Parents of students attending Renfrew County District School Board schools have received a letter from the Minister of Education regarding this year’s EQAO results.
According to the letter from Minister Paul Calandra, student achievement in the province of Ontario isn’t improving at an acceptable rate, despite efforts to revise the provincial curriculum in recent years.
“The results show half of Grade 6 students and 42 per cent of Grade 9 students are not meeting the provincial standard in math, while some student groups and school boards continue to face serious gaps in achievement,” the letter reads
The numbers for the RCDSB are even lower.
The online results database shows only 48 per cent of grade 9 students and 32 per cent of grade 6 students in the district met or exceeded the provincial standard for mathematics this year, compared to 58 per cent of 9th graders and 51 per cent of 6th graders across Ontario as a whole.
Every other testing metric – including literacy testing for 6th graders and all tests from 3rd grade students – saw at least five per cent fewer kids meet or exceed the provincial standard compared to the numbers for all of Ontario.
“Our responsibility is to do everything possible to boost student achievement,” the letter to parents continues.
“That is why, as we continue to review school board governance to address the many longstanding issues that have too often diverted boards from prioritizing student achievement, I am appointing a new advisory body to lead a thorough review of how Ontario supports student learning.”
The review will focus on the clarity of the current Ontario curriculum, whether teachers currently have access to adequate resources and whether students are receiving the support they need to succeed.
“We have a responsibility to make sure every student has the skills and confidence they need to succeed,” the letter concludes.
“You expect better results for your children, and so do I. We will continue taking whatever steps are necessary to improve student achievement.”
Elsewhere in Renfrew County, the Renfrew County Catholic District School Board overperformed on 2024-25 school year’s EQAO tests compared to the rest of the province.
(Written by Steve Berard)
