September 17, 2009
Student Learning Evident on EQAO
The District School Board of Niagara is encouraged by the release of the latest EQAO assessment results. Compared to last year’s results, students at the Board improved their performance in five out of the eight categories measured by the test.
“Although the EQAO is just one piece of the assessment puzzle, it does provide us with important data,” says Carol Germyn, Superintendent of School Support Services. “What is especially significant about these results is that they allow the Board to look back over a five-year period to identify trends and target areas of strength and areas of improvement.”
Over that five-year time span, success rates for students in Grade 3 have increased by 9% in writing and 3% in mathematics. Grade 6 scores showed similar improvement, rising 7% in reading and 2% in math. Grade 9 students improved their performance by 7% in applied math and 8% in academic math.
“We recognize that each student has different skills when they enter the classroom, which is why the DSBN works diligently to create programs to meet the needs of all students,” says Warren Hoshizaki, DSBN Director of Education. “This data will assist us in developing innovative programs and supports to reach each student. Schools will also analyze this information to determine their literacy/numeracy focus and incorporate strategies designed to improve student success.”
The 2008-2009 results also show that students who wrote the test in Grade 3 bettered their performance several years later. Success rates for Grade 6 students in reading and writing increased by as much as 15 percentage points over their Grade 3 results in 2005-2006. “This is evidence that students are benefiting from our Board-wide focus on literacy,” says Shirley Scott, System Administrator. “One of the many ways we are supporting student learning is by using Instructional Coaches, who help teachers and schools introduce new literacy strategies to their students.”
“To further support students, the Board’s most recent budget provides additional resources to increase the number of Instructional Coaches in our schools,” said Hoshizaki.
DSBN Chair Kevin Maves applauded students for their hard work and continued improvement on the EQAO. However, he also noted that “it is important to consider these results in conjunction with other forms of evaluation, such as classroom work, teacher observations and other important school data. It is this combination of assessments that give us a clearer picture of student learning and allows the Board to continually build on the plan we have in place to increase student success.”
For full DSBN results please click here, or visit EQAO.com.