FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 2003

Improved literacy skills mean improved success for our students in everything they do
The Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board is pleased to announce the outcome of its students’ Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) from October 2002. Of the 1,332 then Grade 10 students who wrote the test for the first time, 75%, or 1,212 successfully completed the reading and writing components, surpassing the provincial average of 72%.

When the results are broken out individually, the positive trend continues. In the reading component, our students achieved 80% compared to the 76% provincial average, and in the writing component, our students achieved 89% compared to the 85% provincial average.

“We are extremely proud of our students who wrote the test,” says Judy Edgar, Chair of the Board. “This is another example of how our teams of dedicated staff, students, parents and guardians and students continuously strive for improvement.”

The test is designed to measure students’ reading and writing skills based on language expectations common to all subjects in the provincial curriculum up to the end of Grade 9.

Successful completion of the test is a diploma requirement for Grade 10 students. Students are required to successfully complete both the reading and writing components of the test in order to receive an Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Students who do not past the test will have opportunities to improve their performance by rewriting the test in subsequent years.

The Ministry of Education recently announced the addition of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course, a Grade 12 course requirement for those students working toward a diploma who are unsuccessful on the test. A prerequisite for the course is unsuccessful completion of the Literacy Test. This course can replace the OSSLT as the diploma requirement. Students who are not working towards a diploma are not required to take the test. Students who are not ready to take the test can defer it to a later time.

Reporting of results to students
Each student who took the test received an Individual Student Report. Students who successfully completed both the reading and writing components, received a report which indicates simply that they were successful. Students who did not successfully complete either the reading or the writing components, or both, received information about which skills they need to work on.

Test results shouldn’t be used as comparisons
It is important to remember that the test is not designed to produce data on which to base comparisons of school performances. There is not sufficient contextual information to qualify and make equitable any comparisons of achievement data. It is both the Board’s and EQAO’s position that the use of test results to rank schools is counterproductive, misleading, inappropriate, and demeaning for students and staff.

Rather, the focus for all assessment data—provincial, system, school and classroom—must be improved learning and instruction.

A number of factors have contributed to the successful results.

“Our secondary schools have implemented many literacy initiatives. Teachers identify and share effective instructional and assessment practices in order to improve literacy skills across the curriculum,” remarks Angela Ferguson, Secondary Curriculum Coordinator. “These initiatives would be in place even without the provincial testing because improved literacy skills mean improved success for our students in everything they do,” she adds.

Actions taken to improve results from the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test

• The Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board is focusing on remediation in reading and writing for Grade 7 to 10 students.
• Several opportunities have been provided to teachers and administrators to discuss results, develop School Group action plans, and familiarize themselves with skills required to pass the test.
• A May 26th to 30th Literacy Week will continue this focus, extending School Groups to the junior division.
• Intermediate teachers are using a literacy profile to flag students in need of remediation in the transition from Grade 8 to Grade 9.
• The Board Literacy Committee has extended its membership to include two representatives per school group, with one of them representing the elementary schools.
• The Board provided support for schools by training peer tutors in literacy remediation.
• All secondary schools:
  • Continue to focus on literacy across the curriculum and to run literacy committees.
  • Have developed literacy action plans with short- and long-term focuses.
  • Continue to participate in student silent reading.
  • Continue to focus on literacy within the curriculum.
• Secondary schools that are meeting with continued success are sharing their strategies and resources, and are modelling best practices.
• Principals have been participating in literacy workshops in order to assist teachers.

Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board has 54 schools serving 18,900 students and employing 1,083 teachers. The Board covers a wide geographical area of 7,221 square kilometres bordered by Maynooth to the north, Deseronto to the east, Prince Edward County to the south, and Quinte West to the west.

For information contact :
• Judy Edgar, Chair (613) 921-3203 or (613) 332-1480
• Angela Ferguson, Secondary Curriculum Coordinator, 966-1170 x2309