Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board has posted some disappointing EQAO math results.
(Parry Sound Catholic students attend school in Bracebridge)
The Education Quality and Accountability Office has released the results for school boards and individual schools after it released the province-wide scores last month.
One of the key areas of focus in the testing is the Grade 6 math score. Provincially the average saw just over half of the sixth-grade students not meet the standard for mathematics. In Simcoe Muskoka, that number dips to just 39 per cent.
In a statement from the school board, Brian Beal, Director of Education says he is concerned with the ongoing trend of poor math scores.
“We welcome the government’s proposed review because there seems to be a disconnect between how students are performing on these tests compared to the results we are seeing in other assessment areas,” said Beal.
School Board Chair Carol Corriveau-Truchon is concerned about the effect the low scores will have on the confidence of students.
“We don’t want our students to lose confidence in their abilities,” she said. “Families need to recognize that the EQAO test is only one, very limited, tool to measure student outcomes. The government has recognized that there are limitations and concerns right across the province with the EQAO, which is why they are conducting a review.”
The math score for Grade 3 students shows that 51 per cent of tested students met the standard. Results for high school students was even lower than their grade six counterparts with just 34 per cent meeting or exceeding the provincial standard. Other areas tested showed that 82 per cent of sixth-grade students met the provincial reading standard while 77 per cent met provincial writing standards.
Here is the full breakdown of the numbers board-wide for the SMCDB:
- Grade 3 reading – 71 per cent meeting or exceeding the provincial standard
- Grade 3 writing – 67 per cent meeting or exceeding the provincial standard
- Grade 3 mathematics – 51 per cent meeting or exceeding the provincial standard
- Grade 6 reading – 82 per cent meeting or exceeding the provincial standard
- Grade 6 writing – 77 per cent meeting or exceeding the provincial standard
- Grade 6 mathematics – 39 per cent meeting or exceeding the provincial standard
- Grade 9 applied mathematics – 34 per cent meeting or exceeding the provincial standard
- Grade 9 academic mathematics – 77 per cent meeting or exceeding the provincial standard
- Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test – 74 per cent of first-time eligible students meeting or exceeding the provincial standard
- Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test – 40 per cent of previously eligible students meeting or exceeding the provincial standard