Borderless Access to Education Project:
Teachers and Educators Survey on School Access for Students with Precarious Immigration Status

The Borderless Access to Education project (“B.A.T.E.’’) is a collaboration between Justice for Children and Youth (JFCY), S4 Collective, and Black Creek Youth Initiative. The project aims to improve access to education. We want to change policies and attitudes that limit equitable access to education for students with precarious immigration status in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). We also want to scale up approaches that support equitable access. This survey is designed to provide us with a better understanding of policies, practices, supports and services that obstruct or assist students and their families. The survey will also help us identify knowledge gaps and areas for improvement within the school system in order to better provide equitable education to all students.

What do we mean by “precarious immigration status”?

This project focuses on students with precarious immigration status because we know that these students can face many obstacles and limitations in their education journeys. A migrant with precarious status is a person born in a country other than their current country of residence and whose immigration status is neither permanent nor guaranteed in the current country of residence. For example, a student who was born outside of Canada and then moved to Canada, and has no official status within Canada as a citizen, permanent resident, refugee, or other legal status allowing them to legally remain in Canada.

Who should complete this survey?

Current and former teachers and other educators from the following school boards:

Toronto District School Board (TDSB)
Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB)
Peel Region District School Board (PDSB)
Peel Catholic District School Board (PCDSB)
Conseil Scholaire Viamonde

Gathering information from teachers and educators is vital to this project. We appreciate you taking the time to complete this survey. It should take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

Your responses are voluntary and will be kept confidential. Responses will not be identified by the respondent. All responses will be compiled together and analyzed as a group. You may skip any question that you do not want to answer.

The information you provide will only be used to help us understand the experiences of students and their families with respect to accessing public education in Ontario. No information that you provide will be shared with anyone outside of the B.A.T.E. project team.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Talayeh Shomali, Director of B.A.T.E., at 416-920-1633 or talayeh.shomali@jfcy.clcj.ca.

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* 1. Which school board are you employed by?

Toronto District School Board (TDSB)

Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB)

Peel Region District School Board (PDSB)

Peel Catholic District School Board (PCDSB)

Conseil Scholaire Viamonde

Other (please specify)

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* 2. How long have you been (or were you) employed as a teacher or educator in the public school system in Ontario?

<1-3 years

4-6 years

7-10 years

11 or more years

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* 3. What is your current role?

Primary or elementary teacher

Secondary teacher

Substitute teacher

Teacher librarian

Special education teacher

Resource teacher

Education assistant

Retired teacher or educator

I left education to pursue another career

Other (please specify):

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* 4. What is your understanding of the rights and responsibilities of children and youth with precarious immigration status in Ontario? (Select all that apply)

These children/youth are ineligible to attend public schools in Ontario.

These children/youth must pay international student tuition to attend public schools in Ontario.

These children/youth are permitted to attend public school in Ontario but only for a limited time while their citizenship, permanent residence, or refugee application is processed.

The parents’ immigration status determines whether the child/youth is eligible to attend public school in Ontario.

Migrants from some countries are eligible to attend public school in Ontario, but not all countries. The child/youth’s rights and responsibilities depend on their country of origin.

These children/youth have the same rights and responsibilities as any other student. Citizenship and immigration status are irrelevant to public education access in Ontario.

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* 5. Have you ever had a student(s) with a precarious immigration status in your class? (If you answered “no” or “I don’t know,” skip to Question 11)

Yes

I don’t know.

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* 6. If you answered “yes” to Question 5, how did you become aware of the student’s (or students’) precarious immigration status? (Select all that apply)

I asked the student directly.

The student confided in me.

The student’s parent/guardian told me.

The student disclosed their immigration status in class.

The school administration told me.

Another student told me.

I was told by someone from a community organization, legal clinic or government agency.

Other (please elaborate)

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* 7. If you answered “yes” to Question 5, did you alert anyone to the student’s precarious immigration status or share any information about the student’s family? Please explain.

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* 8. If you answered “yes” to Question 5, did you do anything differently because of students with precarious immigration status in your class?

I am not sure.

Yes (please explain):

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* 9. If you answered “yes” to Question 5, what did you do to protect the student’s privacy with respect to their immigration status?

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* 10. If you answered “yes” to Question 5, have you ever referred a migrant student(s) to a community organization or other service outside of school/school boards? (Please explain)

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* 11. Are you aware of any obstacles or limitations that migrant student(s) may face because of their immigration status? (e.g., participation in extracurricular activities, engagement in the classroom, relationships with peers, etc.)

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* 12. Are you familiar with any services, supports or resources for migrant students? Where would you refer a student(s) with questions or concerns regarding their immigration status?

Borderless Access to Education Project:Teachers and Educators Survey on School Access for Students with Precarious Immigration Status

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* 1. Which school board are you employed by?

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* 2. How long have you been (or were you) employed as a teacher or educator in the public school system in Ontario?

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* 3. What is your current role?

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* 4. What is your understanding of the rights and responsibilities of children and youth with precarious immigration status in Ontario? (Select all that apply)

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* 5. Have you ever had a student(s) with a precarious immigration status in your class? (If you answered “no” or “I don’t know,” skip to Question 11)

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* 6. If you answered “yes” to Question 5, how did you become aware of the student’s (or students’) precarious immigration status? (Select all that apply)

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* 7. If you answered “yes” to Question 5, did you alert anyone to the student’s precarious immigration status or share any information about the student’s family? Please explain.

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* 8. If you answered “yes” to Question 5, did you do anything differently because of students with precarious immigration status in your class?

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* 9. If you answered “yes” to Question 5, what did you do to protect the student’s privacy with respect to their immigration status?

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* 10. If you answered “yes” to Question 5, have you ever referred a migrant student(s) to a community organization or other service outside of school/school boards? (Please explain)

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* 11. Are you aware of any obstacles or limitations that migrant student(s) may face because of their immigration status? (e.g., participation in extracurricular activities, engagement in the classroom, relationships with peers, etc.)

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* 12. Are you familiar with any services, supports or resources for migrant students? Where would you refer a student(s) with questions or concerns regarding their immigration status?

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* 13. In your opinion, what could be done to improve education access and the school experience for students with precarious immigration status?

Borderless Access to Education Project:
Teachers and Educators Survey on School Access for Students with Precarious Immigration Status