April 29th, 2026

Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) is pleased to share the final report for the Strategic Plan Community Consultations.

In Spring 2025, WRDSB began the process to engage in community consultation to ensure the Multi-Year Strategic Plan that was developed in 2022 was still meeting the needs of WRDSB students, staff and community. The aim was to gather feedback from various stakeholders about the Strategic Plan in an effort to support the WRDSB in determining how we can continue to improve student achievement, well-being and engagement.

Consultation Process

The process involved gathering feedback from students, staff, parents, families, caregivers and community, in alignment with the approved March 24, 2025 Board Motion to engage in community consultations. The consultation process took place from November 2025 to February 2026 and included:

Led by Overlap Associates, in collaboration with WRDSB staff members, the consultation involved:

  • Students
  • Staff members
  • Parents, families and caregivers
  • WRDSB Board Committees
  • Union representatives
  • Community partners and stakeholder groups

What We Learned

The public engagement included 1,949 survey responses, four community consultation sessions (three in-person and one virtual), 108 audio/video response submissions and seven focus groups. In total, 2,231 individuals provided input throughout the Strategic Plan Community Consultations.

Generally, the feedback showed that participants supported the intent of the WRDSB Multi-Year Strategic Plan, but saw a need for:

  • Clear, specific and accessible language
  • Prioritization
  • Accountability
  • Public reporting of implementation and measurement of outcomes

The Learner Profile was seen as potentially valuable, but not as part of the Strategic Plan.

Read the full Strategic Plan Community Consultations final report.

Next Steps

The WRDSB is committed to building public confidence in public education, accountability and transparency. At the April 27, 2026 Board Meeting, WRDSB Trustees approved a motion to develop a new Multi-Year Strategic Plan during the 2026-2027 school year and the WRDSB Multi-Year Strategic Planning process will be informed by the recommendations and information shared in the Engagement Summary and Recommendations report by Overlap Associates Inc.

Visit the Strategic Plan Community Consultation website to learn more.