More Limestone Students Are Achieving the Provincial Standard on EQAO Assessments
LDSB Students Meet or Exceed Provincial Average in Five EQAO Assessment Areas
The Limestone District School Board (LDSB) is continuing to close significant learning gaps, according to Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) results for the 2025-2026 school year.
Highlights include continued progress across all three Grade 3 and 6 assessments, and an increase in the number of students achieving the provincial standard. Limestone students also met or exceeded the provincial average in five of the eight areas of assessment.
"These results reflect the dedication, expertise and targeted support provided by staff across Limestone schools," says Krishna Burra, LDSB Chief Executive Officer/Chief Education Officer. "The results clearly show more students developing the skills and confidence they need to be successful in school and beyond. We are seeing sustained progress in student achievement, and Limestone staff deserve recognition for the significant gains made over the past three years."
While some assessment areas saw slight declines, Burra welcomed comments made by Ontario Minister of Education Paul Calandra when releasing the provincial EQAO results, emphasizing the importance of considering participation and exemption rates alongside student achievement data.
"When reviewing EQAO data, it is important to consider not only how students performed, but also how many students participated because lowering the number of students participating can skew the results," says Burra. "Limestone's results reflect the achievement of a broad range of students across our system. Ensuring as many students as possible participate in EQAO assessments provides a more complete picture of student learning and helps us identify where additional supports may be needed."
The elementary school report provides assessments of Reading, Writing, and Mathematics written by students in Grades 3 and 6. The secondary school report provides similar information relating to the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT).
Grade 3 EQAO Results
Limestone Grade 3 students surpassed the provincial results in all assessed subject areas, with achievement rates two percentage points higher in Reading and one percentage point higher in both Writing and Mathematics.
The results also show year-over-year growth. Compared to 2024-2025, the percentage of students meeting the provincial standard increased by two percentage points in Reading (75% to 77%), three percentage points in Writing (65% to 68%), and one percentage point in Mathematics (65% to 66%).
Primary Assessment (administered in Grade 3):
Area of Assessment | LDSB | Province |
Reading | 77% | 75% |
Writing | 68% | 67% |
Mathematics | 66% | 65% |
Grade 6 EQAO Results
Limestone Grade 6 students surpassed the provincial average in Writing by two percentage points and matched the provincial average in Reading. Mathematics results were two percentage points below the provincial average.
Compared to the previous school year, Writing remained stable at 87%, while Reading decreased by two percentage points (88% to 86%) and Mathematics decreased by one percentage point (51% to 50%).
When analyzing the 2025-2026 EQAO data and reflecting on how the Grade 6 cohort performed when they were in Grade 3 in 2022-2023, it is very clear that significant gap-closing occurred between Grades 4 to 6. This is a direct result of staff work to identify and close gaps, and improved skills being demonstrated by students.
Junior Assessment (administered in Grade 6):
Area of Assessment | LDSB | Province |
Reading | 86% | 86% |
Writing | 87% | 85% |
Mathematics | 50% | 52% |
Grades 9 and 10 EQAO Results
Grade 9 Mathematics Assessment:
Results for Grade 9 Math in Limestone are slightly lower compared to the provincial results. For all participating students in the Grade 9 Math assessment, 54% achieved the provincial standard in Limestone, compared with 59% provincially.
Compared to last year’s results, the LDSB results decreased by one percentage point from 55% to 54%.
Grade 9 Mathematics Assessment | LDSB | Province |
Grade 9 Math | 54% | 59% |
“Limestone’s Grade 9 Mathematics result is not where it needs to be, and our responsibility is to understand the data and act on it,” says Steve Hedderson, Superintendent of Education. “Among the students we were able to track from Grade 6 to Grade 9, more moved up to the provincial standard than fell below it, but too many remained below. We are using these results to strengthen our system-wide approach to Mathematics, particularly in algebra, and provide responsive support based on student need.”
Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test – Administered in Grade 10:
Grade 10 OSSLT | LDSB | Province |
Participation Rate | 96.4% | 94% |
Success Rate | 81.1% | 85.6% |
“These EQAO results tell an encouraging story about student growth across Limestone,” says Stephanie Sartor, Superintendent of Education. “The literacy improvement we are seeing in cohort data is not the result of a single initiative, but rather the sustained and focused instructional work happening in elementary classrooms every day.” The higher participation rate of LDSB students, relative to other boards and the province, in the OSSLT, also impacts the results.
“Through collaborative inquiry, data-informed decision making, structured literacy practices, and targeted supports, educators have remained steadfast in their commitment to student achievement,” Sartor adds. “The growth reflected in these results affirms that our collective efforts are making a positive difference for students.”
Students in all publicly funded schools in Ontario write provincial assessments administered by EQAO, a provincial body that tests students' skills in Literacy in Grades 3, 6 and 10 and Mathematics in Grades 3, 6 and 9 in relation to Ontario curriculum expectations.
Successful completion of the Literacy requirement is one of the requirements to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma. The EQAO assessments have undergone significant updates, with the newer digital assessments offered entirely online through a digital platform for students over the past five years.
“We look forward to building on these results and continuing our work to support student success and well-being by making a positive difference in the lives of every student, in every classroom, in every school,” says Burra.