In the Spring of 2021, the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) launched its first-ever Student Census. This work is mandated for all school boards in Ontario under the Provincial Anti-Racism Act. WRDSB’s process has been developed in accordance with the guidance and legislation provided by the Ministry of Education, the Anti-Racism Directorate, the Ontario Human Rights Commission, and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The results give us a deeper understanding of the cultural, social and demographic makeup of WRDSB students.

Parents and guardians of students in Kindergarten to Grade 3, and students in Grades 4 to 12, were invited to complete the WRDSB’s Student Census survey.

With data representing over 30,000 WRDSB students, the WRDSB Student Census results will be used to help us better support students. With this information, we will be able to identify differences and gaps in students’ experiences and outcomes based on their diverse needs.

Find the full report and supporting materials below.

The Results

Next Steps

We plan to use the Student Census results to be more precise in the way we support students. In the Fall, the Research Department will be providing school-specific census data to Administrators.

We will also be sharing the results more broadly with community stakeholders in the Waterloo Region, as well as creating resources to support the understanding and use of this data.

Starting in the Fall, the WRDSB will begin analyzing the data found in the Census against student achievement, program enrollment and suspension/expulsion data to identify gaps and disparities based on identity.

Please see the WRDSB Student Census – Summary Report to see the full list of action items.