2016-17 EQAO test results released for literacy, reading, writing and math
For Immediate Release
September 20, 2017
GUELPH, Ontario – Results from the province’s 2016-17 Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) tests have been released for school boards across Ontario, including the Upper Grand District School Board.
Grade 9 Math
Secondary students in the UGDSB continue to exceed provincial standards in mathematics.
The assessment was administered in January 2017 to first semester students and in June 2017 to second semester students enrolled in Grade 9 Applied or Academic Mathematics courses.
In the Academic course, Upper Grand students surpassed the provincial average of 83 per cent, with 90 per cent of UGDSB students meeting or exceeding the provincial standard. Eighty per cent of students with special needs (excluding gifted) met or exceeded the standard.
In the Applied course, 58 per cent of students in Upper Grand schools met or exceeded the provincial standard in 2016-17, ahead of the provincial average of 44 per cent.
In the Upper Grand, 1,598 students in the Academic course completed the Grade 9 math assessment; 51 per cent were female and 49 per cent were male. In the Applied course, 718 students completed the assessment; 50 per cent were male and 50 per cent were female.
In the Academic course, 91 per cent of females and 90 per cent of males met or exceeded the provincial standard. Fifty-four per cent of females met or exceeded the provincial standard in the Applied course, versus 63 per cent of male students.
Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test
Students in UGDSB secondary schools who were eligible to write the EQAO Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) this year have achieved an 80 per cent success rate.
The result is one percentage point below the provincial average of 81 per cent. For the past five years Upper Grand DSB has been either the same as or within one or two percentage points of the provincial average.
First Time Eligible (FTE) students in the Academic English program continue to excel, with 94 per cent of students meeting or exceeding the standard, compared to 92 per cent provincially. Fifty-two per cent of students in Applied English courses were successful, which is down four percentage points from last year, however students in Applied courses achieved considerably above the provincial average of 44 per cent.
Students with special needs (excluding the gifted) achieved a 54 per cent rate of success, which is a slight decline from the previous year, but above the provincial average of 52 per cent.
Of the 2,536 students eligible to write the test for the first time, 48 per cent were female and 52 per cent were male. Females outperformed males with an 87 per cent success rate, compared to 74 per cent for males. The gender discrepancy is slightly more pronounced in Upper Grand as compared to the province, where 85 per cent of female students were successful versus 76 per cent for males.
Previously Eligible (PE) students continued the trend of achieving above the province in the 2016-17 results. Of the 1,059 students who were previously eligible to write the test, 51 per cent met or exceeded the provincial standard, compared to 49 per cent provincially.
Primary and Junior Results
In May and June of 2017, grade 3 and grade 6 students in the UGDSB participated in the EQAO assessment. Students’ responses were evaluated in the areas of reading, writing and math.
In the Primary assessment, 2,405 grade 3 students from 65 schools participated. Forty-eight per cent of the students were female, 52 per cent were male. Twenty-four per cent of the students participating were receiving special education support (excluding gifted) and 21 per cent were enrolled in French Immersion.
In reading, 71 per cent met or exceeded the provincial standard, up from 69 per cent last year. The provincial average for the 2016-17 assessment was 74 per cent. In writing, 71 per cent achieved the standard, compared to 73 per cent provincially. In math, 58 per cent achieved the standard, versus 62 per cent provincially.
In the spring, 2,226 grade 6 students from 62 schools participated in the EQAO test. Forty-seven per cent were female, 53 per cent were male, 27 per cent were receiving special education support (excluding gifted) and 15 per cent were enrolled in French Immersion.
In reading, 80 per cent of UGDSB grade 6 students met or exceeded the provincial standard, compared to 81 provincially. In writing, 78 per cent met the standard, one point below the provincial average. In math, 48 per cent met the standard, versus 50 per cent provincially.
The results of UGDSB students with special education needs (excluding gifted) show increases in Primary reading, writing and math. Grade 3 students with special education needs scores increased three per cent in reading (47 per cent), increased one per cent in writing (58 per cent) and increased four per cent in math (29 per cent).
Grade 6 students with special needs scores decreased four per cent in reading (54 per cent). Results for writing and math stayed the same (52 and 17 per cent, respectively).
Release of the 2016-17 EQAO results provides important information for the board and UGDSB schools. The information offers an opportunity to conduct an analysis of the results in order to identify best instructional practices, which in turn prompt the best possible student achievement.
The collection and reporting of this data is the necessary first step in the process of critical analysis. The data is used by school administrators and teachers to develop school improvement plans and specific action plans with the goal of higher achievement. The second year of the Renewed Math Strategy will continue to provide support to all schools, increased support to some schools and intensive support to a few schools.
Additional information is available at www.ugdsb.ca/programs/eqao/ and on the EQAO website at www.eqao.com.
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Media contact:
Heather Loney
Communications and Community Engagement Officer
Upper Grand District School Board
519-822-4420 ext.725
[email protected]
Megan Sicoli
Administrative Officer, Communications
Upper Grand District School Board
519-822-4420 ext.764
[email protected]
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