REPORT OF THE SPRING 2014 ONTARIO SECONDARY SCHOOL LITERACY TEST DUFFERIN‐PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD 40 Matheson Boulevard West, Mississauga, Ontario L5R 1C5 Tel.: (905) 890‐0708 Fax: 905‐890‐7610 URL: www.dpcdsb.org MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Dufferin‐Peel Catholic District School Board, in partnership with the Family and Church, is to provide, in a responsible manner, a Catholic Education which develops spiritual, intellectual, aesthetic, emotional, social and physical capabilities of each individual to live fully today and to meet the challenges of the future, thus enriching the community. ABOUT DUFFERIN‐PEEL Dufferin‐Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) was created in 1969 through a merger of eight (8) separate school boards. Dufferin‐Peel consists of 149 elementary and secondary schools and approximately 83,000 students from the communities of Mississauga, Brampton, Bolton, Caledon and Orangeville. With over 10,000 employees, the board is also one of the largest employers in the region. The philosophy of Catholic education in Dufferin‐Peel requires the presence of Gospel values in the curriculum and daily life of the schools, the practice of prayer and worship, and a commitment to the teaching of religion and family life. All dimensions of the learning process, including every aspect of the curriculum, reflect the fact that Christ is the foundation of the whole educational enterprise in each school and that everything ultimately relates to God. ABOUT THE ONTARIO SECONDARY SCHOOL LITERACY TEST The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) assesses the reading and writing skills included in the expectations of The Ontario Curriculum across all subjects up to the end of Grade 9. The Literacy Test is administered and assessed by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) during the spring of each school year. Successful completion of the Literacy Test is one of the 32 requirements of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). In the reading elements of the OSSLT, students use reading strategies to interact with a variety of narrative, informational and graphic reading selections to construct an understanding of the meaning of the texts. Students are asked to demonstrate their understanding of explicit (directly stated) and implicit (indirectly stated) meanings as well as to connect their understandings of the text to their personal experience and knowledge. The writing elements of the OSSLT include a combination of multiple choice questions and short and long writing tasks designed to assess student proficiency regarding: developing a main idea with sufficient supporting details; organizing information and ideas in a coherent manner; and using conventions (spelling, grammar, punctuation) in a manner that does not distract from clear communication. Through their responses to these questions and tasks, students demonstrate their ability to communicate ideas and information clearly and coherently. EQAO reports results on the OSSLT only in terms of whether or not students were successful in meeting the standard established for the test, rather than providing levels of student performance. Students who do not successfully complete the test during a previous administration must successfully complete the Literacy Test or, alternatively, the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC). EQAO also reports results on the OSSLT for two student groups: “first‐time eligible students” and “previously eligible students”. For the March 2014 OSSLT, first‐time eligible (FTE) students are those who entered Grade 9 in 2012‐2013 and any others who were placed in this cohort. Previously eligible (PE) students are students on the 2014 Literacy Test who entered Grade 9 prior to 2012‐2013 and who did not successfully complete the test in their Grade 10 year. OVERALL ACHIEVEMENT SUMMARY FOR FIRST‐TIME ELIGIBLE STUDENTS IN DUFFERIN‐PEEL Overall Performance The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) reports OSSLT success rates according to two reporting methods: “all students” and “fully participating students”. Results for “all students” are based on all students who are working to obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), including students who were absent and those students who were deferred from writing the test. Results for “fully participating students” are based on all students who are working to obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and excludes those students who were absent or deferred from writing the test. While both reporting methods are included in publicly available EQAO summaries of board and school OSSLT performance, the “fully participating students” is the preferred reporting method for assessing completion rates of the literacy requirement necessary for graduation. Overall, the March 2014 Literacy Test results demonstrated slightly higher results for first‐time eligible students who were successful compared to the last administration of the test. Eighty‐seven percent (87%) of fully participating first‐time eligible students in Dufferin‐Peel received a passing grade. This proportion represents a one percent increase for students in Dufferin‐Peel compared to the previous assessment. The results for all and for fully participating first‐time eligible students (i.e., students who entered Grade 9 during the 2012‐2013 school year and any other students placed in this cohort) who wrote the test for the first time and were successful, are presented below for the board and the province: First‐Time Eligible Students March 2014 May 2013 March 2012 March 2011 April 2010 Dufferin‐Peel Percent Percent Successful, Successful, Fully Participating All Students Students
84% 87% 83% 86% 83% 86% 83% 85% 82% 85% Ontario Percent Successful, All Students 77% 77% 77% 77% 78% Percent Successful, Fully Participating Students
83% 82% 82% 83% 84% Achievement results for all and for fully participating first‐time eligible students in Dufferin‐Peel and the province are presented for the most recent five academic years of testing, including March 2014, in the charts below. All First‐Time Eligible Students: Five‐Year Comparison of Grade 10 OSSLT Results for Dufferin‐Peel and the Province: All First‐Time Eligible Students
100%
82%
80%
83%
78%
83%
77%
84%
83%
77%
77%
77%
60%
DP
ON
40%
20%
0%
2009‐2010
2010‐2011
2011‐2012
2012‐2013
2013‐2014
Fully Participating First‐Time Eligible Students: Five‐Year Comparison of Grade 10 OSSLT Success Results for Dufferin‐Peel and the Province: Fully Participating First‐Time Eligible Students
100%
85% 84%
85% 83%
86%
82%
86%
82%
87%
83%
80%
60%
DP
ON
40%
20%
0%
2009‐2010
2010‐2011
2011‐2012
2012‐2013
2013‐2014
ACHIEVEMENT HIGHLIGHTS: FIRST‐TIME ELIGIBLE STUDENTS IN DUFFERIN‐PEEL Student Participation for First‐Time Eligible Students Nearly eight thousand Dufferin‐Peel students (7,712) were eligible to participate in the March 2014 administration of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). However, not all of these students actually participated in the test. Data summarizing absences, deferrals, exemptions and participation rates for first‐time eligible students for the five most recent administrations of the OSSLT are presented below: First‐Time Eligible Students April 2010 March 2011 March 2012 May 2013 March 2014 Total Eligible students 7,905 8,376 7,981 7,785 7,712 Students who were absent 86 (1%) 67 (1%) 58 (1%) 72 (1%) 56 (1%) Students who were deferred 192 (2%) 142 (2%) 172 (2%) 208 (3%) 195 (3%) Fully participating students 7,627 (96%) 8,167 (98%) 7,751 (97%) 7,505 (96%) 7,461 (97%) Students who were exempt 140 164 149 92 124 Language Spoken in the Home among First‐Time Eligible Students In general, the March 2014 findings regarding languages spoken at home among students in Dufferin‐Peel writing the OSSLT for the first time were similar to those observed in the four previous administrations of the Literacy Test. Approximately two out of every three first‐time eligible students surveyed during each of the five most recent administrations of the test reported that English is the language spoken most frequently in the home. Information regarding languages learned and spoken in the home by first‐time eligible students in Dufferin‐Peel is presented in the table below. April March March May March Percentage of first‐time eligible students indicating that: 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 • First language learned at home was other than English 32% 30% 30% 32% 30% • Speak only or mostly English at home 65% 65% 65%
63%
64%
• Speak another language(s) as often as English at home 26% 26% 26%
27%
27%
• Speak only or mostly another language(s) at home 9% 9% 8%
8%
8%
Results by Gender The results for fully participating first‐time eligible students in Dufferin‐Peel indicated that 92% of female students and 83% of male students successfully completed the test. Over the last five years of OSSLT administrations, female students have demonstrated higher success rates than their male counterparts. Achievement results for fully participating, first‐time eligible students in Dufferin‐Peel by gender are presented below. Five‐Year Comparison of Grade 10 OSSLT Success Results for Dufferin‐Peel: Fully Participating First‐Time Eligible Female and Male Students
100%
88%
82%
88%
82%
89%
82%
89%
92%
83%
83%
80%
60%
Females
40%
Males
20%
0%
2009‐2010
2010‐2011
2011‐2012
2012‐2013
2013‐2014
Results for First‐Time Eligible English Language Learners The Literacy Test results for first‐time eligible students with English Language Learning needs are reported in terms of overall performance among students with these learning needs, as well as for those taking an English as a Second Language/English Literacy Development (ESL/ELD) course. A total of 525 English Language Learners were eligible to participate in the OSSLT for the first time in March 2014. Of these students, 108 were enrolled in an ESL/ELD course in 2013‐2014. The March 2014 Literacy Test success rates for first‐time eligible, fully participating students in Dufferin‐Peel were as follow:  English Language Learners: 78% successful;  English Language Learners enrolled in an ESL/ELD course: 46% successful. The proportion of English Language Learners that successfully completed the Literacy Test has seen decrease of 3% over the past year. Success rates among English Language Learners enrolled in ESL/ELD courses has been quite variable over time. March 2014 results saw a decrease (‐2%) of successful students enrolled in an ESL/ELD course compared to 2012‐2013. The figure below illustrates the five‐year OSSLT success rates for English Language Learners in Dufferin‐Peel. Five‐Year Comparison of Grade 10 OSSLT Success Results for Dufferin‐Peel: Fully Participating First‐Time Eligible Students: ELL Learners and Learners Enrolled in ESL/ELD Course
100%
80%
60%
47%
81%
75%
73%
71%
48%
78%
48%
43%
46%
40%
ELL
ESL/ELD Course
20%
0%
2009‐2010
2010‐2011
2011‐2012
2012‐2013
2013‐2014
Results for First‐Time Eligible Students with Special Needs (excluding gifted) The Literacy Test results for first‐time eligible students with special needs are reported in terms of OSSLT performance among: all students with special needs; students who received an accommodation with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) only; and students who received accommodations with an IEP and an exceptionality identified through the Identification Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) process. It is important to note that all three reporting conventions for students with special needs exclude those with a gifted identification. In March 2014, there were 985 students with special needs (excluding gifted) who were eligible to participate in the OSSLT. This figure included 252 students with special needs who received accommodations with an IEP only, and 615 students who received accommodations with an IEP and IPRC. The March 2014 Literacy Test success rates for Dufferin‐Peel’s first‐time eligible, fully participating students with special needs (excluding gifted) were as follow:  Students with special needs: 55% successful;  Students with special needs with an IEP and who received accommodations: 66% successful;  Students with special needs with an IEP and IPRC and who received accommodations: 49% successful. The most recent administration of the OSSLT has demonstrated an increase in success rates among fully participating, first‐time eligible students with special needs (excluding gifted), as well as among students receiving accommodations with an IEP and IPRC and students receiving accommodations with an IEP only. The figure below illustrates the five‐year comparison of OSSLT success rates among students with special needs in Dufferin‐Peel. Five‐Year Comparison of Grade 10 OSSLT Success Results for Dufferin‐Peel: Fully Participating First‐Time Eligible Students with Special Needs
100%
80%
60%
61%
53%
49%
61%
51%
47%
64%
55%
51%
66%
61%
52%
47%
55%
Special Needs
49%
40%
Special Needs Receiving
Accommodations with an IEP Only
20%
Special Needs Receiving
Accommodations with an IEP+IPRC
0%
2009‐2010
2010‐2011
2011‐2012
2012‐2013
2013‐2014
Results for First‐Time Eligible Students by Program of Study The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) provides information on OSSLT performance by three programs of study of English: academic, applied, and locally developed. Among first‐time eligible students in March 2014, there were 5,925 students taking academic level English, 1,463 taking applied level English, and 157 taking a locally developed English course. The March 2014 Literacy Test success rates by program of study of English for fully participating first‐time eligible students in Dufferin‐Peel were as follow:  Academic English: 95% successful;  Applied English: 59% successful;  Locally developed English: 16% successful. Over the last five years of OSSLT administrations, success rates among fully participating, first‐time eligible students taking academic English have remained relatively consistent. The OSSLT success rate for students taking applied English increased slightly by 1% in the most recent administration. Similarly, the success rate for students taking locally developed English programs in March 2014 also increased slightly (+1%) compared to last year’s rate. The figure below illustrates the five‐year comparison of OSSLT success rates by program of study of English in Dufferin‐
Peel. Five‐Year Comparison of Grade 10 OSSLT Success Results for Dufferin‐Peel: Fully Participating First‐Time Eligible Students ‐ All Learners by Program of Study 100%
95%
95%
95%
95%
95%
80%
61%
60%
59%
61%
58%
59%
Applied English
40%
20%
Academic English
10%
15%
15%
16%
16%
2010‐2011
2011‐2012
2012‐2013
2013‐2014
0%
2009‐2010
Locally Developed English
OVERALL ACHIEVEMENT SUMMARY: PREVIOUSLY ELIGIBLE STUDENTS IN DUFFERIN‐PEEL All Previously Eligible Students Overall, the March 2014 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) results for previously eligible Dufferin‐Peel students were notably higher than observed on the last administration of the test in May 2013. Over one quarter (29%) of all previously eligible students were successful on the OSSLT compared to 2013 (+4%). Among those previously eligible students who fully participated in the OSSLT in 2014, nearly three fifths (59%) received a passing grade. This success rate represented a slight decrease of 1% for students in Dufferin‐Peel compared to the previous year. Achievement results for all and fully participating previously eligible students in Dufferin‐Peel and the province are presented for the most recent five academic years of testing, including March 2014, in the charts below. Five‐Year Comparison of Grade 10 OSSLT Results for Dufferin‐Peel and the Province: All Previously Eligible Students
100%
80%
60%
DP
40%
29% 28%
29% 27%
2009‐2010
2010‐2011
23% 24%
25% 26%
29%
2011‐2012
2012‐2013
2013‐2014
25%
ON
20%
0%
Five‐Year Comparison of Grade 10 OSSLT Results for Dufferin‐Peel and the Province: Fully Participating Previously Eligible Students
100%
80%
60%
55%
52% 51%
49%
53%
60%
48%
59%
49%
50%
40%
DP
ON
20%
0%
2009‐2010
2010‐2011
2011‐2012
2012‐2013
2013‐2014
In addition to results for all and fully participating students, EQAO provides information regarding absences, deferrals and exemptions, as well as completion of the literacy requirement via the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC). The number of previously eligible students who were exempted from writing the Literacy Test, as they were not working toward obtaining an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) remained relatively small (10 in 2014 compared to 23 in 2013). Fewer previously eligible students were absent during this year’s administration of the test than during the previous year (3% in 2014 versus 5% in 2013), while slightly less of these students were deferred (7% in 2014 versus 8% in 2013) from writing the test. The proportion of students accessing the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC) to satisfy their literacy requirement in May 2014 was 40%. This finding represented a decrease of 6% compared to the previous administration. The proportion of students meeting the OSSD requirements, either through the OSSLC or successful completion of the literacy test, has increased by 11% during this 5‐year period, from 58% in 2010 to 69% in 2014. However, there was an increase in the proportion of unsuccessful students this year over last year (20% in 2014 versus 17% in 2013). Information regarding results for all and fully participating previously eligible students, including OSSLC completion rates, absences, deferrals and exemptions, are presented in the table below for the board and the province for the most recent five years of testing. Results for April 2010 March 2011 March 2012 May 2013 March 2014 Previously Dufferin‐
Dufferin‐
Dufferin‐
Dufferin‐
Dufferin‐
Eligible (PE) Ontario Ontario Ontario Ontario Ontario Peel Peel Peel Peel Peel Students All Students
Fulfilling the Diploma 20%
34% 22% 44% 28% 46% 29% 40% 31% 29% Requirement thru OSSLC Absent 5% 12%
5% 11%
6% 9% 5% 7% 3% 8% Deferred 10% 13%
8% 13%
6% 12% 8% 12% 7% 11% 29% 28%
29% 27%
23% 24% 25% 26%
29% 25%
27% 27%
24% 28%
21% 26% 17% 26%
20% 25%
75 2,336 69 2,230
29 2,164 23 2,309
10 1,989
Successful Completion Not Successful Number of Students Exempted Fully Participating Students Successful Completion Not Successful 58%
54%
52%
51%
55% 49% 60% 49%
59% 50%
42%
46%
48%
49%
45% 51% 40% 51%
41% 50%
DEMOGRAPHIC HIGHLIGHTS: PREVIOUSLY ELIGIBLE STUDENTS IN DUFFERIN‐PEEL Student Participation for Previously Eligible Students In March 2014, there were 1,899 Dufferin‐Peel previously eligible students (i.e., students who entered Grade 9 prior to 2012‐2013 and who were not previously successful on the test) who were eligible to participate in the OSSLT. However, not all of these students actually participated in the test. Data summarizing absences, deferrals, exemptions and participation rates for previously eligible students for the five most recent administrations of the OSSLT are below: Student Participation: Previously Eligible (PE) Students Total Eligible students Students who were absent Students who were deferred Fulfilling the Requirement via the OSSLC Fully participating students Students who were exempted April 2010 March 2011 March 2012 May 2013 March 2014 1,962
92 (5%)
200 (10%)
570 (29%)
1,100 (56%)
75
2,051
100 (5%)
165 (8%)
691 (34%)
1,095 (53%)
69
2,331
135 (6%)
141 (6%)
1,033 (44%)
1,022 (44%)
29
2,241 109 (5%) 177 (8%) 1,026 (46%) 929 (42%) 23 1,899
66 (3%)
133 (7%)
760 (40%)
940 (49%)
10
Language Spoken in the Home among Previously Eligible Students In general, the March 2014 findings regarding languages spoken at home among previously eligible students in Dufferin‐Peel were similar to those observed in past OSSLT administrations. On average, roughly one half of all previously eligible students surveyed during the five most recent administrations of the test reported that English is the language spoken most frequently in the home. Information regarding languages learned and spoken in the home by previously eligible students in Dufferin‐Peel is presented in the table below. April 2010 43 %
51 %
31 %
17 %
Percentage of Previously Eligible (PE) Students indicating that: • First language learned at home was other than English • Speak only or mostly English at home • Speak another language(s) as often as English at home
• Speak only or mostly another language(s) at home
March 2011 41%
49%
30%
19%
March 2012 46% 47% 32% 19% May 2013 42%
48%
30%
20%
March
2014 45%
46%
32%
21%
Overall Results for Previously Eligible Students by Contextual Factors Overall results for previously eligible students by contextual factors for the March 2014 administration of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test are below. Only the most recent year of data has been included to avoid confusion and inappropriate comparisons that can result from small sample sizes and blended cohort effects. Student Group (PE) All Students Female Students Male Students English Language Learners Special Needs1 IEP Only, Accommodated IEP & IPRC, Accommodated All Previously Eligible
Deferred OSSLC
Successful
7%
40%
29%
7% 40%
32%
7% 40%
28%
Absent 3%
2% 4% Unsuccessful
20%
19%
21%
Fully Participating (PE)
Successful Unsuccessful
59%
41%
63% 37%
57% 43%
3% 7% 21% 40% 29% 58% 42% 3% 9% 50%
15%
24%
38% 62%
2% 0% 0% 38% 60% 39% 61% 6% 0% 0% 36% 57% 39% 61% 1 All special needs data exclude students identified as gifted.
APPENDIX: OSSLT RESULTS BY SCHOOL Dufferin‐Peel Ascension of Our Lord Robert F Hall St Marguerite d'Youville St Michael Cardinal Ambrozic Holy Name of Mary Notre Dame St Thomas Aquinas Cardinal Leger St Edmund Campion St Roch St Augustine St Francis Xavier St Marcellinus Father Michael Goetz John Cabot Philip Pocock St Paul Our Lady of Mount Carmel St Aloysius Gonzaga St Joan of Arc Iona Loyola St Joseph St Martin Archbishop Romero Percent Successful, Fully Percent Successful, Fully Participating First‐Time Eligible Participating Previously Eligible Students Students 87% 59% Brampton East Caledon Dufferin‐Malton 82% 50% 88% 62% 80% 56% 85% 90% Brampton North East 85% 69% 95% N/R* 86% 58% 84% 71% Brampton West 80% 58% 83% 52% 85% 62% Mississauga Brampton Central 81% 48% 91% 56% 92% N/R* Mississauga East 85% 62% 89% 74% 88% 70% 86% 47% Mississauga North 93% 59% 95% 46% 92% 72% Mississauga South 92% 65% 84% 76% 87% 59% 86% 33% Regional Alternative Education Programme N/R* 44% *N/R= Not Reported. Results are not reported publicly by EQAO for schools where fewer than 10 students participated because it might be possible to identify individual students.