The first provincial testing results since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic indicate the Grand Erie District School Board is below the provincial average in all areas of assessment.
Returning after a two-year pause due to the pandemic, Education Quality and Accountability Office results from tests written during the 2021-22 school year have been released.
They show Grand Erie, which includes students at 72 schools being tested, is below the provincial average for Grades 3 and 6 reading, writing and math; for Grade 9 math; and for the Grade 10 literacy test.
Results for the Brant Haldimand-Norfolk Catholic District School Board are below the provincial average for Grade 3 math, reading and writing and for Grade 6 math.
The Catholic board, which included students testing in 33 schools, showed results in Grade 6 reading and writing slightly at or above the provincial standard, above the provincial standard for Grade 9 math and just slightly below the provincial standard on the Grade 10 literacy test.
JoAnna Roberto, Grand Erie’s director of education, said the results, when compared to pre-pandemic results, showed improvements in some areas, including Grade 6 reading and writing and the Grade 10 literacy test, and small declines in Grade 3 reading, writing and math and Grade 6 math.
“We are proud of the work and resilience of our educators, support staff and administrators who, despite the challenges and upheavals of the past two years, helped keep Grand Erie students on track,” said Roberto.
“We also know we have more work to do, and we are confident the focused strategies we have in place are having a positive impact and will continue to support student success and learning results.”
Roberto said comparisons to pre-pandemic results are reference points. The EQAO tests administered for 2021-22 were a substantial change from the previous assessments, and were based on new Ontario math curriculum for Grades 3, 6 and 9, she noted.
For the first time, EQAO is reporting results based on new online testing.
This also was the first time testing for Grade 9 math was written by all students, rather than the previous separate tests for students in academic and applied math streams.
“The EQAO results, used along with other metrics, influence decisions around focus areas for the district,” said Roberto. “What we are seeing is an affirmation of the direction laid out in our multi-year strategic plan with learning goals and strategies to improve early literacy and math.”
Lorrie Temple, superintendent of education for the Catholic board, said that, because many variables of the test were changed, comparisons to old data aren’t relevant.
“The more information we have, the better we can support our students to reach success. Our educators have worked very hard to adapt to the new version of the test, new curriculum released during the pandemic, as well as addressing learning gaps over the COVID-impacted years.”
Temple said the board is most pleased with gains in Grade 6 reading, with 86 per cent of students achieving Level 3 and above, exceeding the provincial average. She said Grade 9 math also showed strong results, exceeding those of the province.
“Results for primary reading, writing and math are hovering just below the provincial results, providing us with new baseline data that informs our next steps for educator learning,” she said.
Temple said there is some concern over the data for Grade 6 math, which the board is working to address with the purchase of new resources for instruction for Grades 1 to 9, as well as focused tutoring supports free to families.
“We look to also focus more attention on primary math for early intervention and engaging pedagogy, to support better trends for success in coming years.”
By the numbers
Following is the percentage of students with the Grand Erie and Brant Haldimand-Norfolk Catholic district school boards at or above the provincial standard (Levels 3 and 4)
Grade 3
Reading: Grand Erie, 62%; Catholic, 69%; Province, 74%.
Writing: Grand Erie, 52%; Catholic, 60%; Province, 65%.
Math: Grand Erie, 48%; Catholic, 53%; Province, 59%
Grade 6
Reading: Grand Erie, 78%; Catholic, 86%; Province, 85%.
Writing: Grand Erie, 75%; Catholic, 84%; Province, 84%.
Math: Grand Erie, 34%; Catholic, 38%; Province, 47%.
Grade 9
Math: Grand Erie, 39%; Catholic, 58%; Province, 52%.
Grade 10 Literacy Test: Grand Erie, 70%; Catholic, 81%; Province, 82%.