All school boards in Ontario are required to seek feedback from students using school climate surveys. The Education Act states these should occur at least once every two years.
The WRDSB uses the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI) as our Safe Caring and Inclusive School (SCIS) survey. The survey was developed by the Human Early Learning Partnership research team at the University of British Columbia.
The MDI is a voluntary, self-reporting questionnaire. It asks children in Grade 4 through 12 about their thoughts, feelings and experiences in school and in the community.
About the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI)
The MDI uses a strength-based approach to assess five areas of development. They are strongly linked to well-being, health and academic achievement. These areas are:
- Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Health and Well-being
- Connectedness
- Use of After School Time
- School Experiences
Research shows that experiences students have in their middle years have lasting impacts on their development. The MDI survey provides valuable information about students’ strengths and needs inside and outside of school.
The Purpose of the MDI
- The overall goal is to better understand students’ thoughts, feelings and experiences so that we can support their academic achievement and well-being
- The MDI survey is not intended to be used to compare individual students, schools or classrooms
The WRDSB is committed to using the MDI in alignment with the purposes and guidance developed by the creators, the Human Early Learning Partnership research team at the University of British Columbia.
The Waterloo Region District School Board continues to use data-informed decision making and is committed to building staff capacity, providing wraparound support for students and engaging with the community to help all students reach their full potential.
© Copyright of UBC and contributors. Copying, distributing, modifying or translating this work is expressly forbidden by the copyright holders. Contact the Human Early Learning Partnership at earlylearning@ubc.ca to inquire about copyright permissions.
