New data released by Ontario’s Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) shows that the Niagara Public School Board and the Niagara Catholic School Board scores are above the provincial average in all eight categories.
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, 76 per cent of students at the Niagara Catholic Board met the standards (12 points above the provincial average), while the Niagara Public Board was at 79 per cent (15 points above the provincial average).
For Grade 3 reading, 84 per cent at the Niagara Catholic Board met the standards (10 points above the average), while the Niagara Public Board was at 87 per cent (13 points above the average).
For Grade 3 writing, 77 per cent at the Hamilton Catholic Board met the standards (12 points above the average), while the Niagara Public Board was at 80 per cent (15 points above the 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, 61 per cent at the Niagara Catholic Board met the standards (10 points above average), while the Niagara Public Board was at 71 per cent (20 points above average).
For Grade 6 reading, 92 per cent at the Hamilton Catholic Board met standards (6 points above average), while the Niagara Public Board was at 94 per cent (8 points above average).
For Grade 6 writing, 91 per cent at the Hamilton Catholic Board met the standards (6 points above average), while the Niagara Public Board was at 94 per cent (9 points above 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, 59 per cent at the Niagara Catholic Board met the standards (1 point above average), while the Niagara Public Board was at 66 per cent (8 points above average).
For the Grade 10 literacy test, 88 per cent at the Niagara Catholic Board met the standards (3 points above average), while the Niagara Public Board was also at 89 per cent (4 points above average).
That means that the Niagara Public Board outperformed the Hamilton Catholic Board at every level and subject.
Meanwhile, both the Niagara Public Board and Niagara Catholic Board were above the provincial average in all 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.”
Jay Goldberg is the Canadian Affairs Manager at the Consumer Choice Center. He previously served as the Ontario Director at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and a policy fellow at the Munk School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. Jay holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
