September 27th, 2024

The 2023-24 assessment results for the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) have recently been released by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO).

Results in the WRDSB

The 2023-2024 EQAO results showed that WRDSB students performed at or slightly below the range of their peers across the province. The results in Grades 3, 6 and Grade 9 highlight the importance of continuing the work we have already started through the Structured Literacy Multi-Year Plan and the Math Achievement Action Plan.

Given the challenges faced by students due to learning loss during the global pandemic, we developed and shared our Structured Literacy Multi-Year Plan and Math Achievement Action Plan, as well as set specific and measurable goals in our annual Board Improvement and Equity Plan, because we know that change and recovery from learning loss takes time. Our plans are consistent with guidance from the Ministry of Education and the Right to Read report. With the launch and strategic implementation of these strategies across our system during the past two years and continuing in the year ahead, we will support students in further building their skills and proficiency in the areas of reading, writing and mathematics.

As a district, we have committed to building a better and stronger public education system that works well for all children. We have developed new learning and approaches around literacy and math and have engaged in full system-wide professional development and capacity building. With new learning happening across the system to shift pedagogical practices both in math and literacy, it is not unusual that an implementation dip may occur. This is consistent with research on implementing system-wide changes. While it is not something to celebrate, it indicates shifts in our practices are occuring. These shifts, we believe, will best support our students to grow, improve and succeed upon graduation.

We know there is much work ahead of us and as a system we are committed to doing it. Embedded in our Board Improvement and Equity Plan, we have outlined specific strategies related to meeting or exceeding the provincial standard in EQAO results and those who successfully complete the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). We continue to set high expectations for all students and these EQAO results highlight areas for each school to focus on to enhance and further improve student learning and well-being.

Comparing Our 2023-2024 Results to the Province

  • WRDSB performed above provincial results in:
    • Grade 6 writing and mathematics
    • Grade 10 OSSLT for students previously eligible to write the test
  • WRDSB performed in line with the provincial results in:
    • Grade 6 Reading
    • Grade 10 OSSLT for students writing the test for the first time
  • WRDSB performed slightly below provincial results in:
    • Grade 3 reading, writing and mathematics
    • Grade 9 mathematics

By The Numbers

The tables below provide more detailed information about the percentage of WRDSB students that met or exceeded the provincial standard in 2023-2024. This means they achieved level 3 or 4 on the assessment. The tables below also offer a comparison to our results from 2022-2023.

Grade 3 EQAO Results

Assessment Area WRDSB Results Provincial Results
2022-2023 2023-2024 2022-2023 2023-2024
Reading 73% 68% 73% 71%
Writing 65% 60% 65% 64%
Mathematics 59% 58% 60% 61%

Grade 6 EQAO Results

Assessment Area WRDSB Results Provincial Results
2022-2023 2023-2024 2022-2023 2023-2024
Reading 84% 82% 84% 82%
Writing 85% 81% 84% 80%
Mathematics 51% 52% 50% 50%

Grade 9 Mathematics EQAO Results

WRDSB Results Provincial Results
2022-2023 2023-2024 2022-2023 2023-2024
55% 52% 54% 54%

Grade 10 OSSLT Results

Attempt at Writing Test WRDSB Results Provincial Results
2022-2023 2023-2024 2022-2023 2023-2024
First Time Student Eligible to Write Test 85% 85% 85% 85%
Student Was Previously Eligible to Write Test 67% 58% 63% 52%

View the full WRDSB results on the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) website.

Supporting Student Learning

We remain committed to supporting the academic success and well-being of all students. The data shared by EQAO reinforces our commitment to the strategies that we have in place to continue to support students’ academic achievement. It also helps to guide us in better supporting students to achieve their full potential.

It is important to remember that EQAO is a single snapshot of students’ performance. It provides us with a valuable data set and helps us determine areas of focus. As a district we are also focused on the multiple data sets we collect across the district to determine if the shifts in pedagogy and practice are in fact best for students.

To build a comprehensive understanding, we use multiple data points, including the Acadience Early Screener, reading diagnostic assessments (e.g., Oral Reading Fluency, Core Phonics etc.), and math assessments (e.g., Leaps and Bounds and centrally developed diagnostics), as well as observation, conversation, and demonstrations of student learning. It is vital to remember that the primary purpose of these assessments is to support and enrich student learning. This involves thoughtful consideration of how we administer, interpret, and respond to the data, ensuring it is used to guide instructional practices and enhance student outcomes. Initial results through these assessments are reinforcing the value of our current strategies.

Our ongoing work and focus on improved student achievement and well-being include and are informed by: