Ontario elementary student math scores continue to decline, latest EQAO results show, Toronto Star, August 28/2019.

By Kristin Rushowy Queen's Park Bureau
Wed., Aug. 28, 2019 timer3 min. read

The Ontario government will spend the next year overhauling the math curriculum after another round of provincial testing showed elementary students continue to struggle with the subject.
“Every year, the scores have either stagnated” or dropped, Education Minister Stephen Lecce said Wednesday after the Education Quality and Accountability Office released results for the 2018-19 school year that he called “disappointing.”

Provincial test results show that in Grade 3, 58 per cent of students met the provincial standard — which is equivalent to an A or B — which represents a decline in results from the past three years.
In Grade 6, less than half — 48 per cent — met the expectation, a one percentage point drop from the average over the past three years.

In Grade 9, results remained stable with 84 per cent meeting the standard at the academic level, but just 44 per cent of those enrolled in applied math — which the EQAO says “is a persistent achievement gap between students in the applied and academic courses.”
​
The EQAO also noted that in elementary schools, “Ontario students’ basic knowledge of fundamental math skills is stronger than their ability to apply those skills to a problem or think critically to determine an answer. In attempts to promote engagement and achievement, it is worth considering how we can further support students’ mathematical problem solving and critical thinking. ​”

Please see the full article:  
​https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2019/08/28/ontario-elementary-student-math-scores-continue-to-decline-latest-eqao-results-show.html