Avon Maitland District School Board

Each year EQAO administers the Provincial Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), and as required grade 10 students in Avon Maitland District School Board schools participated. Of the 1296 students who wrote the test in the board, 84% were successful. Although this result represents a slight drop from previous years, it matches the overall high rate of success seen by the province on this assessment.

Successful completion of the OSSLT is required before a student is eligible to receive an Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Those who were not successful this year will have the option of writing the OSSLT in future years or taking the Literacy Course that is designed to help students develop the literacy skills required to graduate from secondary schools. Many students in Avon Maitland have followed this pathway to their diploma due to the high regard for the literacy course and its rate of success.

Avon Maitland Highlights

• The 2010 results show an 84% success rate for all grade 10 Avon Maitland students who wrote the test, same result as the province and over 2 percentage points lower than the average of the past three years.
• When all first time eligible students are counted, including those who did not write the test, 78% of Avon Maitland grade 10 students were successful compared to the provincial average of 78%.
• 88% of girls and 81% of boys of those who wrote the Literacy Test were successful, matching the province’s 7% point gap in results between the genders.
• The success rate of Avon Maitland’s students taking academic level English sits at 97%, two percentage points higher than the province.
• The success rate of Avon Maitland’s students writing the applied level English fell from last year to 67%, but maintained a higher level of success than the province, whose results were 60% for this same group of students.
• Of the 1296 students who wrote the Literacy Test in Avon Maitland, 94% reported speaking only or mostly English at home. This was the lowest percentage since the assessment began in 2000-2001, and shows the changing nature of our Board.
• Of the 1223 students who wrote the Grade 6 EQAO in 2005-2006, 1031 students were successful on the OSSLT, including 235 students who were not at provincial standards in Reading in 2005-06.
• 54% of the students with special needs, excluding those designated gifted, were successful compared to a 54% provincial achievement rate.
• Of the Avon Maitland students not successful in a previous writing of the OSSLT, 55% were successful compared to the provincial average of 51%. 37% of previously eligible students have chosen to meet this diploma requirement through the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course.

The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) is based on the expectations for reading and writing through the end of grade 9. These skills are essential for learning in all subject areas. The Board is comparing the results of the OSSLT with the results on the EQAO Grade 6 assessments. This provides teachers with better indicators of which students will gain the most through supports available at each school.

Students who are not successful are able to participate in future testing periods. In addition the Board offers a literacy credit course for students who have not succeeded in the OSSLT. Success in this course renews a student’s diploma eligibility.

Click on the name of the school to view school results or visit the EQAO website and follow the step by step guide.

Central Huron Secondary School
St. Marys DCVI
F.E. Madill Secondary School
Goderich District Collegiate Institute
Listowel District Secondary School
Mitchell District High School
Stratford Central Secondary School
Stratford Northwestern Secondary School
South Huron District High School

For more information contact:
Steve Howe
Manager of Communications
Avon Maitland District School Board
1-800-592-5437 ext 132 or 519-527-0111 ext 132

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