Tell Us About Yourself!
OCSB Student Census 2026: Make a Difference
Tell Us About Yourself!
OCSB Student Census 2026: Make a Difference
The Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) Student Census is a simple way to help us understand our students and meet their needs. When you and your child share about yourselves, you help us create programs and supports that make every student feel included.
Your answers are voluntary and confidential. Your information will be encrypted and stored in a restricted, MFA-secured cloud-based environment, accessible only to research staff.
Why It Matters: Our first Student Census in 2022 gave us great insights, but our community has grown and changed.
The 2026 census will help us:
- Understand our students better.
- See what’s changed since 2022.
- Improve programs and support.
Upcoming Important Dates
Mark Your Calendar
We know you may have questions. We invite you to join one of our Parent Engagement Sessions to learn more and ask questions.
For the in-person sessions, Multicultural Liaison Officers will be on-site to provide interpretation in Arabic, Spanish, French, Mandarin, and Tigrinya, helping ensure all families feel welcome and supported. Child-minding will also be available for children who can use the washroom independently.
 Parent Engagement
Thursday, January 29, 2026 at Noon and at 7:00 pm |
Parent Engagement
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 6:30 pm, at St. Paul High School |
Student Census Survey OpenTuesday, February 24 to Friday, March 13, 2026* |
* If you prefer not to participate in the Student Census, you may submit an opt-out form.
It will be available from Monday, February 2 to Friday, February 13, 2026.
The opt out form will be emailed to parents of K-12 on Monday February 2, 2026.
Upcoming Important Dates
Mark Your Calendar
We know you may have questions. We invite you to join one of our Parent Engagement Sessions to learn more and ask questions.
For the in-person sessions, Multicultural Liaison Officers will be on-site to provide interpretation in Arabic, Spanish, French, Mandarin, and Tigrinya, helping ensure all families feel welcome and supported. Child-minding will also be available for children who can use the washroom independently.
Parent Engagement Virtual Sessions
Thursday, January 29, 2026, at Noon and at 7:00 pm
Sign Up for the Virtual Session ›
Parent Engagement In Person Sessions
Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at 6:30 pm,
at St. Paul High School
Thursday, February 5, 2026
at 7:30 pm, at Lester B. Pearson High School
Sign Up for the In‑Person Session (Child-Minding Available) ›
Student Census Survey Open
Tuesday, February 24 to Friday, March 13, 2026*
* If you prefer not to participate in the Student Census, you may submit an opt-out form. It will be available from Monday, February 2 to Friday, February 13, 2026. The opt out form will be emailed to parents of K-12 on Monday February 2, 2026.
How Your Participation Shapes Our Schools
Turning Results Into Action
How Your Participation Shapes Our Schools
Turning Results Into Action
The information collected in the Student Census helps us understand the needs of our students and families. We use the results to make decisions that improve learning, well-being, and inclusion across all OCSB schools.
Census results will help us:
- Plan programs and services that support student success.
- Understand language, cultural, and identity needs in our schools.
- Improve resources for students with diverse backgrounds.
- Guide equity and inclusion work.
- Identify areas where additional support is needed; and
- Create schools where every student feels safe, welcome, and included.
Have Questions? We’ve Got Answers
FAQ
Have Questions? We’ve Got Answers
FAQ
We know families may have questions about the Student Census. You will find simple answers to the most common questions about how the census works, why we are doing it, and how your information is protected.
If you could not find the information you need in our FAQ, and/or need more assistance, please send us a message at Research@ocsb.ca.
General Questions
1. Why is identity-based information being collected?
As a result of the Anti-Racism Act, 2017, S.O. 2017, c.15 and Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan, School Boards received a mandate to collect and report on identity-based data (race, ethnic origin, Indigenous identity and religion. The collection and analysis of identity-based information is authorized by the Ontario Human Rights Code for the purposes of identifying and eliminating discriminatory practices and barriers faced by diverse groups in our schools.
The OCSB is committed to ensuring that all students feel welcome in our school communities. A critical step to achieving this goal and ensuring equity and inclusion is understanding the makeup of our student population. Collecting this data will help to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion by allowing the OCSB to better understand our community’s needs and the barriers that may exist. The results will allow us to develop strategies to enhance student success, achievement, and well-being.
2. Why should my child participate in the Student Census?
The collection of this information is critical to understanding the makeup of our OCSB student community. If we do not know who makes up our community, it is more difficult to address, monitor, and respond to inequities. Systemic discrimination is known to be a reality in Ontario, preventing all Ontarians from participating fully and having equal rights. It is important that we have as many of our students as possible complete the Student Census so our data is representative and valid, and that they are seen and heard.
3. Who is being asked to complete the Student Census survey?
Students in Grades 4 to 12 may participate in the survey themselves, while parents of students in Grades K to 3 are invited to complete the survey on their child’s behalf.
4. Is participation in the Student Census mandatory?
While the School Board has been instructed to conduct a student census, your child’s participation is entirely voluntary. All questions on the survey are optional. Participation in the survey is highly encouraged and valued. Being seen and heard will help contribute to more equitable learning environments for all students in our schools.
5. What if I do not want my child to participate in the Student Census?
Your child’s participation is entirely voluntary, and students and parents may choose not to participate at all. For students in Kindergarten to Grade 3, parents will provide consent by completing the survey. If the parent does not consent, they simply do not complete the survey. For students in Grades 4 to 12, parents may complete an opt-out form that will be available from February 2 – 13, 2026, to indicate that they wish for their child not to participate in the Student Census.
6. Can I see a copy of the questions before I or my child complete the Student Census?
Yes. You may view a copy of the Student Census at the following links: K-3 (completed by parents), 4-8 Survey (completed by students), and 9-12 Survey (completed by students).
The Development of the Student Census
7. How were the Student Census questions developed?
The 2026 Student Census is based on the first cycle of the Student Census conducted in May 2022. The Student Census examines all protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code. The survey questions were derived from Statistics Canada and drawing on similar work done in other school boards, jurisdictions, and organizations. The wording and content of the questions cannot be modified to ensure consistency across the province.
8. What steps have been taken to ensure that the process for the Student Census was transparent to the community?
To ensure that the process of creating the Student Census was transparent to, and incorporated the views of the OCSB community, a Central Student Census Committee was established, consisting of members from various stakeholder groups. Members of this Central Committee met to share the census, discuss the process, obtain feedback, and address any concerns.
9. What information will I or my child be asked for on the Student Census?
The Student Census will include the mandatory questions about your child’s identity, as described by the Anti-Racism Data Standards (Indigenous identity, race, ethnicity, and creed/religion/spiritual affiliation) and has been expanded to include all the other protected grounds in the Ontario Human Rights Code (citizenship, place of birth, gender, language, disability, and for students in Grades 9 to 12 only: sexual orientation). Each question will also have an associated definition to ensure all students understand the question being asked. For relevant questions (e.g., ethnicity, race), they will be able to select multiple responses so that who they are is best reflected in the answers they provide.
10. Will the Student Census ask questions about student mental health?
The Student Census does not ask specific questions about their mental health; however, mental health as a category is included as an option in the question pertaining to identified disabilities under the human rights protected grounds.
Completing The Student Census
11. How will I or my child access the Student Census?
For students in Grades K to 3, parents will receive a link to the Student Census in their email on February 24th, 2026. For students in Grades 4 to 12, a survey link to the Student Census will be distributed during a designated time period in class between February 24th and March 13th, 2026. It will be completed on a device with an internet connection (i.e. phone or computer) at school.
12. How long does it take to complete the Student Census?
The Student Census is short and will take approximately 5 to 7 minutes to complete.
13. Do I or my child have to answer every question in the Student Census?
If you or your child participates in the Student Census, any question(s) can be skipped, and withdrawal can occur at any point during the survey by simply closing the survey window. You and your child have agency over which questions are completed.
14. Are my child’s responses to the Student Census anonymous?
No, the Student Census is not anonymous. For students in Kindergarten to Grade 3, each family is provided a unique survey link for each of their children, and for students in Grades 4 to 12, each child’s survey is uniquely linked to identifying information such as their pupil number. This allows the research department to match this information to other educational data (such as marks, attendance, program of study) and once this is done, your child’s name will be permanently deleted from the file.
The information collected in this survey is confidential. Confidential means that nobody, other than the Research department, will ever see your child’s information. The data we collect will be summarized at the group-level (Board, school), and any group-level data that has a frequency of response below 20 will not be shared.
15. Are there any risks to my child participating in the Student Census?
There are no anticipated risks associated with your child participating in the Student Census aside from potential discomfort they may feel in responding to specific questions about their identity. However, this discomfort can be alleviated by skipping any questions which may cause them discomfort.
16. Will time be given to complete the Student Census?
Students in Grades 4 to 12 will be given time to complete the census at school during school hours. If students require assistance in completing the survey, teachers may email the link to the student so that they may complete the survey at home with their parents.
17. Will the Student Census be delivered in multiple languages?
Parents of students in Grades K to 3 will be offered a choice of several languages in addition to English. Students in Grades 4 to 12 will complete the survey in English.
18. Given the flexible and contextual nature of identity, if my child makes a selection now, is it permanent or can they update their answer over time to accommodate the fluidity of identity?
The answers to the Student Census survey will be fixed in time. There are several questions that accommodate the selection of multiple choices to reflect the identities people hold. Appreciating that some see their identity as fluid, when this survey is readministered in future years, one may choose to identify differently at that time.
Maintaining Privacy Of The Student Census
19. How will the information on my child in the Student Census be protected?
We recognize that the collection of personal information can be worrisome for some individuals and want to reassure you that the protection of your child’s privacy is of the utmost priority for us. As a result, rigorous privacy and protection standards will be implemented that correspond with relevant privacy legislation and provincial guidelines. Data collected from this survey will be encrypted and stored on a restricted MFA-secured cloud-based environment accessible only by 2 research officers at the OCSB. All information will be used, disclosed, retained, and disposed of in a manner that aligns with the Municipal Freedom and Protection of Privacy Act. If you remain concerned about your child’s privacy before or after your child responds to the Student Census, please contact our Research Department (research@ocsb.ca), and they will be pleased to address your concerns confidentially.
20. After completing the Student Census, can my child’s data be removed or deleted from the data set?
We cannot delete your child’s answers after they have been submitted.
21. Will the information I or my child provide in the Student Census be shared with other departments in the Board?
Only reports based on groups of students, for the purposes of describing our student community and identifying gaps and barriers, will be produced by our Research Department. The Research Officers are bound by ethical research practices as established by the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans.
Reporting Of The Student Census
22. How will the information in the Student Census be reported?
The Research Department will be developing reports based on groups of students and will ensure that confidentiality is always maintained (e.g, that you cannot identify an individual student).
23. When can we expect to see the results of the OCSB Student Census?
It is expected that initial reports will begin to be shared in the fall of 2026, with greater depth to the reports (e.g., examining barriers by various identified groups) becoming available throughout 2026-27.
Further Information
24. Where can I ask more questions about the Student Census?
If you have questions or concerns that remain unanswered before or after your child completes the Student Census, we invite you to reach out to our OCSB Research Department (research@ocsb.ca). They will be pleased to address any of your questions or concerns confidentially.
Information Collection Authority and Purpose: Pursuant to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) and the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA), personal information is collected under the statutory authority of Section 265(1)(d) of the Education Act, as amended. This information may be utilized for any or all of the primary administrative functions relating to the operational activities of the Ottawa Catholic School Board, including educational programs and services, student records, and interactions with Ministries of the Government of Ontario. The Board’s ‘Notice of Collection Use and Disclosure’, the ‘Protection of Privacy Policy’, and the supplementary document ‘Privacy and Information Management of Personal Information’ are accessible on the Board’s website at www.ocsb.ca. Questions or concerns about the collection, use or disclosure of personal information should be directed to the Research Department (research@ocsb.ca).
