By James Matthews, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Trillium Lakelands students showed an increase in all areas of education assessments.

Wes Hahn discussed during the school board’s regular meeting Oct. 24 the results from Education Quality and Accountability (EQAO) assessments garnered by students at schools under the umbrella of the board.

Hahn, the Trillium Lakelands District School Board’s director of education, said the assessments conducted last year showed an increase in all areas at or above the province.

Jay MacJanet, superintendent of learning responsible for Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum services, attributed the increases in Grades 3 and 6 reading, writing, and mathematics results, along with the above-provincial scores in elementary are due to the hard work of educators in ensuring students’ preparation.

The results in Grades 3 and 6 have increased considerably since the previous year in all three areas: reading, writing, and mathematics. In Grade 3 writing, TLDSB is eleven per cent higher than last year’s results.

TLDSB is slightly below the provincial levels in the Grade 6 areas, but have made some considerable gains in comparison to results over last school year and years prior.

Bruce Reain, the board’s chairperson, said TLDSB is committed to continuing to advance elementary students in all curriculum areas, specifically with early interventions in reading and mathematics.

“The system is so proud of our students, teachers, support staff, and system leaders for their dedication to the learning taking place in our classrooms which has directly contributed to these results,” Reain said.

Kim Williams, the superintendent of learning responsible for Grades 9 to 12 curriculum, presented to the board the secondary school results in Grade 9 de-streamed mathematics and the Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT).

Williams said secondary schools success was due to “providing students with direct instruction with deliberate practice.”

Grade 9 de-streamed mathematics saw a five per cent increase over the previous year, and the Grade 10 OSSLT, a graduation requirement for all students, had an 84 per cent success rate – a six per cent increase from the previous school year.

“As we continue to work toward personal success for each student across our system, we are seeing that incorporating problem-solving tasks and experiences, and providing direct instruction with deliberate practice all contribute to the success of TLDSB students,” Williams said.

Jennifer Johnston, the superintendent of learning responsible for Special Education, shared the results of students who have an individual education plan (IEP). She said EQAO results illustrate how the practice of evidence-based instruction proved beneficial.

“Early intervention has been implemented in the classroom for Grade 3, 6, and OSSLT, which is believed to achieve greater success,” Johnston said.