and other places has shown that this is not always the case ((Lewis, 1992; Government of Canada, 1991, Ch. 3; Safir & Dugan, 2021; Carl & Turner, 2017; Ontario Human Rights Commission, 2022, Ch. 5; Ottawa-Carleton DSB, 2023; Peel DSB, 2022)).

Student Census data is one of many sources that the board uses to support student achievement and well-being. The Student Census has helped us identify systemic barriers, but the work of understanding and eliminating them is ongoing.

Here are some examples of how the data is being used:

• Training new teachers: Teachers in the New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP) learn about how to plan for students in and measure their progress in ways that are fair to all students. Student Census data helps new teachers see where some of the barriers might be, and where we can improve.
• Supporting students’ identities: We used the data to understand more about students’ identities and build identity-affirming approaches to achievement and well-being. “Identity-affirming” means making sure students feel seen, heard, and respected for everything that makes them who they are. This is a major focus at Educational Services.
• Learning about each other: The data helped us create several posters for staff about students’ cultures and languages how to support students who are 2SLGBTQ+. This is important because it was the first time people learned about these topics using data from students in Limestone instead of from the city, province, or country.
• Identifying and addressing racism: We are working on understanding how racism happens in Limestone and what we can do about it. For example, we are using data from the Student Census, the Human Rights Reporting Tool, suspension records to understand how incidents of anti-Black racism happen and what we can do to prevent them from happening again.

We also use data from the 2020 Student Census in these ongoing projects:

• Human Rights Reporting Tool
• Administrative Procedure Reviews for both students and staff
• Creation and expansion of school-based affinity groups and clubs
• Special Education Review and operational planning
• Mental Health, Substance Use, and Addiction Strategy development
• Developing Neuro-affirming practices at Educational Services and within schools
• Equity Action Plan
• School Climate surveys
• Workforce Census and Belonging Surveys

Students in Grades 4 to 12 are invited to complete the survey online at school, including LDSB Virtual School students. School administrators will ensure that all students, including those attending alternative programming, receive an invitation to take part in the survey. 

The Student Census is an online survey that students will get in their Limestone email inbox. We use a secure survey software called Voxco, which is a Canadian company. When students click the survey link in their email, their answers become connected to their email address. Read more about what we do with this information in the Privacy, Confidentiality, and Data Security section.

If a student would prefer a paper copy, teachers are asked to contact the Research Team. They will provide a copy with a unique code for the student in sealed envelope, with a return envelope addressed to the board office. Once finished, the student can return the survey to the teacher, who will send it in board mail.

The Student Census asks questions about student identity that include languages, Indigenous identity, ethnicity, race, religion, disability, gender, and socioeconomic status. All the questions about identity align with the Ontario Human Rights Code grounds (except socioeconomic status, which is not currently a human rights ground). Some questions are only asked of Grade 7 to 12 students, for example questions about sexual orientation and mental health. The survey also asks students questions about their experiences at school, such as what they learn about, what activities they do, and how they feel about their school environment. After the data is collected, students’ answers are combined with academic achievement information that the board already has so we can understand more about how academic achievement, identity, and school experiences relate to one another.

The Student Census asks questions about student identity that include languages, Indigenous identity, ethnicity, race, religion, disability, gender, and socioeconomic status. All the questions about identity align with the Ontario Human Rights Code grounds (except socioeconomic status, which is not currently a human rights ground). Some questions are only asked of Grade 7 to 12 students, for example questions about sexual orientation and mental health. The survey also asks students questions about their experiences at school, such as what they learn about, what activities they do, and how they feel about their school environment. After the data is collected, students’ answers are combined with academic information that the board already has so we can understand more about how academic achievement, identity, and school experiences relate to one another. Specifically, we include EQAO results, special education status, and suspensions and expulsions for all students, plus credit accumulation, course type, and post-secondary application status (where available) for secondary students. Academic information like school location also helps us understand differences in experience for rural and urban students.

Staff have been given an Educator Guide that contains question guides and slide decks to help prepare students with the language and ideas in the survey, along with information on how to respond to student questions and concerns.

The Educator Guide supports educators with the survey content before the survey starts. We want educators to be able to respond knowledgeably and sensitively to student concerns if they are raised during the survey. The Educator Guide also has materials to help educators introduce students to the Student Census.

Students should not be seeing the survey for the first time during Student Census week. In addition to the Educator Guide, the Student and Family Guide is available on the district website. Students have direct access to this guide through Minds Online.

All questions are available to students, families, and staff before the survey happens. Students can see the questions and decide whether they want to participate based on the types of questions we ask. Each question – and why we ask it - is explained in detail in the Student and Family Question Guide.

If students choose to do the survey, all questions are optional, and students can stop the survey at any time by closing their browser.

When students exit or finish the survey, they will be given a list of support services, including those available in their school. This list will also appear when students in Grades 7 to 12 reach the question about mental health.

The Student Census questions were developed by the Student Census Team with the support of the Technical Advisory Group and fourteen different consultation groups. These groups included many interest-holders in the board including students and families (both urban and rural), educators, support staff, community partners, labour partners, and board committees who represent a variety of identities and lived experience. 

Once responses are processed and analyzed, the Limestone District School Board will produce a series of reports to help inform board and school decision-making for programming and instruction. These reports must be shared publicly. Reports will never single out a student or family.

Unpublished Student Census data may also be used internally to guide specific programming and policies. For example, we can use Student Census data to help understand if students from all backgrounds have equitable access to extracurricular activities, like sports.

We will communicate with Limestone families regularly about the upcoming census throughout the rest of this school year. We will send emails to families in beginning of the 2025 to 2026 school year by e-mail from the school Board and from their students’ school. These emails will include information about the purpose of the student census, types of questions included in the student census, how to take part or opt out, privacy and confidentiality information, and how the data collected will be used. Families will also be able to find this information on the district website.

No; however, families can opt their student out of the survey. Formal consent from families is not required by law (Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, "Guide to Privacy and Access to Information in Ontario Schools," January 2019.) The administration of the Student Census is authorized by law under the Anti-Racism Act (2017) and the Education Act (s.169.1).

We will make every effort to ensure families are informed prior to the survey administration and that they are given the opportunity to opt their student(s) out. Students whose families opt out will not receive a survey. Students also have the right to decline participation in the survey at any time, and to withdraw their data at any time (under Standard 7 of the Anti-Racism Data Standards). 

We are asking for students' express consent to participate in the survey, as required by Standard 7 of the Anti-Racism Data Standards.

Parents and legal guardians of students under 18 can opt their student(s) out of the survey by contacting their school principal, who will provide the student’s name to the Research Team. Opting a student out means that the student will not receive the survey in their email inbox. Educators are asked to provide students who are not completing the census with another activity during their scheduled survey time(s).

Before the survey starts, students should read or listen to the information that informs students of the process, the purpose, and their rights. Students consent by clicking the “Next” button to do the survey. If they choose not to do the survey, they can close their browser window. There are no penalties for students not taking part in the Student Census. They will be given another activity to work on during their class survey time. Students can choose to take the survey another time while the survey is open.

The Ministry of Education provides school boards with the Demographic Data Gathering allocation in the Core Education Funding (CEF). This funding allows boards to continue to collect, analyze, publicly report and use voluntary data on social identities that are related to the protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code and as required under the Anti-Racism Act. School boards are expected to engage in a data collection process that meets local needs and improves accuracy and quality of data to use for decision-making.  The Data Standards for the Identification and Monitoring of Systemic Racism (or Anti-Racism Data Standards, or ARDS) set out the requirements of this work, including recommendations for additional questions about other parts of identity that are included on the Student Census (Standard 12).

Additionally, the Education Act (1990, S. 169.1) requires school boards to promote student achievement and well-being, and to monitor the programming put in place to help achieve those goals. Policy and Program Memorandum (PPM) 119 also requires that boards implement inclusive education policies to support high levels of student achievement and to reduce gaps in achievement. Pairing students’ Student Census responses with their academic data allows us to monitor the effectiveness of inclusive curriculum and assessment practices.

Finally, the collection of identity-based data is supported by Canada’s human rights laws, including the Canadian Human Rights Act, The Ontario Human Rights Code, and section 15 (2) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Ontario Human Rights Commission permits and encourages the collection and analysis of identity data for the purposes of identifying and removing systemic barriers, preventing discrimination, and promoting equity and inclusivity. 

These laws allow us to collect the information included on the Student Census. We also must follow privacy laws in how we collect, store, use, disclose, and destroy this information. These laws are MFIPPA and PHIPA. The board policies and procedures we must follow are Limestone District School Board Administrative Procedures 191, 192, and 195, and the Limestone Records Retention Manual.

Yes. The survey is designed with assistive technology and accommodations in mind. For example, we test the entire survey multiple times with a screen reader, and we ensure that font size and colour contrast are inclusive of low-vision participants.

Staff who are helping students complete the survey will receive guides and instructions. Educational Services staff are helping us check the accessibility of the survey for a variety of different learners. If the options we offer do not meet a student’s needs, we will provide them a choice that does. The goal, however, is for our design to be universal and usable by all students.

Yes. We aim for a Grade 3 reading level for the Grade 4 to 6 survey, and a Grade 4 to 6 reading level for students in Grades 7 to 12.

Yes. The survey for students will be available in multiple languages through Google Translate within our survey software, Voxco. Translated versions of the questions will be available for families to review before the survey administration.

Yes.  As with the 2020 Student Census, we will be asking several classes to help us test the census before the main administration period in November. We make sure to include junior-level classes (Grade 4, 5, 6), multi-language learner classes (MLL, formerly known as ELL), students with special education needs, as well as other classrooms in Grades 4 to 12. Our goal is to make sure that the survey makes sense to all students.

Yes. The Student Census survey will be available for review on our website in advance of student(s) taking part.

No, it is confidential. We use students’ email addresses to match their survey responses with their academic information. Being able to connect student data and survey data is a requirement under the Anti-Racism Data Standards (Standard 19) and is supported by the Ontario Human Rights Code data collection guidelines (Count Me In!).

Once we have connected students’ census answers with achievement data, we remove the email address from the file leaving only the survey ID number (see How are you connecting survey responses to academic information?).

Under Anti-Racism Data Standard 20 (Limit Access on a Need-to-Know Basis), unless there is a risk to student safety, students' individual answers may not be shared with anyone outside of the Research Team.

Students start the survey by clicking a link in their Limestone email that is specific to them, which creates a survey ID number. When they start the survey, their email address becomes attached to their survey ID number. When the survey is done, we will use students’ email addresses to match their answers with academic data stored in our Student Information System.  Once everything is combined, we will remove the email address from the file we use for our analysis, keeping only the survey ID number. We will also delete the email addresses from Voxco, the software we use to make and send the survey to students.

We will keep something called a “linking file.”  This is a separate file that contains only the students’ email addresses and their survey ID numbers. We need to keep this linking file so that participants can withdraw their data at any time by contacting the Research Team. The linking file and the survey data are stored separately.

No. The Student Census is a district level survey. This means that we are reporting on the board, not on individual schools or classrooms.

No. The Student Census is optional. Students may choose to skip questions if they do not wish to provide answers, or they can choose not to take part at all.

The Student Census asks for detailed information about students’ experiences and identities. We take the privacy of students and families seriously and have multiple layers of security in place, including plans for what to do if there is a privacy breach (see Administrative Procedure 195).

We have several ways of keeping Student Census data safe:

Limited access: Only the two members of the Research Team have access to the survey and the data files. By law (MFIPPA, ARDS Standard 20), only people who need to see this information to do their jobs are allowed to do so. Unless there is a student safety concern, individual information about students will not be shared outside of the Research Team. Technical support at Voxco – our survey software company – will have access to the data as a back-up.

Physical safeguards: Any paper copies sent home with students are in a sealed envelope, with a return envelope with no identifying information on either document. Any paper copies/materials are kept in locked offices and shredded when no longer needed. All staff need security badges to enter the board office building where the Research Team works. The linking file that contains identifying information is stored separately from Student Census responses.

Technical safeguards: All Research Team devices and OneDrive accounts are encrypted and password protected. Voxco, our survey software, is a Canadian company based in Montreal, with all data stored in Canada. Once the data is downloaded and deleted from Voxco, it is stored on Limestone’s secure Microsoft servers.

When we write our reports, we will report on groups of people, never an individual or family. The ARDS provides rules for data suppression, that is, when data needs to be hidden because a group is too small and could be identified. We will not report results for any group with fewer than 15 students. For examples of how we presented the data from the 2020 Student Census, please see our reports.

The cyber incident did not affect any systems in which Student Census data is collected or stored. Our internal Microsoft servers, where Student Census data is stored for analysis, were not affected by the incident. Our survey software, Voxco, meets the highest international privacy standards (GDPR) and is compliant with all Canadian privacy laws. We have taken every precaution to protect student data. Students and families are reminded that this survey is voluntary, as is each individual question within the survey.

The survey is confidential, and all information collected is protected by law. The board cannot share survey responses with families. Families are encouraged to discuss the questions with their student(s) to understand their responses.

No, unless the law says we must. As a school board, we must report any students in need of protection, which includes students who are at risk of harm or who have indicated they might harm themselves or others. We have specific procedures to follow in these situations (Safe Schools procedures, Suicide Protocol). Only staff responsible for the student would receive information, and only what is needed to ensure their safety.