EQAO results show achievement in some levels continuing to improve

Limestone Learning Foundation
EQAO results show achievement in some levels continuing to improve
Posted on 09/20/2017
Image of EQAO logoGrade 6 students and students with special needs show continued improvement in provincial assessments. The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) released reports on the 2016–2017 provincial assessments for each publicly funded school board in Ontario today, September 20, 2017.

Results for the Limestone District School Board are similar to provincial results with achievement across some levels continuing to improve or remaining stable.

The elementary school report provides assessments of Reading, Writing and Mathematics written by students in Grades 3 and 6. The secondary school report provides similar information relating to the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test.

“Limestone students continue to improve in some key areas, including overall achievements for students with special needs in both literacy and math, as well as improvements in Grade 6 reading, writing and math,” reports Director of Education Debra Rantz.

Overall, Limestone secondary students continue to improve in both participation and achievement in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). Of significant note, is the continued gains in achievement in all areas of reading, writing and mathematics made by Limestone students with special needs.

Grade 6 student achievement in Limestone continues to improve with 75% meeting the provincial standard in reading and 70% in writing, up 2% overall. In math, there was a 5% increase with 39% meeting the standard over last year.

“We are pleased to see improved student engagement and achievement and we will continue using this data to support rich learning environments for every student,” adds Director Rantz.

Achievement results in reading for Grades 3 students increased by 1% to 63% but declined in writing and math, and stand at 60% and 47% respectively, down 3 percentage points from 2016.

“It is important to remember that results are a snapshot in time,” adds Rantz. “Boards combine EQAO results with report card grades and classroom assessment to provide a complete picture of student knowledge so we can move forward and implement strategies that will ensure all students are given they supports they need to succeed.”

Over the coming weeks, principals will share school results with their school communities and will analyze the results in detail to identify next steps. All parents or guardians with a child who participated in the assessments will receive their child’s individual results in the next month, and will include school, board and provincial results.

Results in Grade 9 academic math remain stable in Limestone with 77% meeting the provincial standard. Meanwhile, 38% of Grade 9 students enrolled in the applied math course were successful on the math assessment and similar to provincial results a slight decline over last year’s results. Students with special needs results remain relatively stable.

The percentage of students who rose to meet the provincial standard from Grade 6 continued to improve for Limestone.

Students who are not successful on their first attempt are eligible to rewrite the test the following year, or to meet the literacy requirement by taking the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course. Of the Limestone students who were previously eligible to write the literacy test, 65% were completing the literacy requirement for graduation by completing the literacy course. The success rate for the 167 previously eligible students who wrote the test this year was 76% compared to the 49% provincial success rate. Students who were unsuccessful, absent or deferred will be eligible for another attempt in the 2017-2018 school year.

Students in all publicly funded schools in Ontario are required to write provincial assessments, administered by EQAO, a provincial body that tests students’ skills in literacy in Grades 3, 6 and 10 and math skills in Grades 3, 6 and 9 in relation to Ontario Curriculum expectations. Successful completion of the literacy requirement is one of the requirements to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

For more information, please contact:
Karen Smith, Communications Officer
613-544-6925 x 314 | 613-328-0947 mobile
Jane Douglas, Communications officer
Communications Officer
613-544-6925 x 311 | 613-328-0916 mobile

The Limestone District School Board is situated on traditional territories of the Anishinaabe & Haudenosaunee.