Most Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) EQAO scores declined slightly in 2025-26, with only one category showing improvement. According to board results, Grade 3 reading fell by one percentage point to 72 per cent and math dropped two points to 60 per cent, while writing held steady at 64 per cent. At the Grade 6 level, reading dipped one point to 85 per cent and math declined three points to 48 per cent, while writing rose two points to 87 per cent. Grade 9 math scores fell two points to 55 per cent, while Grade 10 literacy results remained unchanged for first-time eligible students at 81 per cent. The results measure the percentage of students meeting the provincial standard, defined as Level 3 or 4. More than 2,000 students participated in each of the Grade 3 and Grade 6 assessments, while just over 2,000 students wrote the Grade 9 math test. Local Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario president Mario Spagnuolo said the results should be viewed with caution, arguing standardized testing does not provide a complete picture of student achievement. He points instead to reductions in classroom supports that have occurred over the years. “I know that our board has made significant cuts to programming. English as a second language is the latest victim. Special education before that, and this is all a result of the government cut back to $6 billion to education,” said Spagnuolo. Spagnuolo said educators continue working to meet students’ needs despite those challenges, adding that increased investment in schools would be a more effective response than focusing on test scores. He says the union is continuing to push for the elimination of EQAO testing, saying the money could be redirected to additional front-line supports. “What we are saying is, wouldn’t it make more sense instead of continuing to test, test, test these kids, that we actually provide them the support that they’re calling for, and that those resources and that money can be reinvested,” Spagnuolo said. He says EQAO results do not capture challenges such as poverty, special education needs and the experiences of newcomer families, which can make the scores an incomplete measure of student success. For parents concerned about their child’s progress, Spagnuolo says classroom assessments and teacher feedback provide a more accurate picture than a single standardized test. “Our classroom teachers assess, evaluate, and report on an ongoing basis through authentic means. An EQAO test is one snapshot in time, and if you want to get an overall clear picture of how your child is doing in school, the best place to go is the classroom teacher and the report card,” said Spagnuolo. WECDSB results The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board generally posted stronger results. Among Grade 3 students, 78 per cent met the provincial standard in reading, down one point from last year, while writing improved two points to 73 per cent and math remained unchanged at 72 per cent. At the Grade 6 level, reading held steady at 92 per cent and writing slipped one point to 92 per cent. Math fell five points to 55 per cent. In Grade 9 math, 58 per cent of students met the provincial standard, up one percentage point from 2024-25. For the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, 93 per cent of first-time eligible Grade 10 students were successful, down one point from the previous year. In a statement to AM800 News, the Windsor Essex Elementary Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) says “EQAO has never been an effective or comprehensive tool for assessing student learning, and the negative consequences of standardized testing on students’ health, well-being, and learning are well-known and documented. It offers overly simplified data with no insight into the day-to-day realities students face, nor can it explain why learning gaps exist or provide the resources and supports needed to close them.” The statement goes on to say, “The best measure of student learning is provided by the classroom teachers through in-class assessments, and reflected on a student’s report card. Classroom teachers know their students. They see everyday how they are progressing and where they are struggling. No standardized test can replace the professional judgment teachers employ to understand how to best support their students.”
