EQAO results show gains, but education minister calls for further review

Despite admitting to some progress, Ontario’s education minister isn’t giving an A+ to schools and student performance.

Today, the Education Quality and Accountability Office released its latest report on standardized testing, tracking if elementary and high schools are meeting provincial standards.

The EQAO results for 2024-2025 did show some gains across grades 3 to 9 when it comes to reading, writing and math.

However, Education Minister Paul Calandra believes schools can do better. And now, he says he will appoint advisors to review the province’s approach to standardized testing.

“The results show that despite improvements, as we continue to implement a back-to basics approach, there have been inadequate progress in reading, writing, and especially math,” said Calandra.

Today, Calandra says student performance isn’t making the grade after he reviewed the province’s assessments on how well students did in last year’s standardized testing.

“When I’ve done some digging into this, I’m seeing that there are issues,” said Calandra.

Ontario’s Education Quality and Accountability Office released the latest data from the 2024-2025 school year. For English-speaking schools in Ontario, grades 3 to 6 met standards in reading and writing, which saw gains between one to three percentage points.

Roughly two thirds of Grade 3 students met the math standard, while about half of Grade 6 did so as well. In Grade 9, only 58 per cent of students met expectations.

READ MORE: Ontario funds inclusive sport programs, Hamilton high school receives banner

Locally, school boards in Hamilton, Halton and Niagara saw gains in most assessments between one and six percentage points.

“While we continue to be below the provincial average, this is not a concern for me because if you look at our results, not just from last year or year to year, but I’m thinking of even 2022. For example, one of the areas where we are down slightly is in Grade 3 writing, but if you look at our results since 2022, we’re actually up over 6 per cent,” said Sheryl Robinson Petrazzini, director of the HWDSB.

While some school boards are happy with their progress, the Ford government says it’s moving forward with efforts to improve test scores.

Calandra says he will appoint an advisory board early next year to do a comprehensive review into the curriculum and learning resources.

“This advisory panel is just an opportunity to try to justify a different agenda, as opposed to actually fortifying and strengthening public education. Because the answers are all very clear. And the answers exist within teachers and education workers across this province,” said David Mastin, Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) president.

ETFO believes the Ford government should do away with standardized testing, and re-invest the money spent on the program to create smaller classrooms and better teaching environments.

“What I’m doing right now is listening to the parents, and I want to give them the opportunity to succeed by doing what I hear teachers tell me. What teachers are telling me is that this review is needed,” said Calandra.

Calandra says the appointed advisors will look into if the content in the EQAO assessments are aligning with what’s taught in the classrooms, and also help design future tests. Calandra adds the advisory board will report back with their findings and make recommendations.

READ MORE: Two teens charged with assault after fight at Hamilton Mountain school