By Staff
December 16th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Despite the chaos on attending classes during the academic year the Halton District School Board the Ontario Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) were very good.
Students writing exams
Grade 3, Grade 6 and Grade 9 students performed above the provincial average based on assessments completed in the 2021-2022 school year. These results on EQAO (hdsb.ca) demonstrate that HDSB students are well above the provincial standard (Level 3 & 4, or a B grade or above) in Grade 3 and Grade 6 Reading and Writing, as well as Grade 9 Mathematics and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test.
In Grade 3 assessments, the HDSB outperforms the province by eight to nine percentage points. In Grade 6 assessments, the HDSB exceeds the provincial average by six to eleven percentage points with 91.5% and 90.6% of Grade 6 students meeting the provincial standard on Reading and Writing, respectively.
In Grade 9 Mathematics, the HDSB outperforms the provincial average by 9 percentage points.
In primary classrooms, HDSB staff continue to focus on sustaining effective Comprehensive Literacy Programs which include assessment for learning, differentiated and guided instruction and methods of monitoring student achievement. The Board continues to apply responsive support for all learners.
EQAO assessment results expand upon the current knowledge about student learning, and serve as an important tool for improvement at the individual, school, school board and provincial levels. The Board uses this data at the school and Board level, along with a variety of other student assessment data, to focus efforts toward continuously improving student achievement.
In high school math is very much a hands on subject.
While students in the HDSB perform well above the provincial average, the Board continues to prioritize Mathematics as an area for improvement. This work includes a focus on professional learning to support teachers in mathematics instruction and assessment, and supports an investment in high-quality resources and training in every school.
Our revised Math Plan is reflective of the new Math Curriculum. It provides opportunities for staff learning and involves developing learner profiles, using effective instructional and assessment strategies and resources to support Math learning.
“We are very proud of the HDSB’s EQAO results as the Board exceeds the provincial average on all assessments,” says Tina Salmini, Associate Director for the Halton District School Board. “After several challenging years, this success is attributed to the hard work, flexibility and dedication of our staff, students and families.”
Having nearly one out of every two or three students below par in mathematics is horrible, We’re talking basic arithmetic here, not calculus! And from the Board’s description of their action plan, I infer that many of the teachers may be no better than the students.
When the provincial mathematics average scores are so embarrassingly low (47.2%!!!!), being above average is not something to celebrate for the HDSB.
The HDSB Math Plan’s “…opportunities for staff learning…” should have taken place during teachers’ university education; i.e., before graduation.
The Minister of Education should take responsibility for the poor average math results and resign.