Durham Catholic board's EQAO results stable, Grade 6 math slips to 45%

The Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) says it has received the latest Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) reports for 2025-2026, covering the Primary and Junior assessments, Grade 9 Mathematics and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). The board describes its overall results as stable and consistent with previous years, and notes that EQAO assessments are only one measure of learning alongside report card grades, learning skills and classroom evaluations.

In Grade 3, writing rose to 65 per cent meeting or exceeding the provincial standard, up 4 percentage points from 2024-2025, while reading was 72 per cent, down 3 points, and mathematics was 61 per cent, up 1 point. In Grade 6, reading was 88 per cent, up 1 point, and writing was 86 per cent, unchanged, while mathematics fell to 45 per cent from 48 per cent. Grade 9 mathematics rose slightly to 56 per cent, up 1 point, and 86 per cent of first-time eligible students passed the OSSLT, which the board says is above the provincial average and consistent with its previous results.

The board says reducing the achievement gap in literacy and numeracy between students with and without special education needs remains a key priority. In 2026-2027, all schools will share a common School Improvement Goal focused on closing that gap through evidence-based instruction, targeted supports and aligned professional learning, including professional learning sessions, common assessments in Grades 3, 6, 9 and 10 through the Wayground platform, tutoring in elementary schools, and continued Literacy Intervention Teachers and an enhanced Math Intervention Teacher model.