At first glance, the latest EQAO results from the Greater Essex County District School Board suggest students didn't do as well on the standardized tests in the last school year. However, over three years, the board's Superintendent of Education says the results are trending upwards.
The board released its results at its meeting on Tuesday night.
Seventy per cent of grade 3 students met or exceeded the provincial standard in reading, while 64 per cent met that benchmark in writing and 59 per cent in mathematics. Those results are down from the year before, but Raquel Roberts pointed out many of those students started their academic careers at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Roberts also told board trustees efforts to screen students before they take the tests are paying off.
"These efforts will help us identify students at risk for reading difficulty for immediate, early, tiered interventions so our students are on track for reading proficiency," she said.
There were some standouts. Coronation Public School students improved by 18 per cent in grade 3 and 23 per cent in grade 6. At General Brock Public School, grade 3s improved their scores by 41 per cent and by 16 per cent in grade 6.
The trend shows students are doing better than they were three years ago in both grade 3 and grade 6.
Eighty-one per cent of grade 6 students met or exceeded the provincial standard in reading, down three per cent from the year before. As for writing, 79 per cent met or exceeded the provincial standard, also down three per cent, and 51 per cent at least met the standard in math, down two per cent.
A total of 2,341 grade 9 students took the EQAO math test. Over half met or exceeded the provincial standard, while 40 per cent were below it.
Eighty per cent of high school students who took the Ontario Literacy Secondary School Test for the first time passed.
The Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board releases its results on Friday.
