Provincial math levels on decline for elementary schools: EQAO

Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) standardized test results released Wednesday show students in Grade 3 and Grade 6 are still struggling to make the grade when it comes to math.

The most concerning slide happened in Grade 6 students. Over a five-year period, the percentage of Grade 6 students who performed at or above the provincial standard decreased by four per cent in mathematics, from 63 per cent to 59 per cent.

Grade 3 students remained at the same level in mathematics — 71 per cent.

The rest of the provincial results, however, were more positive. The percentage of Grade 3 students who performed at or above the provincial standard increased by 11 per cent in Reading (60 per cent to 71 per cent) and 10 per cent in Writing (70 per cent to 80 per cent) over the last five years. Over the same time, Grade 6 increased by 8 per cent in reading (69 per cent to 77 per cent) and 9 per cent in writing (71 per cent to 80 per cent).

Student attitudes toward math and reading are changing along gender lines too. A larger percentage of male students report that they like and are good at math than female students, and more females report the same of reading and writing.

“Students and staff should be proud of these results," said Donna Quan, the Toronto District School Board's director of education.

The Toronto District School Board fared better than the province in math, but is not improving at the same pace in reading and writing. It saw its declines in mathematics come in at less than the provincial average — Grade 6 students only dropped one percentage point in math over the five years whereas the provincial average is four points.

But it only grew four percentage points each on the reading and writing tests for Grade 6.

And Grade 3 results for reading and writing were also slower to improve over the five year test results period.

The secondary school EQAO results will be released on Sept. 24.