What is particularly galling is that the Premier has regretted setting that goal of 75% of grade 6s at level 3 as too ambitious!  So what will they do now?  Drop the standards?  Make the curriculum outcomes easier?  Lower the bar???

It’s obvious that the tests are faulty.  That’s why the flow from 3—6—9 looks so odd.
Doretta, after reading the actual samples from the   grade 10 literacy tests, and hearing that highschool students think that 1/4 is larger than 1/2, I don’t know how much lower the bar can be lowered!

When looking at the math results and the breakdown, there is a story behind the percentages. It is obvious when looking at the percentages that did not pass in grade 9, in the subgroups one can only conclude that it is both the curriculum and instruction that are the problem. There should be a big question on the type of help students are receiving at the school level, and if the students are actually receiving help, based on the EQAO testing. Is it effective is another question that should be asked?  One wonders why it was not mentioned in the press release, since it would probably increase the amount passing well above 75 %.

It really shows up in the grade 9 applied math, where 55 % of students (31,376) failed the grade 9 assessment. In academic math, the percentage is 17 % (13,350). Altogether, applied and academic, the percentage is 28 % (109793)

Breaking it down for grade 3 and grade 6, Not exactly kosher, but it is all I have to work with. For the grade 3 percentage of failures it is 31% (33,938) and for grade 6 failures the percentage is 35 % (38,795)

It has been my observations, that the assessment tests being conducted by any provincial education ministry, one will find that the same type of percentages of students failing, that are within the 30 % range, for grade 3 and grade 6, and like magic a dropped under 30 % but always well above the 25 % level, and much closer to the 30 % level.  If anything, it indicates that the vast majority of improving achievement in math, is being directed at the students who are already passing, and there is not much being directed at the students who have failed, and this really shows up in the numbers of failures in grade 3, and the increase in failures in grade 6. The decrease in grade 9 failures, can be directly contributed to a host of other factors, of which a few has already been mentioned, such as making the test easier.

When children have failed the grade 3 math assessment, or just barely made it to the level 3, are children that should have different instruction, to increased their foundation and basic math skills. A relatively easy math program that can be introduced to the school, is the Jump math program. Starting in grade 4, one class will be following the Jump program, following along the curriculum, and the other students who passed the grade 3 assessment, can continue on using the same instruction methods and curriculum. I would expect a dramatic drop in failures for the grade 6 math assessment.  And probably down to 10 %., and for grade 9, it would even be lower for both applied and academic.

I mentioned the Jump program, for a reason. It is an very effective program, for students who are struggling in math. The best part, students will not be teased because both are using the same curriculum, and the only difference is math instruction. The likely outcome would be the students envying the students who are using the Jump methods, over the other method.

To me this is common sense, and I can only conclude the powers to be find a 30 % failure rate for assessments is acceptable and of course keeps another education department fully staff, for many years to come.

JUMP Math is an excellent program and cheap, $18 for two workbooks per year. Even off of Amazon it’s only $12 per workbook. My son`s last teacher was sending home JUMP Math worksheets, but she got told to stop as it`s not on the trillium list.
I`d like to know the cost of Math Makes (non) Sense per workbook.

It was a mistake to get rid of standard measurement, as it’s a rich resource in teaching fractions. Our biggest trading partner (USA) and many of our own trades still work in standard. One of the homeschool kids we know got snapped up for a millwright apprenticeship, largely due to the fact he was excellent in math and knows both systems of measurement.