EQAO Results Released for Primary and Junior Reading, Writing, and Mathematics
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
September 18, 2013
GUELPH, Ontario — The downward trend in the Education Quality and Accountability Office’s (EQAO) primary and junior literacy and mathematics results, especially in math, has the Upper Grand District School Board asking many questions focused on how to improve math instruction and success for students.
The good news is that primary (grade 3) reading scores have increased one percentage point and match the provincial level (68%). Writing scores, although up one percent over last year to 74%, are below the provincial average of 77%. In math, the province has decreased by a point to 67%, with Upper Grand primary students lagging at 64%, down from 2012 by three percentage points.
There is a similar story in the grade 6 results. Reading in junior classrooms is the same as last year at 76%, but misses the provincial mark by one percentage point. In writing, students are achieving at 70%, down from 71% in 2012, and six percentage points behind the provincial average of 76%. In math, junior students are at a 52% success rate, and the province is at 57%. Both the board and the province are down from last year – the board by two percentage points and the province one percentage point.
“These results are disturbing, in spite of the provincial trends,” said Board Chair, Mark Bailey.
“However, we are optimistic that by analyzing the individual student results we will find answers. We’ll also be asking tough questions, including why are we not seeing an increase that matches the work we have done in math over the past few years?”
There is still the concern, shared across the province, that boys reading and writing lags behind girls. In math at grades 3 boys and girls achieve the same results (64%), with an increase in success rates for boys over girls in grade 6 at 53% for boys, and 51% for girls.
Upper Grand will be trying to determine what more successful boards are doing differently and if their strategies will work in local schools. Also under scrutiny will be how the universities teach math to new teachers, and since the curriculum is designed to be taught through problem solving, what do teachers need from the board to use these techniques.
“There are a lot of questions we will be asking so we can improve math instruction, and how we assess and evaluate students in their math learning”, Bailey said.
”We’ve had good results in improving our reading and writing success due to our past focus on literacy. Now we need to know how to take the lessons we learned from this and apply them to mathematics. I’m optimistic that will happen”.
[ View the 2013 EQAO Results ]
For more information:
Maggie McFadzen, Communications Officer
519-822-4420 ext. 725
[email protected]
Mark Weidmark, Administrative Officer – Communications
519-822-4420 ext. 544
[email protected]
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