From November 2022 to January 2023, the Upper Canada District School Board collected data from elementary and secondary school students through its ‘We All Belong’ student survey and ‘Intermediate Student Voice’ survey. The UCDSB will be using the information gathered on school experiences, cultural identity, gender identity, race, spoken languages, and socio-economic status to set specific and intentional next steps for increasing student support in schools.

“Gathering this data is essential to getting a better understanding of our student population. When we have this information, we can work towards creating programs and finding resources that better suit the needs and wants of our students,” said Superintendent Marsha McNair, who is responsible for the Equity, Inclusion and Diversity portfolio. “We want all our students to feel safe at school and see themselves and their culture reflected in the activities and lessons. Research shows that when students feel safe, accepted and their identities are represented at school, they have better outcomes. And that’s what we want — students who are thriving at school and beyond our walls.” 

The response rate for the two surveys was good overall; 30 percent of elementary students and 56 percent of secondary students responded to the ‘We All Belong’ survey, and 61 percent of Grade 7 and 8 students responded to the ‘Intermediate Student Voice’ survey.

The UCDSB has yet to process all the data, but some preliminary findings indicate that 59 percent of students want to learn more about Real-World Learning, 48 percent of students want to learn more about academic skill preparedness, 44 percent are comfortable discussing problems with teachers or guidance counsellors, and 14 percent identify as having a disability.

More information about the survey and the full downloadable reports can be found on the UCDSB website.