Every Student Counts: 2024–2025 Student Census
Updated: Sept. 22, 2025
The 2024-2025 Every Student Counts Census is part of our ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion at PVNC Catholic. It provides important identity-based and perceptual data that helps us better understand our students’ experiences, celebrate diversity, and identify barriers that need to be addressed.
A total of 5,628 students and families participated — 35% of the student population, an 11% increase in participation over the last student census (2021-2022). Engagement was especially strong among Grades 7–12, where more than four out of five students completed the census.
Key Findings: Growing Diversity
The 2024–2025 census shows that PVNC Catholic is becoming increasingly diverse.
- Religion: 55% of students identify as Christian-Catholic and 14% as Christian non-Catholic.
- Languages: 48 languages are spoken across the system. While 92% learned English first, French, Spanish, and Tagalog are among the next most common. Indigenous languages reported include Oji-Cree and Ojibwe (or Ojibway).
- Indigenous Identity: 6% of students identify as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit.
- Racial Background: 9% of students identify as Black, and over 8% as Asian — both showing increases since the last census.
- Ethnic Origin: Strong European roots remain (English 16%, Irish 14%, Scottish 10%, Italian 7%, French 6%) alongside growing Afro-Caribbean (5%) and Asian (4%) communities.
- Sexual Orientation (Grades 7–12): 8% of students identify as non-heteronormative, most commonly bisexual, lesbian, or gay.
- Gender Identity (Grades 7–12): 2% identify as gender diverse, including non-conforming, genderfluid, and transgender students.
- Disability: 8% of students report living with a disability, most commonly developmental, ADHD, learning disabilities, mental health disabilities, and autism.
Where We Need to Do More
The census also highlights systemic issues that must be addressed to ensure every student feels safe, valued, and supported.
- 2SLGBTQIA+ students: 18% of those reporting frequent discrimination identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ — about 640 students. Reports of discrimination against gender non-conforming students have increased since the last census.
- Indigenous and Black students: Both groups report rising rates of frequent racial discrimination.
- Examples of discrimination: Shortened or mispronounced names, ridicule about dress or hair, and stricter discipline for the same behaviour.
- Identity expression: Nearly half of students report hiding aspects of their identity at school, even as more say they are beginning to see themselves reflected in events, lessons, and materials.
Why This Matters
The Every Student Counts Census provides evidence-based insight into the lived experiences of our students and families. By understanding both the diversity of our community and the barriers some students face, PVNC Catholic can make informed, data-driven decisions to shape policies, programs, and operations that strengthen equity, inclusion, and belonging across our schools.
📄 See the full report here → 2024–2025 Every Student Counts Census Report
Background
At Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board, we are committed to identifying and removing barriers so all students can achieve excellence in faith-filled, loving, safe, inclusive schools.
In the spring, in our continued effort to learn more about our students, we launched Phase 2 of our 2024-2025 student census to collect identity-based demographic information and perception data in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan and Anti-Racism Act, 2017.
Quick Links
2024-2025 Every Student Counts Census Rollout
In order to streamline data collection, we administered the 2024-2025 census in two phases:
- Phase 1: Grade 7-12 – students who had not opted out, completed the student census in their classroom running April 29 to May 10, 2024.
- Phase 2: K-6 – parents/guardians of students in Kindergarten to Grade 6 were asked to complete the census with or on behalf of their child(ren) from Jan. 15-29, 2025.
- Current Grade 7 students (who did not have the opportunity to participate in spring 2024) were sent a secure link to the survey to their Board email and were provided classroom time to complete it from Feb. 18–28, 2025. Parent/Guardians were provided with an opportunity to opt their child out between Feb. 3-13, 2025.
Every Student Counts – Why We’re Collecting Student Data
The data we gathered provides insights on the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and needs of all our students and school communities. Our goal is to bridge opportunity gaps and to narrow achievement gaps, ensuring every student has the pathway to success.
The data will provide us with valuable information that will help to improve strategic planning, programming, and services with a focus on student achievement and engagement. Once fully compiled, this data is shared with our school communities to help our communities better understand our population.
Your input will help to:
- Improve learning opportunities and outcomes for all students
- Make schools aware of, understand, and support the diversity of our students and families
- Increase student engagement
- Improve access to services
- Identify groups of students being underserved
- Eliminate barriers to learning
- Reduce challenges faced by some students and families
- Use resources to enhance programs and services
Together, We Build Stronger School Communities
A high completion rate gives the Board a more accurate representation to help with school improvement and program planning. Data collected in our 2021 census has been instrumental in strategic planning and policy development and has helped foster more equitable and inclusive learning environments.
Privacy and Confidentiality
The Student Census is confidential and voluntary, but not anonymous. Individual responses, and all personal student and family information will remain strictly confidential, protected under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Personal information collected in the PVNC Catholic student census is under the authority of the Education Act, R.S.O. 1990, the Anti-Racism Act 2017, and in accordance with Section 29 (2) of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
PVNC Catholic has entered into agreement with Qualtrics to distribute our PVNC Catholic Census to students and families online.
Data is stored securely with Qualtrics and on internal PVNC Catholic servers, and will only be accessed by a small number of staff, in order to analyze the data.
Reports will never single out or identify a student or family. Data will only be reported in a summarized way to highlight our community’s needs.
Voluntary and Age-Appropriate
The Student Census is voluntary. Census questions are grade-level appropriate. Any family who is not comfortable having their child participate in the census may opt their child out during the opt-out periods.
Questions/Concerns?
If you have questions or concerns about the Every Student Counts PVNC Catholic Student Census, please contact [email protected] or call 1-705-748-4861.