School Climate Survey
This April and May, Grand Erie will be asking students from Grade 4 to 12 to complete a school climate survey.
This survey, in addition to being a requirement of the Education Act, is meant to help us better understand students’ experiences at school. The survey results, collected every two years, are used to inform planning, programming, and the promotion of learning, well-being and belonging in schools.
The school climate survey will ask multiple-choice questions gauging students’ perceptions around learning, school relationships, safety and well-being.
The survey is voluntary
Students may choose to skip one, some, or all of the questions. Parents/caregivers may choose to opt their child out of participation in the survey entirely by contacting their school. However, the higher the participation rate, the more accurate the results will be, helping inform school improvement and program planning.
The survey is anonymous and confidential
Personal information will not be collected from students on the survey (e.g., email, name, birthdate, student ID, etc.). Responses from the survey cannot be linked to any information already held by Grand Erie. Student responses will be collected anonymously, combined with responses from other students in their school to create a School Report, and aggregated with data from all students in Grand Erie to create a Board Report. No principal, teacher or any community member will see any student’s responses.
The following groups have participated in consultation regarding the Student Census:
- Ontario Principals' Council (OPC)
- Grand Erie Parent Involvement Committee (GEPIC)
- Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC)
- Indigenous Education Advisory Committee (IEAC)
- Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO)
- Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF)
See the survey
Students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 are not participating. Web page versions of the School Climate Survey are available in the links below for Grades 4-6 and 7-12. These examples are for information only and the forms are not fillable. The actual surveys will be completed electronically during the school day.
Surveys shared with students in grades 7 – 12 contain additional questions related to identity not included in the survey for grades 4 – 6; these questions relate to gender and sexual orientation, and are meant to enhance Grand Erie’s understanding of how school experiences may differ among groups of learners. Students may skip any questions they don’t wish to answer.
FAQ
Elementary students will take part on a day between April 9 – 26, and secondary students will take part on a day between April 29 – May 17.
Surveys will be sent to students via their board email address and completed on school-issued devices during the school day. It is administered through a secure online platform called Qualtrics. The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete.
Participation is optional, and parents/caregivers may opt their child/ren out of the survey. To do so, contact your child/ren’s school by phone or email. The deadline to opt out is March 29 for elementary students and April 18 for secondary students. Students who have opted out will not receive the survey and will be provided with another learning exercise during the survey time. Students participating may choose to skip any questions they don’t wish to answer.
By law, Grand Erie is obligated to safeguard the privacy and personal data of students. The School Climate Survey adheres to the guidelines in the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) and the Education Act. Access to survey responses will be restricted only to staff within the Research and Assessment Department, who will use the data exclusively for research purposes. Teachers, principals, and other staff members will not have access to the survey responses. Results will not be used to assess individual students, determine grades, diagnose, or conduct psychological evaluations, nor will it be used to rank schools, students, or classes in any manner.
The school climate survey will be implemented using the online survey platform Qualtrics. Qualtrics is used in numerous educational institutions in Ontario and Canada, and is in compliance with privacy and security requirements.
In accordance with Grand Erie policies, MFIPPA, and the Education Act, survey responses will be kept on secure servers and password-protected devices. Data will be securely disposed of according Grand Erie’s Records Retention Schedule.
A variety of supports will be made available to ensure all students wishing to participate can do so. The survey will have built-in language and text-to-speech support. Please contact your child’s school for options.
School climate refers to the learning environment and relationships found within a school and its community. Grand Erie is dedicated to ensuring a secure, supportive, and welcoming atmosphere for all students in our schools. The school climate survey also gauges the board’s progress in these areas, and uses information collected to inform strategies and policies going forward. Survey questions fall into the following categories:
- Belonging and Connectedness
- Meaningful/Engaged Learning
- General Well-Being
- Coping and Social Emotional Skills
- The Learning Environment
- Supportive Relationships
- School Discipline
- Safety at School
- Bullying
- The School Experience
Please reach out via email with any questions you might have.