Why we’re reviewing student progress

We’re taking action to build a stronger, modern education system that puts students first and prepares them for the jobs of tomorrow. Current EQAO results in reading, writing and math show that we must do more.

Since 2021–2022, EQAO results across the province have stalled. There are still achievement gaps among some student groups and across school boards.

We need to act now so that students:

  • don’t fall behind
  • gain foundational skills critical for lifelong success
  • are ready for postsecondary education and the workforce

We want teachers to have the resources and tools they need to help students succeed.

This is why we are appointing a new advisory body to review how our public education system supports and measures student achievement.

Mandate of the short-term advisory body

The short-term advisory body reviews our approach to student achievement and recommends ways to help improve student outcomes.

The review looks at:

  • why student outcomes are not improving
  • if the curriculum and learning resources are clear, consistent and easy to use
  • how well teachers are being prepared and supported
  • if students have the tools they need to succeed

It will also examine:

  • if EQAO tests reflect what is being taught and are fair for all students
  • how data can guide better teaching, policy and funding decisions
  • if supports for students who need extra help are working
  • how to better prepare students before standardized tests
  • how EQAO tests are designed and delivered to ensure students can show what they’ve learned

Curriculum, professional learning and supports

The advisory body will look at whether our curriculum, resources and professional learning give teachers the knowledge and support they need to deliver consistent, high-quality instruction and improve student achievement.

Curriculum and instructional resources

The advisory body will consider whether:

  • the curriculum and supporting resources are easy for teachers to understand, communicate to parents and explain to students
  • there are gaps in ministry instructional supports or resources that may contribute to stagnant or inconsistent results in reading, writing and math
  • EQAO and other widely used assessments appropriately reflect the curriculum and expected learning outcomes

Teacher education and professional learning

The advisory body will consider:

  • how well initial teacher education prepares new teachers to understand curriculum expectations and expected learning outcomes
  • whether teacher education and ongoing professional learning should place a stronger focus on the curriculum
  • whether current teachers receive the learning, training and resources they need to deliver the curriculum consistently
  • whether teachers have the support they need to understand external assessment results and use them to support student learning

Supporting consistent, high-quality instruction

The advisory body will consider whether:

  • curriculum, resources and training support consistent, high-quality instruction in reading, writing and math
  • differences in teaching practices, resources and teacher training for literacy and math can help identify approaches that improve student achievement
  • effective approaches could be expanded and used more widely across our public education system

Data and analytics 

The advisory body will look at our current approach for measuring student achievement through standardized assessments in reading, writing and math at key points in a student’s education.

It will also look at how different types of assessment data can provide meaningful information to help improve student achievement.

How the ministry uses assessment data

The advisory body will look at how assessment data can help the ministry:

  • develop education policies
  • oversee the education system
  • make financial decisions

How teachers use assessment data

The advisory body will look at how teachers can use assessment data to:

  • make informed decisions about classroom instruction
  • provide targeted support based on individual student needs

How schools and school boards use assessment data

The advisory body will look at how schools and school boards can use assessment data to:

  • guide their operations
  • allocate resources effectively
  • identify and address system-wide challenges
  • understand which approaches to supporting student achievement are working well

The review will also consider whether successful approaches identified through assessment data have been implemented more widely and whether they could be expanded across our public education system.

Focused interventions

Identifying students who need additional support

EQAO assessment results may help identify groups of students who may be struggling more than others.
The advisory body will consider whether:

  • the data can help identify where particular groups of students are experiencing challenges
  • the EQAO assessments are designed and administered in ways that appropriately accommodate the needs of these students

Programs and supports

The advisory body will consider whether:

  • effective programs and supports are being developed and implemented for these students
  • teachers and parents have tailored resources, training and other supports to help students who may be struggling
  • these supports include ways to assess student progress and determine when targeted interventions may be needed

Early intervention

The advisory body will consider whether:

  • targeted interventions can be introduced when students begin to show signs of difficulty
  • early interventions, instructional approaches or assessment practices could prevent or reduce challenges before they become more significant
  • ongoing assessment can help determine whether interventions are working and where additional support may be needed

Assessment

The advisory body will look at whether our current approach to assessment provides an accurate picture of student achievement and gives students appropriate opportunities to demonstrate their learning.

It will also consider whether changes to how, when and what we assess could provide better information about student achievement and progress.

Measuring student achievement

Different assessments measure student achievement in different ways. The advisory body will consider how these measures compare and what they tell us about student achievement in Ontario. 

This includes:

  • how EQAO results compare with other measures of achievement, including the Pan-Canadian Assessment Program (PCAP), the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), report card results and average grades
  • whether Ontario should measure achievement against specific curriculum expectations, as EQAO does, or assess broader literacy and numeracy knowledge, skills and abilities, as PISA does
  • whether results from EQAO, PCAP and PISA provide an accurate picture of student achievement in literacy and numeracy and, if not, what may account for the differences

When students are assessed

The advisory body will consider whether assessments at additional grades or times of the year could provide a better understanding of student achievement and progress.

This includes whether additional assessment could provide useful information to:

  • teachers
  • parents
  • students
  • school and school board administrators
  • the public

How assessments are delivered

The advisory body will consider whether:

  • the format, timing, testing environment and delivery of assessments support students in demonstrating what they know and understand
  • assessments are accessible and equitable for all students, including students with diverse learning needs
  • digital testing affects student results
  • educators have the training, resources and other supports they need to prepare students for both the content and experience of standardized and other assessments

Evaluating policies, programs and supports

The advisory body will also consider whether student assessment should be complemented by stronger evaluation of the policies, programs, resources and supports intended to improve student achievement.

This could include evaluating the outcomes of initiatives such as teacher training and specialized student programs to better understand what is working and where changes may be needed.

Recommendations

Based on its review, the advisory body makes recommendations to the minister on ways to improve student achievement.  

The recommendations look at how we can better use student achievement data, tools and supports to help teachers, parents and students improve student achievement.

Some recommendations may identify specific actions to improve the education system. Others may identify areas that need further review or investigation.

About the advisory body

Independent experts will carry out the review and report directly to the Minster of Education.

The advisory body will have a chair and an advisory member. We will provide the advisory body with planning and delivery support.

Chair responsibilities

The chair:

  • is accountable to the Minister of Education
  • delivers the final report with the review’s recommendations and findings
  • leads the review process
  • ensures the advisory body completes all tasks and products
  • is responsible for the quality, accuracy and timeliness of the report
  • acts as the main liaison between the advisory body and the Minister of Education

Advisory body chair: William (Bill) Robson

William Robson is President and CEO of the C.D. Howe Institute, a role he has held since July 2006. He previously served as the Institute’s Senior Vice President and Director of Research. From 2000 to 2008, Mr. Robson served as a board member of the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board, overseeing the development of certification procedures for postsecondary programs and institutions, and making recommendations on certification to the government.

An accomplished economist and public policy expert, Mr. Robson has authored more than 280 monographs, articles, chapters, and books on issues including government budgets, pensions, healthcare financing, inflation, and currency policy. His work has received awards from the Policy Research Secretariat, the Canadian Economics Association, and the Donner Canadian Foundation. He is a Senior Fellow at Massey College, holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors and is a member of the ifo World Economic Survey expert group.

Mr. Robson has taught undergraduate public finance and public policy at the University of Toronto and a master’s-level course in public finance at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.

Advisor responsibilities

The advisor to the chair:

  • uses their expertise, research and analysis of findings to support the review and draft of the report
  • works under direction from the chair

Advisor to the chair: David R. Johnson

David R. Johnson is an emeritus professor of economics at Wilfrid Laurier University, where he taught from 1985 to 2022. Earlier in his career, he worked at the Bank of Canada from 1983 to 1985. He earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1983, following a Master’s degree from the University of Western Ontario and a BA from the University of Toronto.

Since the publication of Signposts of Success: Interpreting Ontario's Elementary School Test Scores in 2005, Professor Johnson’s research has focused on the economics of education, including student achievement, access to and persistence in postsecondary education and the impacts of labour disruptions on learning outcomes. His more recent work examines variation in grading practices across high schools in Alberta and its implications for student assessment and postsecondary transitions.

Timelines and reports

The advisory body will serve for up to 12 months. It will provide the Minister of Education with:

  • a report with interim findings
  • a final diagnostic report including:
    • key findings
    • root causes of stalled results
    • recommendations for action related to key findings
  • briefings and discussions on the report’s findings and recommendations with the Minister of Education and the ministry

We will make the final recommendations to the Minister of Education public.

Updates will be posted on this page when available.

Share your input

Share your insights with the Advisory Body on Student Achievement and Assessment at AdvisoryBody@Ontario.ca.