New data released by Ontario’s Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) shows that Hamilton Public School Board (HWDSB) scores are below the provincial average in all eight categories.
Meanwhile, the Hamilton Catholic Board was above the provincial average in six of the eight different grades and subject areas.
Grade 3 province-wide results showed that 64 per cent of students met provincial standards for mathematics (+3 points compared to 2023-2024), 74 per cent met standards for reading (+3 points), and 65 per cent met standards for writing (+1 point).
For Grade 3 math, 73 per cent of students at the Hamilton Catholic Board met the standards (9 points over the provincial average), while the Hamilton Public Board was at 54 per cent (10 points below the provincial average).
For Grade 3 reading, 82 per cent at the Hamilton Catholic Board met the standards (8 points over the average), while the Hamilton Public Board was at 70 per cent (4 points below the average).
For Grade 3 writing, 74 per cent at the Hamilton Catholic Board met the standards (9 points over the average), while the Hamilton Public Board was at 59 per cent (6 points below average).
Grade 6 province-wide results showed that 51 per cent of students met provincial standards for mathematics (+1 point), 86 per cent met the standards for reading (+4 points), and 85 per cent met the standards for writing (+5 points).
For Grade 6 math, 53 per cent at the Hamilton Catholic Board met the standards (2 points over average), while the Hamilton Public Board was at 41 per cent (10 points below average).
For Grade 6 reading, 89 per cent at the Hamilton Catholic Board met standards (3 points over average), while the Hamilton Public Board was at 81 per cent (5 points below average).
For Grade 6 writing, 87 per cent at the Hamilton Catholic Board met the standards (2 points over average), while the Hamilton Public Board was at 80 per cent (5 points below average).
In terms of high school results, the Grade 9 math assessment shows that 58 per cent of students met provincial standards (+4 per cent) and 85 per cent met the standards for the Grade 10 literacy test (+0 per cent).
For the Grade 9 math assessment, 56 per cent at the Hamilton Catholic Board met the standards (2 points below average), while the Hamilton Public Board was at 50 per cent (8 points below average).
For the Grade 10 literacy test, 82 per cent at the Hamilton Catholic Board met the standards (3 points below average), while the Hamilton Public Board was also at 82 per cent (3 points below average).
That means that the Hamilton Catholic Board outperformed the Hamilton Public Board at every level and subject except for the Grade 10 literacy test, where both boards were equal.
Meanwhile, the Hamilton Public Board was below the provincial average in all eight categories, particularly in math.
Nevertheless, both the Hamilton Catholic Board and Hamilton Public Board actually improved over their previous results in seven of the eight categories.
Even though the province-wide average improved in seven of the eight areas, a Government of Ontario press release still says that the results show “insufficient progress.”
Paul Calandra, Ontario’s Minister of Education, said, “The latest EQAO results show that more action is needed to support our students and help them succeed.”
“In too many cases, dysfunction and infighting among trustees have distracted boards from this core responsibility. I have taken the time to closely review these results, and we are taking decisive action to get students on track for stronger achievement.”
The government press release notes that they will continue to “review school board governance” and will also be launching an “expert advisory body to examine EQAO testing.”
The new advisory body will reportedly be made up of two members who will be appointed in early 2026 “to lead a comprehensive review of how Ontario supports student learning, focusing on math, reading and writing and closing achievement gaps.”
The press release adds that the review “will examine the root causes behind these results and recommend clear, actionable strategies to better support teachers, parents and students.”
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
