During the 2020-2021 school year, circumstances associated with the COVID-19 pandemic led to substantial and unprecedented changes to learning environments around the world. In Ontario, emerging research on the impacts of the pandemic points to increased stress for families, particularly in its initial stages (Offord Centre, 2020). In addition, pre-existing inequities, disparities, and systemic barriers within school systems and the broader social context were intensified (Ciuffetelli & Conversano, 2021; OECD, 2021).
Understanding how York Region District School Board (YRDSB)’s students and families experienced learning in the context of the pandemic offers an important opportunity to continue to support students, especially those who are systematically underserved within YRDSB (i.e., students who are historically and currently marginalized within education systems).
YRDSB routinely consults with students and families in a variety of ways to understand their perspectives on, and experiences of, learning environments. To further understand students’ and families’ experiences of learning (face-to-face and virtual) during the 2020-2021 school year, YRDSB’s Research and Assessment Services department implemented two online surveys in May, 2021.
The 2021 YRDSB Student Survey and the 2021 YRDSB Family Survey were designed to achieve several objectives including:
- responding to students and families based on the impact of the pandemic on student learning and well-being;
- meeting Ministry-mandated requirements to conduct school climate surveys on a cyclical basis;
- meeting the requirements of PPM164, which instructed school boards to assess perceptions of remote learning; and
- monitoring YRDSB’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP) and Director’s Action Plan (DAP) goals.
This report includes key findings from these surveys related to the following topics:
- student well-being and mental health;
- safe, equitable, and inclusive learning environments;
- student engagement and learning; and,
- remote learning, technology, and learning tools.
Importantly, these findings provide insight into student and family experiences and perceptions during an unprecedented learning context that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. This report can also be used to understand trends in perceptions among YRDSB students and families over time. Findings also offer important information to support school, department, and system planning and intervention strategies that aim to better serve students and raise the learning outcomes and well-being of students who are systemically underserved within YRDSB.
Findings from YRDSB 2020-2021 Student and Family Surveys
View Full Report (PDF)