WELLINGTON COUNTY – Test results from the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) are in, and Wellington County students are generally performing close to provincial averages.
Though the merits of standardized testing like EQAO is debated by teachers, parents and policy makers, school boards use the results as a tool to guide decisions about where to focus resources to support students with reading, writing and mathematics.
The EQAO is a Crown agency of the government of Ontario that develops tests to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of schools and makes recommendations based on those evaluations.
Test results are presented as percentages of students in Grade 3, 6, and 9 reaching or surpassing the provincial standard, which means scoring a level 3 or 4.
UGDSB
At the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB), students in Grades 3 had results below the provincial average, while students in Grade 6 had above-average results.
In Grade 3, 57 per cent of UGDSB students scored level 3 or 4 in math, 70% in reading and 63% in writing.
This compares to provincial Grade 3 averages of 60% in math, 73% in reading and 65% in writing.
Grade 6 students at the UGDSB scored an average of 53% at or above standard in math, 86% in reading and 85% in writing.
This compares to provincial Grade 6 averages of 50% in math and 84% in reading and writing.
“The 2022-23 results confirm the UGDSB’s data indicating a need to focus on improving skills in literacy and math in the early years,” states an UGDSB press release.
For Grade 9 students, the average math score across the board was 52% above standard, while the average provincial score was 54%.
In literacy, 88%of UGDSB Grade 9 students scored above standard compared to 85% for the provincial average.
WCDSB
At the Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB), results were at or above provincial averages across all testing areas.
In Grade 3, 63% of WCDSB students scored level 3 or 4 in math, 75% in reading and 67% in writing.
Grade 6 students at the WCDSB scored an average of 58% at or above standard in math, 88% in reading and 89% in writing.
In Grade 9, 55% of WCDSB students scored at or above standard in math and 85% in literacy.
“We are pleased to see that there are gains being made in our district and will look to continue to build on this foundation of success in future years,” said WCDSB director Michael Glazier.
Perfect scores
Some schools in Wellington County had 100% of students achieve level 3 or 4 results.
Every Grade 6 student at Ponsonby Public School met or surpassed provincial standards in writing.
At Rockwood Centennial Public School, 100% of Grade 3 students met or surpassed provincial standards in mathematics and reading.
At St. Joseph Catholic School in Fergus, every Grade 6 student scored level 3 or 4 in writing.
For more EQAO result details visit eqao.com/results.
