Ontario Taking Action to Improve Student Achievement

The Ontario government is appointing an advisory body to review the province’s approach to student assessment in response to the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) results released this morning, which show insufficient progress for students in Grades 3, 6 and 9. This work builds on the government’s ongoing review of school board governance and longstanding concerns with dysfunctional trustee performance that has too often diverted boards from prioritizing student achievement.

“The latest EQAO results show that more action is needed to support our students and help them succeed,” said Paul Calandra, Minister of Education. “In too many cases, dysfunction and infighting among trustees have distracted boards from this core responsibility. I have taken the time to closely review these results, and we are taking decisive action to get students on track for stronger achievement.”

The results show that despite continued improvement in recent years as the government has continued to implement its back-to-basics curriculum, the pace of improvement in reading, writing and particularly math has not been adequate. Half of Grade 6 students and 42 per cent of Grade 9 students are not meeting the provincial standard in math and some student groups and school boards continue to face significant gaps in achievement.

For that reason, as the government continues to review school board governance to address the many long-standing issues that have been identified with trustee performance and which are impacting student achievement and outcomes, the province will also be launching an expert advisory body to examine EQAO testing. The new advisory body will be made up of two members who will be appointed early next year to lead a comprehensive review of how Ontario supports student learning, focusing on math, reading and writing and closing achievement gaps. The review will examine the root causes behind these results and recommend clear, actionable strategies to better support teachers, parents and students, all while continuing to support Ontario’s public education system.

The review will assess:

• Why student outcomes are not improving at the pace we need
• Whether the curriculum and learning resources are clear, consistent and easy to use
• How well teachers are being prepared and supported
• Whether students have the tools they need to succeed

It will also examine:

• Whether EQAO tests align with what students are being taught and are fair for all students
• How data can be used to improve teaching, policy and funding decisions
• Whether current supports for students who are struggling, including those with special needs, are working
• How to better help students before they take standardized tests

The advisory body will also look at how EQAO tests are designed and delivered to ensure students can meaningfully demonstrate what they’ve learned.

The final report will present its findings and actionable recommendations to the Minister, and these will be made publicly available to guide improvements in supporting everyone involved in education. These recommendations will help ensure teachers have the tools to succeed and students have every opportunity to thrive. The government will also continue to use every tool at its disposal to ensure that school governance models in Ontario are focused on student outcomes and achievement, helping students succeed and preparing them for good-paying careers.

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