While the majority of students at local public and Catholic school boards are meeting Ontario’s standards for reading and writing, many are struggling with mathematics.

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) has released the achievement results for its student assessments, which were completed during the 2022–2023 school year.

According to EQAO, 53 per cent of Grade 3 students in the Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) are meeting the provincial standard when it comes to math. Comparatively, 59 per cent of Grade 3 students at the St. Clair Catholic District School Board (SCCDSB) are meeting the math standard.

Those numbers decline for students in Grade 6, with only 42 per cent meeting the math standard at LKDSB and 47 per cent at SCCDSB.

Most local Grade 9 students are also failing to meet Ontario’s math standards with only 34 per cent at LKDSB making the grade, and 47 per cent at SCCDSB.

As for reading, 65 per cent of Grade 3 students and 78 per cent of Grade 6 students at LKDSB are meeting the province’s standards, while 72 per cent of Grade 3 students and 85 per cent of Grade 6 students are meeting the standards at SCCDSB.

Most local students are also in line with the province when it comes to writing. The results showed that 55 per cent of LKDSB Grade 3 students are meeting the standard, along with 78 per cent of students in Grade 6. At the SCCDSB, 63 per cent of Grade 3 students and 85 per cent of Grade 6 students are also in line with the province.

More than 580,000 students across the province completed EQAO assessments at the elementary and secondary levels of the English and French language school systems during the 2022–2023 school year.