September 28, 2026 (Brockville, ON) – For the third consecutive year, the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) has seen an increase in EQAO scores in reading, writing and math in Grade 3, Grade 6, Grade 9 and OSSLT, with some areas surpassing provincial averages.
EQAO assessments provide a consistent, province-wide measure of student achievement, helping school boards understand how well students are meeting Ontario’s academic expectations. The data offers valuable insight into progress, highlights areas of strength, and helps guide ongoing efforts to support student learning.
“The results we are seeing from our students are directly connected to the support they are receiving in the classroom and at home. Our staff have put in an incredible amount of work to implement new practices and provide more classroom support, and our families are getting more involved. As a former teacher and principal, I know how hard it can be to adopt new practices and get students to focus on the fundamentals, but our educators are doing it and it’s working,” says Chair of the Board Jamie Schoular. “I want to thank our educators for their efforts, and our families for making this learning a priority.”
A substantial amount of work has been done throughout the UCDSB to emphasize the link between the EQAO assessments and curriculum expectations, and to support the routine integration of EQAO-style practice into classroom instruction and learning activities.
Grade 3 UCDSB students recorded the most significant gains in the 2025-26 EQAO assessments. Achievement in mathematics climbed to 69% and writing to 71%, both representing gains of seven percentage points, while reading increased six percentage points to 77%. UCDSB’s Grade 3 results exceeded the provincial average in every assessed area.
“Our focus has been clear: ensure students are reading, writing and doing math at grade level. By concentrating on the fundamentals, our educators have helped create stronger learning outcomes for students across our school district. We are encouraged to see this progress, but we recognize that there is still work to do. Our staff will continue to be unwavering in our commitment to improving student outcomes,” says CEO Ron Ferguson.
The UCDSB will continue to strengthen teacher capacity in evidence-based reading, writing and mathematics instruction, providing additional classroom resources, and offer dedicated system-level support to continue to improve student outcomes.
The results shown here represent the percentage of UCDSB students who achieved the provincial standard—a Level 3 or at least 70 per cent—on the annual EQAO assessments.
2025-2026 EQAO Results
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