Ontario’s students' Grade 6 and 9 math scores are a concern, while they're testing slightly higher overall

This tale of two testing areas — where results drop drastically in math but soar in writing — is “an important pattern to pay attention to,” says educational researcher and Wilfrid Laurier University professor Kelly Gallagher-Mackay.

Boards, she added, “are seeing a real decrease in the number of students who are doing well between Grade 3 and Grade 6 (in math) that is sustained thereafter,” with the latest round of testing showing that for Grade 9s, the results are slightly better — but still just 59 per cent of students meet the provincial standard.

Results of tests in reading, writing and math for the 2025-26 school year from the Education Quality and Accountability Office, known as EQAO, show slight increases overall for grades 3, 6 and 9, as well as the mandatory Grade 10 literacy test.

The provincial standard in testing is equivalent to a B. Reading results are the highest of the three areas tested, and math results remain much lower. 

In Grade 3, 65 per cent of students meet the standard in math, 67 per cent in writing and 75 per cent in reading. 

Among Grade 6 students, however, just 52 per cent hit the math standard, up one percentage point over the prior year; in writing, some 85 per cent of Grade 6 students do, and 86 per cent in reading.

(Looking back at the same cohort’s result in 2022-23, when they were in Grade 3, the same pattern persists.)

In Grade 9, 59 per cent of students reached the standard in math, and 86 per cent of teens passed the mandatory Grade 10 literacy test. Both of those categories were up one percentage point from the 2024-5 year.

Results a ‘concern’

For Stefan Merchant, an education professor at Queen’s University, the dip in Grade 6 math achievement has been consistent over time, since before COVID.

“I think it does speak to the necessity of looking at mathematics education, especially in those later elementary years,” added Merchant, who said there may be a need for more specialist teachers at that level. 

Gallagher-Mackay notes that not meeting the standard “is not a failure,” but still the results are a concern.

“Obviously, we need a lot of different things to succeed,” she said. “But math is really foundational — it is an incredibly strong indicator of people going on to post-secondary. Those who stick with math all the way through (high school) go onto post-secondary almost without exception, and that is associated with better life expectancy, more civic participation, higher earnings. Math matters long term.”

Since taking office — and in particular post-pandemic —  the Ford government has brought in new numeracy and literacy supports, including a “math lead” at every board in the province and a math test for student teachers before they can be certified.

In a written statement, Education Minister Paul Calandra said the results show “Ontario students are making progress in math, with improvements in grades 3, 6 and 9. Literacy results also remain strong, with nearly nine in 10 students meeting the provincial standard in reading and writing by Grade 6.

“These results are encouraging, but they also make clear that there is more work to do. Too many students continue to struggle, achievement gaps persist and results remain uneven across the province.”

Opposition critics say the government has had eight years to boost student achievement, and failed.

“Look at how, particularly, (for) our special needs students, the results have fallen quite considerably,” NDP Leader Marit Stiles told reporters at Queen’s Park. “I see in those EQAO results some very concerning trends.”

EQAO exemptions have gone up

Calandra has previously ordered an independent review of EQAO testing, which continues, and in the meantime is ordering ministry officials to work with boards on improving their student achievement plans. 

He’s also now asked the EQAO to investigate an increase in the number of students exempt from the tests, which he said “requires a closer look.”

Gallagher-Mackay said exemptions have gone up to about 4.6 per cent provincially, about a 50 per cent increase over five years. 

“The concern with that is if you’re only marking with students who participate,” she said, “you may be slightly inflating the total score if students who are struggling more aren’t counted, if there is a pattern by which the ones who are being exempt are the lower-achieving.”

While there is pressure on principals to keep scores high, “if we want an accurate snapshot of student achievement, then we want to try and include as many students as we can,” added Merchant.

Globally, math performance is an issue and Gallagher-Mackay said recent international test results showed while Canada remains near the top among developed nations, scores are slipping.

“It’s probably no specific set of programs — or absence of programs — by particular governments, either this one or the last one,” but promises by the Ford government to improve results have not materialized, she noted.

New Canada-wide research shows that about 82 per cent of principals say their schools conduct early literacy screening — including in Ontario under provincial reforms — and most follow up with targeted help for kids, she added. 

However, in math, just 23 per cent of principals report such screening and about two-thirds report additional help for struggling students. 

“I think we have more supports for literacy, more systematic supports for literacy than we have for math,” she added.

Toronto students show improvement

The Toronto District School Board, the country’s largest, posted some of its strongest EQAO gains in years, with some scores above the provincial average.

“In Grade 3 math and writing, the TDSB has seen the largest year-over-year increases in 20 years, while in Grade 3 reading, we’ve seen the largest year-over-year increase in a decade,” said spokesperson Ryan Bird.

Improvements in Grade 6 math results hit a 20-year high, and in reading and writing “the percentage of students reaching the provincial standard is the highest it has ever been in the past 25 years,” he added.

“These results show that targeted math and literacy efforts across the system, including additional math supports put in place by the province under supervision, are having a meaningful impact on student achievement,” he also said.

The city’s Catholic board had a more mixed picture, with results essentially stalled in grades 3 and 6.

“With the release of this year’s results, we have begun a thorough analysis to identify key next steps,” reads a statement from the Toronto Catholic District School Board. “We will build on our current efforts by strengthening early interventions in both numeracy and literacy, implementing high-impact numeracy and literacy strategies supported by professional development, and ensuring that learning gaps are explicitly identified and addressed at the school level.”