Durham Catholic District School Board

What Durham Catholic District School Board does

Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) is a publicly funded Catholic school board operating 51 elementary and secondary schools across the municipalities of Ajax, Brock, Clarington, Oshawa, Pickering, Uxbridge, and Whitby in Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. The board delivers Kindergarten-through-Grade-12 Catholic education to approximately 21,000 students, supported by an administrative headquarters in Oshawa and a governance structure of elected trustees. Its core product portfolio comprises regular Catholic elementary and secondary education augmented by specialized modules including French Immersion, International Education for fee-paying overseas students, the Regional Arts and Media Program, Indigenous Education, Equity and Inclusive Education, and Adult & Continuing Education through the Archbishop Anthony Meagher Catholic Continuing Education Centre. Support services include Student Services and Special Education, school transportation coordination via Durham Student Transportation Services (DSTS), and mental health and well-being resources.

Underlying technology is conventional educational infrastructure rather than proprietary platforms: the Edsby learning management system handles class placements and timetables, the OSAS (Online School Application System) manages Kindergarten and school enrollment, DSTS coordinates student bus transportation, and Edge Imaging provides third-party grad photography services. The board also maintains a public procurement portal (Bids and Tenders) for vendor engagement and has published formal Artificial Intelligence Guidelines for families. There is no developer-facing API or proprietary AI/ML capability disclosed.

DCDSB's revenue model is dominated by Provincial Government Funding from the Ontario Ministry of Education, distributed through per-pupil grants and targeted funding allocations, with annual budgets approved by elected trustees. Trustee-approved balanced operating budgets totaled $328.85 million CAD for 2025-2026 and $339.7 million CAD for 2026-2027. Secondary revenue comes from donations and grants administered through the Durham Catholic Children's Foundation (which conducts annual galas), plus minor fee-based programs such as international student tuition, summer school, and community use of school facilities. As a public sector entity under the Ontario Education Act, the board holds an exclusive statutory mandate for Catholic education in Durham Region and reports to the provincial government and local community through elected trustee representation rather than equity shareholders.

Name

Durham Catholic District School Board

Legal name

Durham Catholic District School Board

Website

https://dcdsb.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Durham Catholic District School Board is a publicly funded Catholic school board operating 51 elementary and secondary schools across Durham Region, Ontario, serving approximately 21,000 students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 with a $339.7 million CAD operating budget.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Catholic Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Elected School Boards & Governance Councils (EDADABAE)

Keywords

• K-12 Catholic education
• Public school board
• Elementary education programs
• Secondary education services
• Continuing adult education

Headquarters

HQ city

Oshawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Provincial Government Funding: Primary revenue from the Ontario Ministry of Education through per-pupil grants and targeted funding allocations. The board operates a balanced budget model with annual budgets approved by trustees.
2. Donations and Foundation Support: Revenue from the Durham Catholic Children's Foundation which provides basic daily necessities for students in need. The foundation conducts annual galas and fundraising events.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Durham Catholic District School Board operates a publicly funded Catholic school system providing Kindergarten through Grade 12 education across 51 schools in Durham Region, Ontario. It delivers Ontario curriculum integrated with Catholic faith formation, supplemented by specialized programs including French Immersion, International Education, Adult & Continuing Education, Indigenous Education, Special Education, and the Regional Arts and Media Program. The board is funded primarily through provincial per-pupil grants and is governed by elected trustees under the Ontario Education Act.

Product overview

The Durham Catholic District School Board operates a unified educational services platform comprising core Catholic elementary and secondary education programs augmented by specialized modules including French Immersion, International Education, Summer School, Regional Arts and Media, International Languages, and Alternative Education pathways. Administrative services for parents and students include online registration (OSAS), learning management (Edsby), and transportation coordination (DSTS). The board's portfolio functions as a system of interconnected educational programs and support services rather than a commercial software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regular Catholic Elementary Education Comprehensive Catholic faith-based elementary education program for students from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 8, integrating religious education with Ontario curriculum standards across all core subject areas.
• Regular Catholic Secondary Education High school program for Grades 9-12 offering Catholic education with Ontario Secondary School Diploma requirements, preparing students for post-secondary pathways including university, college, apprenticeship, and the workplace.
• French Immersion Program French language immersion program beginning in Grade 1, providing intensive French instruction while maintaining Catholic curriculum integration.
• International Education Program Program serving international students seeking quality Catholic education in Canada, offering cultural exchange and academic preparation opportunities.
• Adult and Continuing Education Continuing education services operated through the Archbishop Anthony Meagher Catholic Continuing Education Centre, offering summer school, night school, and credit recovery programs for adult learners.
• Alternative Education Alternative education pathways for students requiring non-traditional learning environments or schedules, supporting diverse learner needs.
• Summer School Programs Elementary and secondary summer school courses offered through the Continuing Education Centre, including academic credit recovery, enrichment, and specialized camps.
• Regional Arts and Media Program Specialized enrichment program located at All Saints Catholic Secondary School in Whitby, serving students in Grades 7-12 with additional specialized instruction in arts or media disciplines.
• International Languages Program Language instruction program offered through the Continuing Education Centre for students from Kindergarten to Grade 12, teaching speaking, listening, writing, and reading in international languages while exploring associated cultures.
• Indigenous Education Program Education program focused on Indigenous histories, cultures, and perspectives, including land-based learning, treaty education, and partnerships with Indigenous community organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 36 EcoSchools certified including 8 Platinum, 16 Gold schools as of June 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Durham Catholic Children's FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit foundation dedicated to ensuring students have basic daily necessities of life. Conducts annual gala and fundraising events. Supports Student Walk for Hope initiative.
• Durham Student Transportation Services (DSTS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides school bus transportation for DCDSB students across Durham Region with safety protocols and route management.
• Ontario Human Rights CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFramework for human rights compliance and equity initiatives within the school board. DCDSB has a Human Rights and Equity Advisor.
• Beedahbin PeltiersecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous education partner providing outdoor learning experiences on the land for elementary and secondary students, teaching Indigenous Ways of Knowing.
• Cultural Expressions Art Gallery Inc.secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Durham Black History Month Celebration partner presenting the 17th Annual celebration.
• Durham Region Health DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic health partnership for air quality monitoring, health and safety protocols, and student well-being support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ottawa Catholic School Board: Ontario Catholic school board operating under the same legislative framework, with similar specialty programs and balanced budget governance; useful peer for comparing per-pupil outcomes and program breadth.
• Durham District School Board: The secular public school board operating in the same Durham Region catchment. Directly competes for student enrollment, shares transportation infrastructure via DSTS, and is benchmarked against DCDSB on outcomes and funding equity.
• Toronto Catholic District School Board: The largest Catholic school board in Canada and the most direct analogue to DCDSB, operating publicly funded Catholic K-12 schools under the same Ontario Education Act framework with a similar curriculum, governance, and funding model.
• Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board: Mid-sized Ontario Catholic school board operating under the same Education Act framework, with similar governance, budget process, and program portfolio for benchmarking operational performance.
• York Catholic District School Board: Neighbouring Catholic school board serving York Region under the same Ontario Ministry of Education funding regime, with overlapping specialty programs (French Immersion, International Languages) and competing for talent and families in the GTA.
• Halton Catholic District School Board: GTA-area Catholic school board with comparable organizational structure, specialty program offerings, and funding model, often used as a peer for benchmarking student outcomes and administrative practices.
• Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board: Large Catholic school board in the GTA operating under identical Ontario Education Act structure, with similar scale, program breadth, and dependence on provincial per-pupil funding, making it a strong operational and budgetary peer.
• Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board: Ontario Catholic school board of comparable scale and regional structure, providing a peer benchmark for secondary school pathways, French Immersion uptake, and Adult & Continuing Education programming.
• Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board: Adjacent Ontario Catholic school board sharing the Clarington municipality with DCDSB, with overlapping transportation logistics and direct competition for families on the DCDSB catchment boundary.

Regional players

• Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir: French-language Catholic school board operating in the same Ontario geography, offering an alternative Catholic-language education pathway that competes for multilingual families and French Immersion prospects in Durham Region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DurhamCatholicDSB
• Facebookfacebook.com/Durham-Catholic-District-School-Board-124498987628845
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dcdsb
• Instagraminstagram.com/durhamcatholic
• Xx.com/DurhamCatholic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Durham Catholic District School Board