Catholic and public faculty board outcomes present common passing fee on provincial testing between one and 15 share factors decrease than Ontario outcomes
Outcomes from current provincial studying, writing and math checks put Simcoe County college students beneath Ontario averages general.
One Simcoe County trustee was significantly pissed off to see every of the Simcoe County District Faculty Board’s general outcomes from one to fifteen share factors beneath provincial averages.
“We’ve failed our students in our math education capabilities,” stated Robin Talbot, the trustee for Midland, Penetanguishene, Tiny and Tay Township throughout an Oct. 9 faculty board assembly. “I’m trying to develop a positive attitude about our approach but I don’t see a lot in the results.”
The province is accountable for creating and administering studying, writing, and math assessments for Ontario college students in grades 3, 6, and 9, in addition to the Grade 10 Ontario Secondary Faculty Literacy Check (OSSLT).
Averages are reported as the proportion of scholars that met or exceeded the provincial customary for the take a look at.
The outcomes, launched final week, of the 2023/24 Schooling High quality and Accountability Workplace (EQAO) for the province and two native faculty boards have been as follows:
Check
Ontario common
Simcoe County District Faculty board avg.
Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District Faculty Board avg.
Grade 3 Studying
71%
68%
66% met or exceeded the provincial customary for the take a look at
Grade 3 Writing
64%
58%
57% met or exceeded the provincial customary for the take a look at
Grade 3
Math
61%
60%
51% met or exceeded the provincial customary for the take a look at
Grade 6 Studying
82%
77%
79% met or exceeded the provincial customary for the take a look at
Grade 6 Writing
80%
75%
79% met or exceeded the provincial customary for the take a look at
Grade 6 Math
50%
47%
38% met or exceeded the provincial customary for the take a look at
Grade 9 Math
54%
46%
39% met or exceeded the provincial customary for the take a look at
Grade 10 Literacy Check*
85%
84%
78% of first-time eligible college students who handed the take a look at
*Literacy take a look at percentages symbolize the portion of scholars eligible to take the take a look at for the primary time and who handed on their first try.
When contacted for touch upon the SMCDSB’s outcomes this yr, Daniel Stargratt, superintendent of program companies with the Catholic board, stated that regardless of a few of the numbers, their board is noticing enhancements.
“The important thing for families to recognize is that the real benefit of EQAO, for both students and educators, happens when we look beyond the surface results,” stated Stargratt in an e-mail.
“EQAO is a snapshot in time, and there are many other assessments that we use to support our students with their achievement and well-being,” he stated.
He factors particularly to some numbers he discovered encouraging, such because the board’s Grade 6 literacy outcomes.
“We still have work to do to improve mathematics results in Grade 3, 6 and 9,” stated Stargratt.
The Catholic board’s Grade 9 math take a look at common was 15 share factors decrease than the provincial common.
To assist deal with the gaps throughout the Catholic board, Stargratt stated they’re inserting a renewed concentrate on understanding and responding to pupil wants differently.
“We are taking the time to understand what students are interested in and what their strengths are so that they can get excited and empowered in their learning,” he stated.
Though the general public board’s outcomes are barely beneath the provincial averages, they’ve elevated in comparison with the 2023 outcomes.
“There are positive results this year. I think we made some great gains in the area of math through some great initiatives our board has run,” stated Dean Maltby, superintendent of pupil achievement with the SCDSB in an interview, noting the board takes satisfaction of their OSSLT achievement this yr.
The Grade 3 math scores improved by one per cent this yr, Grade 6 by three per cent and Grade 9 by one per cent.
Maltby pointed to work carried out by Kristen Fennell, one of many board’s superintendents who focuses on math, who has run a collection {of professional} growth periods referred to as Math 2 Study for academics to assist them dive deeper into math content material data and instructing methods on relaying that data to college students.
The board additionally presents Math At Dwelling programming for households on their web site, to assist households broaden on math studying accomplished within the classroom. They’ve additionally offered math kits for households to take residence.
“We have work to do in math. The province recognizes that there’s work to do in math. We are not alone in that,” stated Fennell in the course of the board’s Oct. 9 assembly. “We have seen some improvements in the junior levels, as that’s where we’ve focused most.”
For literacy, the board additionally runs skilled growth for academics, exhibiting them easy methods to get college students engaged in know-how to enhance literacy expertise and put together college students higher for the OSSLT.
On the finish of dialogue on the SCDSB’s program assembly on Oct. 9, Fennell stated the board would put together a deeper dive into this yr’s EQAO outcomes, to be introduced to trustees in November.
