UPPER GRAND DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
Program Services
40 Amelia Street, Orangeville, Ontario L9W 3T8
Phone: (519) 941-6191 Fax: (519) 942-2450
Memo #
File Code:
2012 - 23
C02
DATE:
September 11, 2012
MEMO TO:
Martha Rogers, Director of Education
FROM:
Carlo Zen, Assistant Superintendent of Education
Paul Costa, Curriculum Leader
SUBJECT:
2011 - 2012 EQAO Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics
Report Classification:
Information
Background
In accordance with Ministry of Education and Board direction, the Grade 9 Assessment of
Mathematics 2011 - 2012 was administered in January 2012 to first semester students and in
June 2012 to second semester students enrolled in Grade 9 Applied or Academic Mathematics
classes. The administration of the test was done in two 50-minute blocks. Students completed
multiple choice and open-response type questions.
Teachers in the Upper Grand District School Board have been participating in thoughtful
analysis of the students’ results to see if what they have been doing has had the desired effect.
Information from EQAO and other assessment data has driven change in instructional practices.
The Math Coaching and the Collaborative Learning in Classrooms (CLiC) initiatives have been
providing the forum for Intermediate teachers of grades 7 to 9 to collaborate, co-plan and coteach lessons. Participating teachers have been providing students with problem solving
questions that encourage greater student contributions and provide students better opportunities
to communicate learning. Grade 9 Gap Closing has been supporting teachers with resources
and strategies to help students catch up on concepts and skills missed in number sense,
algebra and geometry. Both of these initiatives appear to have had a positive effect on student
achievement.
Issue
To provide Trustees with a preliminary report of the 2011 - 2012 EQAO Grade 9 Assessment
of Mathematics for the Upper Grand District School Board.
Recommendation
That the report entitled “2011 - 2012 EQAO Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics” dated
September 11, 2012 be received.
Results
Applied Program
Trends Over Time - Applied Program
Upper Grand & Province
Contextual Info

5 % did not complete any part of the
assessment (includes exempted
students)

Semester: 49 % first semester, 51 %
second semester

Gender: 42 % Female, 58 % Male

English Language Learners: 1 %

Special Needs (excluding gifted): 30 %

18 % of participating students received
one or more accommodations

1 % of participating students received
one or more special provisions
80%
60%
52%
47%
34%
40%
47% 40%
38%
52%
42%
53% 44%
20%
0%
2008
2009
2010
UGDSB
2011
2012
Ontario
Percentage of Students by Gender - Applied Program
Board Results
% Students at All Levels
95 % of students participated
100%
80%
53% 53%
60%
45% 44%
34% 30%
40%
20% 4% 6%
8% 9%
8%
3% 3% 6%
0%
No Data Below L1 Level 1
Female
Male
Level 2
Level 3
F Success
Level 4 Level 3&4
M Success
Percentage of Students with Special Needs
(excluding gifted) - Applied Program
Board Results
% Students at All Levels

% Students L3 & L4
100%
100%
80%
60%
39%
40%
20%
4%
4%
42%
36%
11%
6%
0%
No Data Below L1 Level 1
Students with Special Needs
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4 Level 3&4
At or Above Provincial Standard
Academic Program
Trends Over Time - Academic Program
Upper Grand & Province

1 % did not complete any part of the
assessment (includes exempted
students)

Semester: 49 % first semester, 51 %
second semester

Gender: 54 % Female, 46 % Male

English Language Learners: <1 %

Special Needs (excluding gifted): 5 %

3 % of participating students received
one or more accommodations

<1 % of participating students received
one or more special provisions
100%
80%
83%
77% 75%
77%
86% 82%
85% 83%
87% 84%
60%
40%
20%
0%
2008
2009
2010
UGDSB
% Students at All Levels
99 % of students participated
100%
80%
2011
2012
Ontario
Percentage of Students by Gender - Academic Program
Board Results
86% 88%
75%79%
60%
40%
20%
1% 1% 1% 1% 3% 2%
10% 9%
10%8%
0%
No Data Below L1 Level 1
Female
% Students at All Levels

% Students L3 & L4
Contextual Info
Male
Level 2
Level 3
F Success
Level 4 Level 3&4
M Success
Percentage of Students with Special Needs
(excluding gifted) - Academic Program
Board Results
100%
80%
80%
68%
60%
40%
20%
1%
0%
6%
13%
12%
0%
No Data Below L1 Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4 Level 3&4
Students with Special Needs
% Students L3 & L4
Percentage of All Students - Applied Program
School Results
100%
81%
80%
60%
68%
65%
53%
49%
44%
61%
53%
44%
47%
35%
33%
40%
37%
20%
0%
Board
Province
School
Percentage of All Students - Academic Program
School Results
% Students L3 & L4
100%
95%
87%
84%
80%
85%
92%
82%
78%
91%
81%
65%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Board
96%
89%
Province
School
Summary
Students in the applied and academic programs continue to achieve above the provincial
averages in the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics. The percentage of students at the
applied level achieving levels 3 and 4 increased from 52% in 2011 to 53% in 2012. The
percentage of students in the academic stream achieving at or above the Provincial standard
increased from 85% in 2011 to 87% in 2012.
Rationale
The release of the results of the 2011 - 2012 EQAO Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics
provides important information for the system and its schools. The information offers an
opportunity to conduct an analysis of the results in order to identify best instructional practices,
which in turn should prompt the best possible student achievement. The collection and
preliminary reporting of the data is the necessary first step in the process of critical analysis.
The next step in this process will be to continue the identification of areas of focus. Members of
the Numeracy subcommittee of the Student Success initiative, Math Department Heads, and
Curriculum Leaders will direct efforts to address these areas. Planning for ways to increase
students’ success in Mathematics will then occur at both the school and system level, in
alignment with the Board’s mathematics and numeracy framework.
cc -Erin Kelly, Superintendent of Education