We All Count: Learning About You

As always, we have your privacy and security at heart. We collect data using an online tool with industry standard security protections and then we move the data to offline storage where it cannot be connected to the internet or the HWDSB network. It is accessible only to authorized staff in the Research & Analytics Department. It remains in a locked cabinet in a locked office in a locked department.

Once the data is linked to other data in our system using a unique number attached to each student, we add it to the We All Count dataset and remove duplicates (e.g., students who participated 3 years ago with have their data replaced by the newer data). Only aggregate (grouped together) data such as that in the two reports linked above is released from Research & Analytics so that it is impossible to identify any student.

Thank you for participating in the Student Census! We All Count is now done every year in Grades 7 and 10. We encourage every student to participate even if they did it the last time because they have an opportunity to rethink their responses. Perhaps they have learned more about their racial identity since then or perhaps they weren’t sure about their disability back then. Now they have a chance to update their information.

Every child is unique. When your child fills out this questionnaire, they help show how diverse HWDSB students and families are. When more students participate, it helps HWDSB address barriers to student achievement and well-being through our programs and resources. As you can see from the chart below, we have a long way to go to grow our dataset to represent every student.

This year’s questions are different from previous questions but only in how they are asked. We sought feedback from students and educators to simplify the questions, make them shorter and easier for students to select responses.

We have worked out a method for handling We All Count data that greatly reduces the possibility of a data breach. The survey data is collected using a third-party platform which has been vetted for industry standard security measures and privacy practices. Once collected, we will download and delete the data from the platform. As long as data contains student unique identifiers, it is stored on an encrypted hard drive and laptop, neither of which are internet or network enabled. The hardware resides in a locked filing cabinet in the locked office of our Data Analyst in the Research & Analytics Department which requires a swipe card to enter. Once the data becomes part of the We All Count dataset and is linked to other data such as achievement, wellbeing and attendance, we remove student unique identifiers and the new dataset is now moved to a regular computer for analysis. At no point does data containing unique identifiers get stored on internet or network enabled devices. Of course, nothing is 100% guaranteed and we have a process for working through breaches that you can see here.

We typically store research data for 5 to 7 years, which is standard for research. We All Count data is done every 3 years which means that students whose parents filled out We All Count at registration and again when the student is in Grade 4, the Grade 4 data supersede the registration data. In other words, we will destroy the 3-year-old data and replace them with the Grade 4 data. Similarly, if a Grade 7 student participates and then does so again in Grade 10, we will get rid of their Grade 7 data and replace them with their Grade 10 data. The original Student Census data we collected in 2021 and 2022 will be destroyed after 5 years, as we stated at the time. The new data we collect now through We All Count will align with retention rates from other boards collecting this data. We will keep the last version of student We All Count data for 10 years after the current year. The reason for this is so that we can continue analyzing data over time. We may go back and look at past data in response to new research questions. Yes, we are interested in understanding our current student body, but the data will enable us to see barriers that reflect changes that need to be made in the system, regardless of whether a student who participated in We All Count has now graduated. It also paves the way for collaborations with post- secondary institutions to follow student pathways beyond our board.

We will never look at individual students using this data. Once We All Count data has been linked with datasets such as achievement, well-being, and suspensions, the unique identifier (i.e., the number we used to link student level data to other student level data) is deleted. No identifiers will exist in the dataset we actually use for analyses. Suppression rules will be applied in all of our reporting so that we do not report where cell sizes are too small, and only summary reports and aggregate tables will leave the Research & Analytics Department for use by board staff.

Personal information always belongs to the individuals who submit it. The board is the caretaker of that data and will use it for the purposes stated in the information provided to parents, guardians and students.  The data will physically reside in the Research & Analytics Department with one staff member, the Data Analyst, responsible for securing the original data, linking datasets and removing identifiers before analysis begins.

Please see below for background information and instructions for Grade 7 and 10 students that appear before, during, and after the We All Count questionnaire.

BEFORE:

Welcome to We All Count.

We All Count is a set of questions that ask about your identity. Your identity is about who you are, your family, how you think about yourself, and how other people see you. Sometimes, we can be treated differently because of our identity.

We All Count is voluntary; we hope you will complete it!

We All Count is confidential. This means no one will see your answers. Answers will not be shared with anyone.

We All Count uses unique IDs. HWDSB’s research office uses these IDs to link your answers with other data such as grades, well-being, and attendance. No one will see your individual answers but HWDSB’s research office. Linking data helps us learn about barriers that impact groups of students.

We All Count is secure. Once you provide your answers online, we will move your answers from the cloud to a hard drive that is not connected to the internet or the board network. The data stays in a locked filing cabinet in a locked office in a locked department. The data never leaves our office, but we will write reports on identity groups and share them.

Here is an example report we made with student data.

Instructions:

There are no right or wrong answers.

Try your best to answer each question honestly.

You do not have to answer all the questions. Skip questions if:

• you are unsure
• you are not comfortable answering
• you choose not to answer

Some questions have a list of answers to pick from. Sometimes you will be able to pick more than one answer. Some questions have a space for you to answer in your own words.

You can stop at any time.

If you need help finishing the questions, feel free to ask your teacher or another adult.

Do you want to do the survey? Please click yes or no.

DURING:

You’re halfway through! Take a break if you need to.

Remember, you can ask an adult if you have questions about something being asked.

AFTER:

Thank you for being a part of We All Count: Learning About You

Some of the questions may have made you think of problems you are having. Please reach out to your parents or guardians if you need help. If you don’t want to talk to them, you can talk to your teacher or principal or another adult in the school. It is important for adults to know what’s going on so that they can help.

You can also call Kids HELP phone at 800-668-6968 or text at 686868.

Kids HELP phone also has a 2SLGBTQ+ youth and allies space online where you can get support, information and resources.

We Help is a free service that HWDSB offers to support students. It operates during school hours. You can text 905-963-0066 during school hours or go to the board website We Help page to chat with someone.

When you click ‘Submit’ at the bottom, you will land on the We Help page in case you want to see what is there or use supports.

Please see below for the list of We All Count: Learning About You questions and descriptions for Grades 7 and 10 students. Students are able to select a response from a list, or type in their own answer in their own words.

Languages

This question asks about the language you and your family use every day at home.

What language do you and your family speak most often at home?

Religion or Spirituality

Religion or spirituality can be part of your and your family’s daily life. Some people identify with a religion or spirituality but don’t always practice it.

What is your religion or spirituality?

Indigenous Identity

Indigenous people are those who were the first people to live in an area. The Indigenous (Original People) of Turtle Island/North America include First Nations, Métis, Inuk (Inuit).

Do you identify as Indigenous?

Race

People are often described as belonging to a certain “race” because of how others see and behave toward them. These ideas about who belongs to a race can come from things like skin colour, eyes, and hair. You might identify as more than one race, for example, if your parents are different races.

Describe your race in your own words:

Sometimes we need to use categories to present survey findings. Categories help us to describe and graph results.

Which category best describes your race?

Gender Identity

Your gender identity is how you think or feel about your gender on the inside. There are many ways a person can describe their gender. Your gender may not be the same as your sex assigned at birth.

Describe your gender identity in your own words:

Thank you for telling us about your gender identity. Sometimes we need to use categories to present survey findings. Categories help us to describe and graph results.

Which category best describes your gender identity?

Transgender means that the sex you were assigned at birth is not how you identify today. For example, if you were told you were a boy when you were born but today identify as a girl/woman, you are transgender.

Do you identify as Trans or Transgender?

If you answered “yes” to Indigenous Identity:

Do you identify as Two-Spirit or Indigiqueer?

Sexual Orientation

This question is about a feeling of attraction to other people. These feelings may be physical, romantic, emotional, or sexual.

Describe your sexual orientation in your own words:

Thank you for telling us about your sexual orientation. Sometimes we need to use categories to present survey findings. Categories help us to describe and graph results.

Which category best describes your sexual orientation?

Disability

A disability may affect how you participate in school. It can be every day or most days. Disabilities may not be visible. A disability can affect how you learn, the way you talk, see, hear, move, think, or how you deal with emotions. A disability is with you for a long time and some people have more than one.

Do you have a disability?

If you selected ‘Yes’, what is your disability?

We are welcome your questions about We All Count. Please email [email protected] with your questions.