The results are in
Posted Sep 14, 2011 06:13:04 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The latest EQAO results show that students in both of Waterloo Region’s school boards are keeping pace with the provincial average.
The EQAO assessments look at reading and writing skills in grades 3 and 6 students, as well as math skills in grades 3, 6 and 9.
For the public board, this year’s testing showed strong results for grades 3 and 6 reading and writing, which saw a 3 to 5 percentage point increase over last year’s classes.
Looking deeper into the results, Elaine Ranney, Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services with the WRDSB, says, “The gap between boys and girls achievement in reading and writing is decreasing. And we also see that the supports in place for our English language learners and our students with special education needs are making a difference.”
Writing has been an area of focus for the public board.
The results in grades 3 and 6 math have stayed relatively stable and grade 9 academic math has increased by 1 percentage point.
Ranney says the board will be putting more focus on math because, “We’ve learned that when we focus on a common goal we do see results and the data is telling us that we need to, in elementary, expand that focus to the area of mathematics.”
It was a similar story in the Catholic board. Scores in reading and writing for grades 3 and 6 all increased over last year.
Associate Director of Education for the WCDSB, Bruce Rodrigues, says math scores have held relatively stable and, like the public board, he says they’ll be focusing more on the subject.
“We’ll be working more closely with schools and also the literacy/numeracy secretary, which is a branch of the ministry, to target areas of need in mathematics and provide teacher support,” Rodrigues explains.
He says overall, the catholic board is optimistic about the results.
