It’s an insight into the demographic makeup of Hastings Prince Edward School Board students.
At their most recent board meeting, the findings of the This Is Me in HPE survey results were presented. The survey was conducted in November of 2021 in order to gather information on school populations and how they identify across a wide range of groups. Out of the over 15,000 students in the school board, around 46 percent responded to the survey.
The census found that the vast majority of students identified as white (70 percent) and Canadian (61 percent). Students identified with 186 ethnicities across the Board, with the major groups being English, Irish, Scottish and French. 10 percent of students identified as indigenous and nine percent considered themselves Black, Asian, Middle Eastern or Latino.
While 95 percent of the student body spoke English, the survey identified 104 different languages spoken across Hastings Prince Edward, including French, Spanish and Mohawk.
On the religious front, 26 percent of students said they had no religious or spiritual affiliation, and 20 percent of students identified as Christian.
22 percent identified at 2SLGBTQ+.
12 percent of students said they had some type of disability.
As part of the census, staff at the School Board were also surveyed. Results found that 91 percent were white, 96 percent spoke English as a first language, half were considered Christian, and only four percent identified as 2SLGBTQ+. Nearly 60 percent of the 2,100 employees of the board participated in the survey.
The Board says these findings will help them in their Equity Action Plan. They will also look for additional data analysis and seek input from their advisory committees.