Upper Canada District School Board Sees Significant Improvement in EQAO Scores

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) is excited to report it has seen a significant increase in student achievement in all areas of the EQAO provincial assessments. According to EQAO, the UCDSB was the only school board in the province to improve in every area and the only board to see a greater than 5 per cent increase in the Grade 3, 6 and 9 Math assessments.

Each year, these assessments offer insights about how Ontario students are meeting the provincial standard for achievement. The provincial standard is where students achieve a score of Level 3 (or at least 70 per cent or higher) on the assessment.

UCDSB staff have put a significant focus on EQAO and ensuring students have the tools they need to be successful. Since last year’s assessment, the UCDSB has seen a significant jump in Math scores, with increases of 7.6 per cent in Grade 3 Math, 7.7 per cent in Grade 6 Math, and 5.6 per cent in Grade 9 Math.

“These gains are a testament to the work our system and teaching staff are doing, and the hard work our students are putting in. Innovative teaching practices and a focus on fundamentals have paid off for our students. Everyone should be proud of these results. Education isn’t a sprint to the finish, it’s a life-long journey,” says Chair of the Board Jamie Schoular.

Assessment scores are also up in Reading and Writing across the board, with the most significant gain being seen in Grade 3 Writing, with a 5.3 per cent increase.

Although district-level scores are below the provincial standard, the gap is closing. “We acknowledge that we have some work to do, but the progress we’ve seen just since last school year is amazing. We are absolutely committed to continued improvements,” says Director of Education Ron Ferguson.

The UCDSB is the only school board in the province to see such global gains over the last year and it has drawn the attention of EQAO CEO Dan Koenig. On a recent visit to the school district, he congratulated staff on the results and was interested in learning more about what the UCDSB is doing to see such success.  

The UCDSB plans to build on this success by continuing with the implementation of high-impact practices through staff professional learning, the development of new resources to support teachers, the sharing of best practices across the district, and the continued expansion of the use of digital learning tools for students.