Hamilton students still below average in math: EQAO results

Many Hamilton schools continue to score below the provincial average in standardized math testing, according to results released Wednesday.

Hamiltons Catholic Board however, is scoring above average for writing, and the public board is improving year over year in those categories as well, officials say.

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) tests students province-wide in reading, writing and math. Results for primary (Grade 3) and junior (Grade 6) divisions for the 2013-14 school year were released Wednesday.

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According to the results, 67 per cent of grade 3 students in the province are above average mathematicians, while the same can be said for only 54 per cent of grade 6 students a three per cent drop from the year before.

Hamiltons Catholic Board scored just below the provincial average at the grade 3 level at 66 per cent, and on par with the provincial average at 54 per cent at the grade 6 level.

The public board fared worse. At the grade 3 level, the public board scored 59 per cent in math compared to the provincial average of 67 per cent, and 46 per cent at the grade 6 level compared to the provincial average of 54 per cent.

Challenges with math

Like the province, HWDSB continues to have challenges in math, the public board said in a news release. Math results at HWDSB have held steady in grade 3 this year, but dipped -2 per cent in grade 6.

Our comprehensive math strategy continues to focus on three major themes: balanced instruction that teaches math skills as well as problem solving; knowing our students skills gaps through advanced diagnostic testing such as Leaps and Bounds so teachers can address gaps; and developing professional capacity in our teachers.

In a news release from the Catholic board, Chairperson Patrick J.Daly said the board has publicly acknowledged there is a problem with math.

Theres a very real disconnect, said Superintendent of Education David Hansen. Eighty-three percent of our Grade 6 students are scoring at level 3-4 in Writing, but only 54 are achieving the provincial standard in Math.

We have to really look hard at the test and see what is going on.

Reading and writing improved

The outlook is somewhat sunnier for reading and writing for both boards, though still below the provincial average in some categories. The provincial scores for grade 3 reading and writing are 70 and 78 per cent respectively, and 79 and 78 per cent at the grade 6 level.

At the grade 3 level, the Catholic board scored 69 per cent in reading and 81 per cent in writing, while the board scored 78 per cent in reading and 83 per cent in writing at the grade 6 level.

The public board scored 66 per cent in reading and 74 per cent in writing at the grade 3 level, and 74 per cent in reading and 73 per cent in writing at the grade 6 level.

Both boards have seen improvement for reading and writing in almost all categories.

We are celebrating steady and sustainable gains thanks to our outstanding staff's focus on our Kindergarten to Grade 2 early reading strategy, said HWDSB Director of Education John Malloy in a news release.

Malloy says that because of that plan, students are reading more effectively, and are able to learn better as they move into junior grades. "We need to do a similar kind of precise work in math," he told CBC Hamilton. "We do have some work to do on the math side."

"But we have a plan for that, and will follow the same plan as the literacy side."