School Board Progress Reports


The Indicators

Eight indicators have been selected to provide information about each board's progress. The selected indicators represent some of the government's education priorities including class size in the primary grades and improved literacy rates.

Grade 6 Reading EQAO Results

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) annually assesses the reading, writing and math skills of Ontario's Grade 6 students. EQAO is an arm's-length agency of the provincial government and provides parents, teachers and the public with accurate and reliable information about student achievement.

In 2009-10, 72 per cent of English-language students and 80 per cent of French-language students met or exceeded the provincial standard (Level 3 on the scale of 1 to 4, or grade level B) on the EQAO Grade 6 reading assessment.

Ontario's target is for 75 per cent of Grade 6 students to be meeting or exceeding the provincial standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

Progress in Grade 6 Reading EQAO Results

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) annually assesses the reading, writing and math skills of Ontario's Grade 6 students. EQAO is an arm's-length agency of the provincial government and provides parents, teachers and the public with accurate and reliable information about student achievement.

Between 2002-03 and 2009-10, EQAO reported that there was a 16 percentage point increase for English-language students and a 22 percentage point increase for French-language students who met or exceeded the provincial standard (Level 3 on the scale of 1 to 4, or grade level B) in the Grade 6 reading assessments.

Ontario's target is for 75 per cent of Grade 6 students to be meeting or exceeding the provincial standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

Grade 10 Literacy Test

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) annually assesses the literacy skills of Ontario's Grade 10 students through the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test. EQAO is an arm's-length agency of the provincial government and provides parents, teachers and the public with accurate and reliable information about student achievement.

The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test assesses reading and writing skills that students are expected to have learned in all subjects by the end of Grade 9. Students have the opportunity to rewrite the test if they fail; however, they must pass the test or enrol in and pass the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course to obtain the graduation literacy requirement.

In 2010-11, the percentage of Grade 10 students who were eligible to write the test for the first time and who fully participated in and passed the literacy test was 83 per cent for English-language students and 86 per cent for French-language students.

Progress in Grade 10 Literacy Test

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) annually assesses the literacy skills of Ontario's Grade 10 students through the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test. EQAO is an arm's-length agency of the provincial government and provides parents, teachers and the public with accurate and reliable information about student achievement.

The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test assesses reading and writing skills that students are expected to have learned in all subjects by the end of Grade 9. Students have the opportunity to rewrite the test if they fail; however, they must pass the test or enrol in and pass the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course to obtain the graduation literacy requirement.

Between 2002-03 and 2010-11, the increase of Grade 10 students who were eligible to write the test for the first time and who fully participated in and passed the literacy test was 11 percentage points for English-language students and seven percentage points for French-language students.

Credit Accumulation by the End of Grade 10

Credits are counted if they are part of the student's transcript at the end of June. Courses taken at summer school or concluding after June 30 are counted for the following year. Students learning English as a second language or with special needs are included.

Ontario students who have 16 or more credits at the end of Grade 10 are on track to graduate with their peers.

At the end of the 2008-09 school year, 71 per cent of Grade 10 students had 16 or more credits.

Progress in Credit Accumulation by the End of Grade 10

Credits are counted if they are part of the student's transcript at the end of June. Courses taken at summer school or concluding after June 30 are counted for the following year. Students learning English as a second language or with special needs are included.

Ontario students who have 16 or more credits at the end of Grade 10 are on track to graduate with their peers.

At the end of the 2008-09 school year, 71 per cent of Grade 10 students had 16 or more credits. This is a four percentage point increase compared to the end of 2006-07 school year.

Primary Grade Classes with 20 or Fewer Students

In 2010-11, all primary classes in Ontario have 23 students or fewer and more than 90 per cent have 20 students or fewer. This is the third straight year the government has reached its primary class size targets.

Ten per cent of classes can have up to 23 students. This flexibility helps boards make classes smaller, while allowing for enrolment changes, minimizing the need for more combined grades and avoiding unnecessary transportation of students.

Classes under the government's new full-day kindergarten program are not part of the primary class size calculations. Full-day kindergarten classes differ from other primary classes by having two educators – one teacher and one early childhood educator – working side-by-side during the day in the classroom.

Progress in Primary Grade Classes with 20 or Fewer Students

In 2010-11, all primary classes in Ontario have 23 students or fewer and more than 90 per cent have 20 students or fewer. This is the third straight year the government has reached its primary class size targets.

Ten per cent of classes can have up to 23 students. This flexibility helps boards make classes smaller, while allowing for enrolment changes, minimizing the need for more combined grades and avoiding unnecessary transportation of students.

Classes under the government's new full-day kindergarten program are not part of the primary class size calculations. Full-day kindergarten classes differ from other primary classes by having two educators – one teacher and one early childhood educator – working side-by-side during the day in the classroom.