Education minister calls EQAO math scores ‘unacceptable’

TORONTO — Math test scores among public elementary students in Ontario have been decreasing over the last five years, indicating government efforts to reverse the trend have not worked, according to the agency administering standardized assessments in the province.

In its annual report released Wednesday, the Education Quality and Accountability Office said the strategy implemented by the previous Liberal regime appears to have failed.

“Math and literacy are the foundation for the knowledge and skills that students will use in their careers and in society,” EQAO chair Dave Cooke said in a statement. “The continued decline in elementary-level math scores suggests that Ontario’s Renewed Math Strategy is not having the intended impact.”

The EQAO data shows that 49 per cent of Grade 6 students met the provincial math standard last school year, down from 54 per cent in 2013-2014. Among Grade 3 students, the EQAO says 61 per cent met the provincial standard, down from 67 per cent.

Meanwhile, 45 per cent of Grade 9 students enrolled in applied math met the standard, while that figure stood at 84 for those in academic math.

Education Minister Lisa Thompson called the math results “unacceptable” and said the Ontario PC government has refocused $55 million of current math resources to help with teacher training.

In 2016, the previous Liberal government announced a new $60-million math strategy.