ETFO calls for an end to EQAO following low test scores

A student holds a pen in this undated photo. (file)

A local teachers federation is calling for the end of EQAO testing, and to have that funding be redirected back into classrooms.

Following the release of the Education Quality & Accountability Office (EQAO) results, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is calling for the province to end the costly testing program.

The results were released Wednesday by Ontario’s education minister, Paul Calandra, which stated that the results of the tests are not showing enough improvements, particularly in math and that he now intends to appoint advisers to review the province’s approach.

The EQAO tests show approximately 64 per cent of Grade 3 students, 51 per cent of Grade 6 students, and 58 per cent of Grade 9 students meet the provincial math standards.

Locally, at the Greater Essex County District School Board, math scores across all grades were either at or just under the provincial average. Meanwhile, the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board students surpassed the provincial average in all categories, except for Grade 9 math.

Mario Spagnuolo, local ETFO President, says that money could be used elsewhere.

“We need to lower class sizes, we need to address workload, we need to address violence in the classroom, and we just need more special education supports... and if you put those things in place you will see a trend that we will improve student achievement.”

He says income and socio-economic factors play a huge role in these testing results.

“It’s not just an education system issue, and I think that’s where we have some groups in the community that are doing good work trying to narrow poverty rates because we know if poverty rates are high, those are barriers to student success. So, it’s a bigger issue than just what’s happening in the schools, it’s also what’s happening outside of schools that has impact.”

Spagnuolo says he’s worried about what this will mean moving forward.

“The minister is, I think, going to use some of these results to take over more school boards, and to probably force reforms that are misguided because they’re not guided by our classroom teachers. Those are the people that know our children the best, they are with kids all day long. Other than parents, I think teachers are with kids the most, and so we should be consulting with those groups.”

While the provincewide results are slightly up compared to two years ago, Calandra says they’re not high enough and so two people will be named to an advisory body in early 2026 to complete a comprehensive review.

EQAO testing in Ontario began in 1996.

— with files from AM800’s The Shift with Patty Handysides