81% of Ontario's Grade 10 students were successful on the provincial literacy test. Continued attention should be given to programs that support students with special education needs.

TORONTO, Aug. 24, 2016 /CNW/ - Ontario's Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) has published the results from the 2016 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), written by Grade 10 students in March.

• 81% of Ontario's Grade 10 students who participated fully on the OSSLT were successful on their first try.
  
  
• Over the past five years, the overall success rate on the OSSLT has remained high but relatively unchanged, varying between 81% and 83%.
  
  
• 53% of all students with special education needs were successful on the test in 2016—a similar success rate to those in past years.
  
  
• Of students with special education needs who were enrolled in the applied English course, 40% met the literacy expectations assessed by the test in Grade 10.

QUICK FACTS

• Of the 124 977 students who wrote the OSSLT for the first time in 2016,
  • 81% were successful (101 232).
  • 19% were unsuccessful (23 745).
    
    
• The success rate on the OSSLT has remained high but relatively unchanged over the past five years.
  • 2016—81%
  • 2015—82%
  • 2014—83%
  • 2013—82%
  • 2012—82%
    
    
• Of the 21 952 students who were identified as having special education needs, 11 526 (53%) were successful on the test on their first try and 10 426 (47%) were unsuccessful.
  
  
• Of the 11 597 students with special education needs enrolled in the applied English course, 4587 (40%) were successful on their first attempt on the OSSLT and 7010 (60%) were unsuccessful.
  
  
• By comparison, of the 7998 students with special education needs enrolled in the academic English course, 6616 (83%) were successful and 1382 (17%) were unsuccessful.

QUOTES

"Considering the size and diversity of Ontario's student population, more than eight out of 10 students consistently meeting the literacy standard on their first try is a fairly positive outcome for the publicly funded education system. This shouldn't cause anyone to rest on their laurels though. There's certainly room for improvement, and our students deserve no less."
—Dave Cooke, Chair, EQAO

"This year's OSSLT results once again show that students with special education needs require specific attention and ongoing support for their literacy development. It's important for schools, boards and the Ministry of Education to look at the effectiveness of the programs and assistance they are putting in place to support students with special education needs."
—Bruce Rodrigues, CEO, EQAO

LEARN MORE

Infographic — Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test

EQAO's Highlights of Provincial Results—OSSLT

On September 21, school and board reports for the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test will be released. A full report of provincial results will also be released on this date.

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About EQAO

EQAO is an independent agency that creates and administers large-scale assessments to measure Ontario students' achievement in reading, writing and math at key stages of their education. All EQAO assessments are developed by Ontario educators to align with The Ontario Curriculum. The assessments evaluate student achievement objectively and in relation to a common provincial standard. EQAO is undertaking a multi-year project to move the provincial assessments online.

EQAO provides results to each student who writes an assessment. Its personalized reports help support individual student learning. The agency provides schools and school boards with detailed reports about their students' achievement, as well as contextual, attitudinal and behavioural information from questionnaires, in an interactive online reporting tool. These data are used to improve school programming and classroom instruction. EQAO also reports the results of the provincial assessments publicly. This helps keep the public education system accountable to taxpayers.

EQAO is committed to building capacity for the use of data through articles, workshops, school stories and programs like the Dr. Bette M. Stephenson Recognition of Achievement. EQAO has an active research program that investigates factors that influence student achievement, school effectiveness and best assessment practices.

EQAO coordinates Ontario's participation in national and international assessments.

SOURCE Education Quality and Accountability Office

For further information: For further information and to arrange interviews, please contact Angele Dufresne, Communications Officer, 416-314-4327, [e-mail]