BROCKVILLE – The Upper Canada District School Board is touting a significant increase in overall student results from yearly provincial testing.
The board reported that it is the only school board in Ontario to improve in all areas students are assessed, and to have a greater than five per cent increase in math assessments.
Results were released by the Education Quality and Accountability Office – an arms-length government agency that evaluates and administers the province’s standardized testing in math, reading, and writing. Four grade levels are assessed each year: Grade 3 and Grade 6 (Math, Reading, Writing), Grade 9 (Math) and Grade 10 (Reading and writing).
Across the UCDSB, the board saw a significant jump in math testing results.
“These gains are a testament to the work our system and teaching staff are doing and the hard work our students are putting in,” said board Chair Jamie Schoular. “Innovative teaching practices and a focus on fundamentals have paid off for our students. Everyone should be product of these results.”
While significant improvements have been made in the UCDSB, the board acknowledged that some of its scores remain well below the provincial average.
“We acknowledge that we have some work to do,” said UCDSB Director of Education Ron Ferguson. “The progress we’ve seen just since last school year is amazing. We are absolutely committed to continued improvements.”
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Ministry of Education has increased funding to help students impacted by remote learning. That funding resulted in a number of catch-up programs for students in math, reading and writing.
Grade 6 students assessed in 2023-24 were last assessed – sort of – in the 2020-21 school year. Many assessments were not able to be completed due to pandemic-restrictions.
In secondary school grades, the EQAO Grade 9 test is part of the math curriculum. For Grade 10 students, passing the EQAO Literacy test is a requirement to graduate Grade 12.
Fifty-eight per cent of UCDSB Grade 3 students were at or above the provincial standard for writing, 65 per cent were at that standard for reading, and 53 per cent were at the standard for math. The provincial standard, called by EQAO as “Level 3” is 70 per cent or higher.
Grade 6 students in the UCDSB saw 76 per cent at or above the provincial standard in writing, 81 per cent in reading, and 41 per cent in Math.
Forty per cent of Grade 9 students last year in the UCDSB were at or above the provincial standard, a six per cent increase from the previous year.
Grade 10 students taking the literacy test saw a success rate of 77 per cent, the same number as the previous year. To pass the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, a student must score at least 75 per cent to pass the 400 point test.
Locally in South Dundas, there were moderate gains in categories at all three UCDSB schools.
At Iroquois Public School, 56 per cent of Grade 3 students met or exceeded the provincial standard in reading, 64 per cent in writing, and 56 per cent in math.
Seventy-one per cent of Grade 6 students at the school met or exceeded the provincial standard, 75 per cent did for writing, and just 15 per cent of students attained a level three or higher in math.
Morrisburg Public School saw year-over-year improvements in its testing, but still was below many of the board averages. In reading, 56 per cent of Grade 3 students met or exceeded the standard, 50 per cent for writing, and 44 per cent for math. Sixty-nine per cent of Grade 6 students met or exceeded the provincial standard for reading, 46 per cent for writing, and 15 per cent for math.
Seaway District High School’s Grade 9 math EQAO scores saw 40 per cent of students reach level three or better in testing, while 77 per cent of Grade 10 students were successful in taking the OSSLT test, same as the board average.
In comparison with area boards, the UCDSB has a higher percentage of students with identified special needs and individualized education plans than students tested in the English-Catholic, and the two French school boards.
The EQAO was established in 1996 and began standardized testing of students in 2002.