Local School Boards Report Results in 2023-2024 EQAO Testing
Local School Boards Report Results in 2023-2024 EQAO Testing
The Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board (BGCDSB) and the Bluewater District School Board (BWDSB) have released their 2023-2024 EQAO results.
The Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board (BGCDSB) and the Bluewater District School Board (BWDSB) have both released their results from the 2023-2024 Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) standardized tests, showing varied performances across different subjects and grade levels.
Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board
BGCDSB reported a notable improvement in its students’ performance, particularly in Grade 6 mathematics, where scores increased by 12 percentage points compared to the previous year.
The Board surpassed provincial standards in several areas, reflecting what it describes as a concerted effort to enhance academic achievement through targeted interventions, differentiated instruction, and the use of classroom technology.
In a statement, BGCDSB officials attributed their success to a combination of strategies, including universal screening, multi-tiered support systems, and explicit instruction.
Director of Education Karyn Bruneel emphasized the collaborative effort among students, staff, and the wider community. The board received recognition from the Ministry of Education for its leadership in fostering academic success, particularly in numeracy.
Bluewater District School Board
Meanwhile, the Bluewater District School Board (BWDSB) reported steady progress in multiple subject areas, with gains in both literacy and numeracy.
For Grade 3 students, reading scores improved slightly to 64%, up from 62.3% last year, while writing scores saw a larger jump to 56%, compared to 50.4% the previous year.
Grade 3 mathematics also saw growth, with 55% of students meeting or exceeding the provincial standard, up from 47.9% in 2022-2023.
In Grade 6, mathematics scores rose marginally from 38.6% to 39%, while reading and writing scores remained consistent at 76% and 71%, respectively.
Bluewater's Grade 9 students also showed improvement, with 52% meeting or exceeding the provincial average in mathematics, up from 48.4% the previous year. The Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) results for first-time test-takers saw a significant rise, with 86% meeting or exceeding the provincial standard, up from 74.9% in the previous year.
Results for previously eligible students also increased, with 63% meeting or exceeding the standard, up from 50.8%.
BWDSB’s Superintendent of Education, Wendy Louwerse, expressed satisfaction with the upward trends, particularly in literacy and numeracy. She noted that while the board has made gains, work remains to be done to continue closing achievement gaps and aligning results with provincial averages.
Moving Forward
Both school boards highlighted the importance of continuing their efforts to support student achievement across all grade levels. While BGCDSB’s results reflect significant improvement in certain areas, BWDSB showed steady growth, particularly in literacy. Both boards plan to build on these outcomes as they aim for further gains in future testing cycles.
These results provide a snapshot of the efforts being made to enhance educational outcomes across Bruce and Grey counties, with each board working to address both successes and ongoing challenges in student performance.