Minto council concerned about low test scores by local students

by Patrick Raftis

MINTO

Members of Minto council are concerned about what they perceive as poor results on standardized provincial tests by local students.

Preliminary results from the Education Quality Accountability Office (EQAO) testing show that students at some local schools are not stacking up well against provincial results, or other schools within the Upper Grand District School Board.

Preliminary results from 2012 EQAO testing, released last week show that only 43 per cent of Grade 3 students at Palmerston Public school scored at or above the provincial standard (levels three or four) in reading, while only 45 per cent performed at or above the standard in writing and only 36 per cent made the grade in mathematics. That compares with scores 67, 73 and 67 per cent in the same subjects across the Upper Grand board.

Results at Palmerston PS at the Grade 6 level, showed 67 per cent hit the provincial target in reading, 50 per cent in writing and 33 per cent in Mathematics. Board-wide, the score was 76, 71 and 54 per cent for Grade 6.

At Minto Clifford Public School in Harriston, 72 per cent of Grade 3 students met or exceeded the provincial average in reading, writing and math. The Grade 6 results showed 77 per cent of students hitting the standard in reading, 72 per cent in writing and 64 per cent in math.

“I think if those statistics hold true, then we should have someone from the board of education come up and explain why. We need to know why our students are progressing below other board schools’ averages,” said deputy mayor Terry Fisk.

Councillor Dave Turton agreed, however he said council should be meeting with someone from the education department, rather than with the local trustee.

Fisk said council should wait until the final reports are released before meeting with board officials.

Mayor George Bridge noted that local students seem to catch up with other results from other schools by Grade 6.

“Part of it is early learning programs,” said Bridge. “If you compare us to Guelph, it has a lot more early childhood learning opportunities.”

Bridge said he has been involved in meetings with Wellington County social services officials and believes Minto “is right at the top of the list,” to get more such services in this area.

September 21, 2012