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Ontario EQAO test results are up slightly, but still low in math

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Cite

Rushowy, K. (2026, September 25). Ontario EQAO test results are up slightly, but still low in math. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/ontario-eqao-test-results-are-up-slightly-but-still-low-in-math/article_1455990f-d0be-4083-9326-9e79c9f3dbd8.html

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Toronto Star · collected 2026-09-25 · by Kristin Rushowy

Quick Summary

EQAO test results for Ontario show slight improvements across reading, writing, and math for grades 3, 6, and 9 in the 2025-26 school year, with approximately two-thirds of Grade 3 students meeting standards in math and writing, while 75% meet them in reading. However, only 52% of Grade 6 students are meeting provincial standards in math, up one percentage point from the previous year. Education Minister Paul Calandra acknowledges the progress but emphasizes the need for continued work to address persistent achievement gaps and support special needs students.
Written by AI on 2026-09-27, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

In Ontario, the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) released standardized test scores for the 2025-26 school year, showing negligible improvements in math, reading, and writing across most grade levels. For Grade 3, 65% of students met the provincial standard in math, up one percentage point from the previous year; in reading, it was 75%, also an increase by one percent. Meanwhile, only 52% of Grade 6 students met the standard for math, a slight improvement from last year's results. Reading and writing scores remained steady at 86% and 85% respectively. Among Grade 9 students in English-language schools, 59% achieved the provincial standard in math, marking an increase of one percentage point over the previous year. Despite these minor improvements, Education Minister Paul Calandra acknowledged that significant challenges remain, particularly in mathematics education. The EQAO noted that while there has been a gradual rise in math standards met over time, many students still struggle to meet the provincial benchmarks.

Written for “Ontario Standardized Test Scores” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Ontario Standardized Test Scores
Education · 3 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
EQAO standardized test success rates up slightly from previous year Same event
Global News
Hedges 1 of 21 claims Outlet record 63/100
Ontario sees negligible improvement in standardized test scores Same event
The Globe and Mail
Hedges 1 of 16 claims Outlet record 52/100
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
16
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 16 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
64/100
Toronto Star's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
3
Education
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-27 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

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Who wrote this

Kristin Rushowy
8 article(s) here · 0 carrying a prediction
🔮 Premier Doug Ford said there will be “zero tolerance” for any fraud in the OSAP system — but that he feels sorry for students at private career colleges caught up in the temporary ban on student aid.
2026-10-28 · assertive framing · Doug Ford said he's heard 'heartbreaking' stories about OSAP ban on private colleges, but had to act
🔮 Private colleges have been dealt a number of blows by both the federal and Ontario governments — but it’s the most recent move by the province that could lead to the demise of a number of these mainly for-profit businesses.
2026-10-24 · assertive framing · Inside the slow death of Ontario's private colleges — and can they be revived after OSAP bans?
🔮 The mayhem during the University of Guelph’s homecoming weekend — splashed all over social media — which sent dozens to hospital and saw police send in their tactical unit, has prompted calls to step up efforts to deter unsanctioned events that mar celebrations for students and alumni.
2026-10-01 · assertive framing · Guelph university’s homecoming party was out of control — and it's put other schools on alert
🔮 The big five education unions have now all set strike-vote dates, with the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation announcing it will hold one in November.
2026-09-25 · assertive framing · Ontario's public high school teachers set strike vote
🔮 Some 57,000 school support staff are set to take a strike vote in November.
2026-09-20 · assertive framing · Education support staff to take strike vote as talks remain in limbo
🔮 The largest teachers union in the province will hold a strike vote in November.
2026-09-17 · assertive framing · Ontario's largest teachers union will hold a strike vote
🔮 The union representing Ontario’s Catholic teachers will hold a provincewide strike vote in November, as it prepares for a return to the bargaining table.
2026-09-14 · assertive framing · Ontario's Catholic teachers call strike vote for November, ahead of return to bargaining
Also by Kristin Rushowy
Doug Ford said he's heard 'heartbreaking' stories about OSAP ban on private colleges, but had to act
2026-10-27 · Toronto Star
Inside the slow death of Ontario's private colleges — and can they be revived after OSAP bans?
2026-10-24 · Toronto Star
Guelph university’s homecoming party was out of control — and it's put other schools on alert
2026-10-01 · Toronto Star
Ontario's public high school teachers set strike vote
2026-09-25 · Toronto Star
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 8 articles by Kristin Rushowy →

Topics

EQAO Education Ontario the Education Quality and Accountability Office

Subjects

EQAO ORG · 4× Calandra PERSON · 1× Education ORG · 1× Ontario GPE · 1× Paul Calandra PERSON · 1× the Education Quality and Accountability Office ORG · 1×

Narrative

About 569,000 elementary and secondary students wrote the tests in 2025-26. “The number of students meeting the provincial standard in mathematics has slowly increased over time, but mathematics remains an area requiring attention, as many students are not meeting the provincial standard,” the EQAO said in a written release. ” …
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-27
2026-09-27 · Toronto Star
Ontario EQAO test results are up slightly, but still low in math · assertive framing

Claims (16 extracted, 0 hedged)

About two-thirds of Grade 3 students are meeting the provincial standard in math and writing, with 75 per cent meeting reading expectations, new test results show. asserted
results → meet → expectations
But math results for grades 6 and 9 remain much lower. asserted
results → remain → grades
Released Friday morning by the Education Quality and Accountability Office, known as EQAO, the results from province-wide tests in reading, writing and math for the 2025-26 school year show slight increases across the board for grades 3, 6 and 9, as well as the mandatory Grade 10 literacy test. asserted
results → release → grades
Among Grade 6 students, however, just 52 per cent are meeting the provincial standard in math — equivalent to a B — which is up one percentage point over the prior year. asserted
which → meet → year
Meanwhile, 85 per cent of Grade 6 students are making the grade in writing, and 86 per cent in reading. asserted
cent → make → reading
In a statement, Education Minister Paul Calandra said this shows “Ontario students are making progress in math, with improvements in grades 3, 6 and 9. asserted
students → say → grades
Literacy results also remain strong, with nearly nine in 10 students meeting the provincial standard in reading and writing by Grade 6. asserted
students → remain → Grade
“These results are encouraging, but they also make clear that there is more work to do. asserted
is → make → ?
Too many students continue to struggle, achievement gaps persist and results remain uneven across the province.” asserted
results → continue → province
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. asserted
which → order → 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.” asserted
he → ask → look
About 569,000 elementary and secondary students wrote the tests in 2025-26. “The number of students meeting the provincial standard in mathematics has slowly increased over time, but mathematics remains an area requiring attention, as many students are not meeting the provincial standard,” the EQAO said in a written release. ” … asserted
EQAO → write → release
The disparity in achievement between groups of interest — such as students identified with special education needs — persists across elementary and secondary grades, highlighting the importance of continued attention and support for these students. asserted
disparity → identify → students
In Grade 3, 65 per cent of students are meeting the provincial standard in math, 67 per cent in writing and 75 per cent in reading. asserted
cent → meet → reading
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. asserted
cent → reach → test
This is a developing story. asserted
This → develop → ?
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