It was a mixed bag when it comes to the achievements of Ontario's students.
The Ontario government released the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) results on Wednesday, after a months-long delay.
More than 574,000 students across the province completed EQAO assessments at the elementary and secondary levels during the 2024-2025 school year.
There was an increase in almost all of the results, especially in reading and writing. Most grade levels also showed a slight gain in mathematics, but there was a drastic difference in the success rates compared with the other subjects.
Minister of Education Paul Calandra believes that change needs to happen at Ontario schools.
"The latest EQAO results show that more action is needed to support our students and help them succeed," Calandra said. "I have taken the time to closely review these results, and we are taking decisive action to get students on track for stronger achievement."
Across all three tested subjects, Grade 3 students have shown improvement province-wide.
For reading comprehension, 74 per cent of students met the provincial standard. That's up from 71 per cent in the 2023-2024 school year.
In writing, 65 per cent of students met the standard, up 1 per cent year-over-year.
Mathematics was the poorest subject for Grade 3 students at 64 per cent, despite a 3 per cent gain from the year before.
Grade 6 students also showed improvement in all subjects, with math being the toughest assessment.
Reading was the best subject, with 86 per cent of students meeting the provincial standard. That's up from 82 per cent the year before.
Writing saw 85 per cent of students pass, up from 80 per cent.
Mathematics only saw 51 per cent of students meet the standard. That's still an improvement, as only 50 per cent of students succeeded the year before.
Grade 9 students are only tested on their mathematics skills in EQAO assessments.
Only 58 per cent of students met the provincial standard this year, up from 54 per cent in 2023-2024.
For Grade 10 students who participated in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, 85 per cent of students who wrote the test for the first time were successful. Those results are the same as the year before. For students who wrote the test after writing it previously, only 50 per cent were successful. This was a decrease from the 2023-2024 results, when 52 per cent of participants passed.
Local school boards for Chatham-Kent and Sarnia-Lambton are also mostly reporting improvements for students who tested for the 2024-2025 school year.
At public schools, the Lambton-Kent District School Board (LKDSB) reports that mathematics remains the most difficult subject.
The results are as follows:
Grade 3 - 1,453 students, 97 per cent participated in EQAO testing
Reading - 70 per cent of students met or exceeded provincial standards, up from 63 per cent
Writing - 55 per cent met or exceeded provincial standards, up from 51 per cent
Mathematics - 58 per cent met or exceeded provincial standards, up from 54 per cent
Grade 6 - 1,459 students, 97 per cent participated in EQAO testing
Reading - 79 per cent of students met or exceeded provincial standards, up from 76 per cent
Writing - 77 per cent met or exceeded provincial standards, up from 73 per cent
Mathematics - 41 per cent met or exceeded provincial standards, down from 42 per cent
Grade 9 - 1,433 students, 97 per cent participated in EQAO testing
Mathematics - 44 per cent met or exceeded provincial standards, the same as the year before
Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test - 1,610 students, 89 per cent participated
Of first-time eligible students who participated, 78 per cent were successful, down from 80 per cent
"These results are positive for our students and reflect the incredible work happening at planning tables and in classrooms every day," said LKDSB Director of Education, Gary Girardi. "Students, staff, and families should be proud of these achievements. We will continue to build on this momentum to ensure every student has the foundational tools to succeed."
In the area's 24 Catholic schools, students improved in seven out of the eight provincial assessment categories.
"St. Clair Catholic students have made important achievement gains on EQAO assessments," said Lisa Demers, Director of Education, St. Clair Catholic District School Board (SCCDSB).
The SCCDSB results are as follows:
Grade 3 - 637 students, 99 per cent participated in EQAO testing
Reading - 77 per cent of students met or exceeded provincial standards, up from 70 per cent
Writing - 65 per cent met or exceeded provincial standards, up from 63 per cent
Mathematics - 67 per cent met or exceeded provincial standards, up from 66 per cent
Grade 6 - 659 students, 99 per cent participated in EQAO testing
Reading - 85 per cent of students met or exceeded provincial standards, up from 78 per cent
Writing - 84 per cent met or exceeded provincial standards, up from 80 per cent
Mathematics - 45 per cent met or exceeded provincial standards, down from 47 per cent
Grade 9 - 691 students, 98 per cent participated in EQAO testing
Mathematics - 58 per cent met or exceeded provincial standards, up from 50 per cent
Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test - 691 students, 93 per cent participated
Of first-time eligible students who participated, 88 per cent were successful, up from 85 per cent
"These results align with the Board's strategic priorities and Student Achievement Plans, which are developed and reviewed annually," explained Demers. "We will review these results in detail as we develop our next multi-year strategic plan."
