May 13, 2005 - Glebe Report

TRUSTEE REPORT Glebe
Understanding and improving student test results
STANDARDIZED TESTING
The recently released book,
Signposts of Success: Interpreting
Ontario's Elementary School Test
Scores, by Wilfrid Laurier University
Professor David Johnson, is receiving
substantial media attention.
Prepared for the C.D. Howe Institute,
the author concludes that
successful elementary schools are
not necessarily those with high
scores on standardized tests, but
those that consistently score higher
than other schools in neighbourhoods
with similar socio-economic
conditions.
To evaluate each school in the
province, Johnson has used the
results from the grades 3 and 6
provincial assessments in reading,
writing and mathematics over a
four-year period (between 1999 and
2002). These tests, mandated by the
Ministry of Education for Ontario
students in these grades, are
developed and implemented by the
provincial Education Quality and
Accountability Office (EQA0)
www.eqao.com.
At the OCDSB, our EQAO Grade
3 results are lagging behind the
provincial average, but by Grade 6
they are comparable, and by grades
9 and 10 they exceed the provincial
average. To learn more about our
schools and provincial achievement
results, visit the OCDSB District
Profiles at www.ocdsb.edu.on.ca/
schools.htm.
In his research, Johnson compares
average EQAO results from grades 3
and 6 to predicted values that talce
into account students' socio-economic
characteristics (household income,
education of parents,
housing, first language at home,
etc.) in order to highlight the
importance of considering achievement
data in the context of other
information about the students and
schools. Johnson's results indicate
that test results can differ, even
when socio-economic conditions are
the same.
By
OCDSB
Trustee
Lynn
Graham
"Good schools," as he calls them,
are schools that exceed expectations.
Characteristics common to these
schools include: teachers working as
a team, teachers using learning
resources, effective parent-school
communications, good use of
volunteers, strong extra-curricular
programs and principals acting as
strong leaders.
With some exceptions, schools of
both English language boards in the
Ottawa area did not perform well,
according to Johnson's analysis.
This means that, when socioeconomic
conditions are accounted
for, most of the schools in Ottawa
should have had higher rankings on
EQAO tests than they actually had.
Certainly, there are many criticisms
and valid concerns about standardized
testing. However, it is
important that school boards take
these results and the analyses of
them seriously and try to determine
if the findings can improve student
learning.
The OCDSB is doing just that.
Our staff members review EQAO
assessments and reports (such as
Johnson's) in order to understand the
reasons for the results and to develop
strategies that will ensure success for
all students, not just on provincial
assessments, but throughout their
academic careers. For more information
on the Johnson report,
including each OCDSB school's
assessment, visit www.cdhowe.org/
english/publications/policystudy_40
.html.
OCDSB SUMMER LEARNING
I hope you have received our
Learning for Life magazine which
provides information on summer
courses and programs for young
people, including the Grade 7 and 8
Remedial Program, and the
secondary school Reach Ahead
credit courses: Make-Up and Cooperative
Education. Local choices
include the Los Amigos Spanish
Immersion Camp at Hopewell, the
Fun in French program at First
Avenue and the Journey with the
ArtsYour Passport to the World
program, also at First Avenue.
General interest courses for adults
are also available and include
classes in landscape painting and
golf. The magazine is available at
Ottawa Public Library branches, by
phone (239-2325) or on the web at
http://conted.ocdsb. edu.on.ca.
s;
Report May 13, 2005 34
APPRECIATION
Thank you to Elaine Marlin for
her tremendous work as editor of the
Glebe Report over the past two and
a half years. She has demonstrated a
real interest in our students and
schools and current education
issues. I have certainly benefitted
from her knowledge and sound
advice. All the best, Elaine, as you
take up new challenges
CONTACT INFORMATION
Lynn Graham, Ottawa-Carleton
District School Board, 133
Greenbank Road, Ottawa, Ontario
K2H 6L3.
Tel: 730-3366
Fax: 730-3589
E-mail: lynn_graham@ocdsb.edu.
on.ca
Website: www.lynngraham.com
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