Privacy & Data Governance
Our Commitment
Thank you for contributing to the National Exclusion Tracker.
Every survey response represents a child, a family, and a lived experience. We recognize the trust families place in us when they share their stories. We are committed to collecting, using, and reporting this information respectfully, responsibly, and transparently.
Why We Collect This Information
The National Exclusion Tracker documents the experiences of children and youth who experience exclusion from education in Canada.
The information families share helps us better understand:
- how exclusion happens;
- who is affected;
- the impacts on children, youth, and families; and
- what changes could improve inclusion.
We use this information to identify patterns, support advocacy, inform research, and help improve education policies, practices, and accountability across Canada.
Protecting Your Privacy
You do not need to provide your name or contact information to complete the survey.
If identifying information is included in a response, it will be removed before information is shared publicly.
We do not publish information that identifies individual children, families, schools, educators, or communities.
Reports describe overall patterns and themes rather than individual cases.
Why We Ask Demographic Questions
Some questions ask about disability, race, Indigenous identity, culture, gender identity, household income, and other characteristics.
These questions are optional.
We ask them because not every child experiences education in the same way. Understanding these differences helps identify systemic barriers, inequities, and opportunities for improvement.
You may skip any demographic question you do not wish to answer.
Indigenous Data
The National Exclusion Tracker recognizes the importance of Indigenous perspectives and respectful approaches to collecting and using information relating to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children and youth.
We are committed to building relationships with Indigenous partners and continuing to strengthen how Indigenous information is collected, interpreted, governed, and reported.
As this work develops, we will continue to review and strengthen our data governance practices in partnership with Indigenous organizations and advisors.
This work is ongoing and will continue to evolve through partnership, learning, and accountability.
Our Principles
We are committed to collecting and using information in ways that:
- respect the dignity of children, youth, and families;
- support equity and inclusion;
- help improve systems rather than blame individuals;
- collect only the information needed for meaningful purposes;
- protect privacy and confidentiality;
- be transparent about how information is used; and
- contribute to better outcomes for future children and families.
We believe information should be collected only when it has a clear purpose and can contribute to positive change for children, youth, families, and communities.