2023-24 Annual Ontario School Survey: FAQ for Principals
The story about the survey
For over 20 years, People for Education has been using our annual school surveys to keep track of the effects of policy and funding changes in Ontario’s publicly funded schools. Every year, approximately 1,000 Ontario principals respond to the Annual Ontario School Survey.
The survey helps us track the real-life impacts of policy and funding changes, and the results are used by Ontario policymakers, academics, educators, the media, and advocates of public education.
Every school in Ontario has its own unique successes and challenges, and the more schools we hear from, the more precisely we can understand the current circumstances of education in Ontario.
Thank you to all principals for supporting this unique research project.
About the 2023-24 survey
This year’s survey focuses on: staffing, mental health and well-being, special education, arts, health, and physical education, school-community partnerships, digital media literacy and artificial intelligence tools, early learning and child care, workplace learning opportunities, and student leadership.
How long does the survey take?
On average the survey takes approximately 15-30 minutes to complete.
When can I complete the survey?
The survey launches in publicly funded school boards across Ontario in October 2023. Please see the email invitation you received for a link to the survey and important dates specific to your DSB.
What is a MIDENT and how do I find it?
A MIDENT is a unique number assigned specifically to each school.
You can find your school MIDENT by looking up your school through the School Information Finder. The MIDENT can be found at the top of the page in brackets next to your school name.
Important: if your school spans elementary and secondary there will be two separate MIDENTs.
I am responsible for more than one school, how do I complete the survey?
Please complete the survey for one school at a time. If you would like to complete the survey again for a different school, please email [email protected].
What if I am unable or don’t want to answer certain questions?
The majority of the survey questions are optional. If you are unable to answer a question, you may skip it and move on to the next page.
I already completed the survey but I keep getting emails, how can I be removed from the mailing list?
We know that you may receive the survey through many different channels and we do our best to use your contact information to remove you from our mailing list. However, due to a large volume of responses we may miss you. Please email [email protected] if you wish to be removed from People for Education’s mailing list.
Unfortunately, we are unable to control if you receive additional emails from your school board or your principal’s council.
How can I provide feedback on the survey?
We are always seeking feedback to improve the survey. If you would like to help us with testing out next year’s survey, please send an email to [email protected].
How is my personal data used?
Individual responses are kept strictly confidential. Your school data are added to results from schools across the province (over 1000 participated last year), and only overall results are reported. Your data are stored on a password-protected drive and no identifying information is ever publicly shared.
Why do you need my email?
Your contact information helps us to ensure that we remove you from our contact list once you complete the survey. Your name and contact information will never be shared or made public.
Please email [email protected] for more information.
Our publications and research from the 2022-23 Annual Ontario School Survey
Principals sound the alarm about students’ mental health A progress report on Indigenous education in Ontario's publicly funded schools Inequities persist: Extracurriculars, clubs, activities, and fundraising in Ontario’s publicly funded schools