Importance of Identity

Explicit and deliberate actions are urgently required to address inequities in our systems, structures, policies and practices that continue to impact student and staff success and well-being and to build trust with students, families, staff, and communities that we have been under-serving. 

The OCDSB Indigenous, Equity and Human Rights Roadmap, 2020-2023, focuses on six key areas. The following outlines how we intend to focus on the importance of identity.

Goal

To identify and disrupt systemic and structural barriers to address disproportionate access, opportunities and outcomes for students and staff who identify as Indigenous, Black and minoritized.

Key Indicators

  • Decrease over-representation of Indigenous, Black and minoritized students in suspension, expulsion, exclusion and police engagement
  • Decrease disproportionate representation of Indigenous, Black and minoritized students in graduation rates, programs and pathways
  • Increase sense of belonging for Indigenous, Black and minoritized students and staff

Priorities

  • Cyclically collect, disaggregate, analyze and use identity-based data to identify and document progress made (Annual Equity Report) in eliminating disproportionate representation of Indigenous, Black and minoritized students, including 2SLGBTQ+ and students with disabilities, in suspensions and expulsions and enrollment in special education, District programs and pathways, as well as disparity of outcomes (e.g., credit accumulation, graduation, achievement and student absenteeism)
  • Establish a group of diverse community partners (Community Equity Partners Group) to work with OCDSB to understand and interpret the data in the Valuing Voices: Identity Matters! Student survey and make recommendations to address inequities
  • Conduct Staff Census

Highlight on Indigenous Knowledge

  • Expand cultural spaces in schools across all geographical areas of the District
  • Develop protocols and guidelines for Indigenous cultural and spiritual practices in schools
  • Collect and analyze Indigenous self-identification data shared with Indigenous community partners through a reciprocal data sharing agreement (OCAP - Ownership, Control, Access and Possession)

Highlight on Black Excellence

  • Work with Community Equity Partners Group and Advisory Committee on Equity to establish key priorities for ABC (African, Black, African-Caribbean) students based on Valuing Voice: Identity Matters! student survey data

Milestones

By 2020-2021

  • Cyclical and continuous collection of identity-based and self-identification data for students who identify as Indigenous, Black and minoritized
  • In collaboration with Community Equity Partners and Advisory Committees, interpret Valuing Voices: Identity Matters! data and set priorities for analysis
  • Establish disaggregated baseline data from Valuing Voices: Identity Matters! on graduation rates, suspension and expulsion rates and student pathways
  • Staff Census developed and administered

By 2021-2022

  • Protocols and guidelines for Indigenous cultural and spiritual practices formalized and implemented in schools
  • Ongoing collection and analysis of Indigenous self-identification data shared with Indigenous community partners through an OCAP reciprocal data sharing agreement

By 2022-2023

  • Expand Indigenous cultural spaces into all District geographical areas

 

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