Education leaders are disappointed after the latest round of EQAO test results released last week show students in the Upper Grand District School Board are falling below the provincial benchmark in math, reading and writing.
Many scores had also fallen since last year’s testing.
Every year the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) assesses the reading, writing and math test results for students in Grades 3 and 6, and also the math results for Grade 9 students. There is always debate as to how much weight parents, teachers and education officials should place on the scores, but for many the results are a helpful way of gauging the success of students and of comparing the progress of different schools.
Mathematics scores are on the decline across the province, but UGDSB chair Mark Bailey says he is still unsatisfied with the local results.
“I am disappointed this year,” he said in a press release.
“We’ll have to do more analysis and put specific steps in the board and school improvement plans to increase these skills. We need to find out why we are lagging behind in the province. I know we can do better, not just in math, but in reading and writing too.”
Scores reflect the percentage of students at or above the provincial standard.
For the UGDSB, Grade 6 reading and writing rose three to five percentage points to 79 per cent for reading, and 75% for writing. This put the UGDSB on par with the provincial reading level, but 3% below average for writing.
Junior UGDSB students did not fare so well in mathematics, with scores at a five-year low and down 2% from last year to 50%. The provincial average for math was 54%.
Grade 3 students did not meet the provincial average in any testing areas, falling behind Ontario’s score of 70% in reading to finish at 66%.
Similarly, UGDSB came in at 72% for writing, putting them 6% behind the province’s score of 78. In math, primary students finished at 60%, falling behind the province at 67%.
With test results continuing to be less than satisfactory, board officials say they have come up with some next steps to combat the issue, including:
– “upholding the belief that all students can achieve”;
– requiring School Improvement Plans to have a greater mathematics focus; and
– supporting teachers to deliver “a balanced numeracy program that includes basic skills, problem solving and targeted instruction.”
The EQAO tests were conducted across the province in May and June.
Results for individual UGDSB schools are as follows:
– Aberfoyle Public School (PS), Grade 3: 88 in reading, 95 in writing, 80 in math; Grade 6: 98 in reading, 98 in writing, 85 in math;
– Alma PS, Grade 3: 48 reading, 48 writing, 33 math; Grade 6: 82 reading, 86 writing, 55 math;
– Arthur PS, Grade 3: 56 reading, 65 writing, 56 math; Grade 6: 73 reading, 68 writing, 57 math;
– Brisbane PS, Grade 3: 82 reading, 94 writing, 84 math; Grade 6: 93 reading, 93 writing, 47 math;
– Centre Peel PS, Grade 3: 46 reading, 36 writing, 29 math; Grade 6: 70 reading, 65 writing, 30 math;
– Drayton Heights PS, Grade 3: 84 reading, 80 writing, 84 math; Grade 6: 72 reading, 69 writing, 53 math;
– Elora PS, Grade 3: 82 reading, 86 writing, 61 math; Grade 6: 87 reading, 79 writing, 54 math;
– Eramosa PS, Grade 3: 87 reading, 97 writing, 81 math; Grade 6: 93 reading, 93 writing, 67 math;
– Erin PS, Grade 3: 65 reading, 78 writing, 48 math; Grade 6: 71 reading, 75 writing, 36 math;
– J.D. Hogarth PS, Grade 3: 45 reading, 68 writing, 42 math; Grade 6: 82 reading, 62 writing, 31 math;
– James McQueen PS, Grade 3: 53 reading, 57 writing, 38 math;
– John Black PS, Grade 3: 87 reading, 91 writing, 78 math; Grade 6: 89 reading, 78 writing, 56 math;
– Kenilworth PS, Grade 3: 35 reading, 50 writing, 45 math;
– Maryborough PS, Grade 3: 56 reading, 64 writing, 52 math; Grade 6: 82 reading, 100 writing, 82 math;
– Minto-Clifford PS, Grade 3: 79 reading, 89 writing, 82 math; Grade 6: 65 reading, 68 writing, 30 math;
– Palmerston PS, Grade 3: 24 reading, 30 writing, 12 math; Grade 6: 80 reading, 74 writing, 43 math;
– Ponsonby PS, Grade 3: 73 reading, 77 writing, 62 math;
– Rockwood PS, Grade 3: 63 reading, 66 writing, 71 math; Grade 6: 84 reading, 78 writing, 65 math;
– Salem PS, Grade 3: 63 reading, 79 writing, 63 math; Grade 6: 88 reading, 75 writing, 75 math;
– Victoria Cross PS, Grade 3: 69 reading, 84 writing, 78 math; Grade 6: 73 reading, 78 writing, 54 math;
– Victoria Terrace PS, Grade 3: 60 reading, 60 writing, 64 math; Grade 6: 61 reading, 70 writing, 26 math.
For more information visit www.eqao.com.
