FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BHNCDSB Shares 2024–25 EQAO Results: Elementary Growth and Stronger Secondary Literacy

The Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board (BHNCDSB) is pleased to share the 2024–25 Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) results. The data reflect notable gains in elementary literacy and mathematics and meaningful improvement in secondary literacy achievement across the Board. These outcomes align with our commitment to “Excellence in Learning ~ Living in Christ” and our vision that our faith-based communities inspire life-long learning and service to others.

“EQAO results give us an important snapshot of student learning,” said Mike McDonald, Director of Education and Secretary. “We celebrate our progress, especially in the foundational skills of literacy and numeracy, and we use this information to guide our next steps so that every learner continues to grow.”

2024–25 EQAO Results: Encouraging Elementary Gains

BHNCDSB students demonstrated growth in several key areas:

Grade 3 (Primary):

• Reading: +5% increase in students meeting the provincial standard
• Writing: results remained stable (even)
• Mathematics: +1% increase

Grade 6 (Junior):

• Reading: +2% increase
• Writing: +2% increase
• Mathematics: +3% increase

“These gains reflect the daily commitment of students and staff, along with the strong partnership of families supporting learning,” said Mike McDonald, Director of Education and Secretary.

School-Level Growth Across the System

In addition to overall Board improvement, many BHNCDSB elementary schools demonstrated stable or improving achievement across multiple EQAO measures:

• Nine (9) elementary schools stayed the same or improved in Grade 3 reading, writing, and mathematics.
• Twelve (12) elementary schools stayed the same or improved in Grade 6 reading, writing, and mathematics.
• Four (4) elementary schools stayed the same or improved across all Grade 3 and Grade 6 EQAO measures — reading, writing, and mathematics. These schools are St. Leo Catholic Elementary School, Blessed Sacrament Elementary School, Madonna Della Libera Catholic Elementary School, and Holy Cross School.

School Spotlight – Holy Cross School

Holy Cross School showed particularly strong growth across the junior and primary panels, including:

• Grade 3 Reading: +15%
• Grade 3 Mathematics: +27%
• Grade 6 Reading: +28%
• Grade 6 Writing: +23%
• Grade 6 Mathematics: +26%

Over the past two years, Holy Cross School has implemented a coordinated set of supports to ensure all students are able to work toward their full academic potential. A key focus has been on reducing unnecessary program modifications in mathematics and language in order to strengthen access to grade-level learning. As a result, mathematics modifications were reduced by 59% and language modifications by 37%, allowing staff to emphasize Universal Design for Learning (UDL), differentiated instruction (DI), and effective accommodations. This shift has enabled students to access grade-level curriculum expectations for longer periods of time and with greater success. In addition, specialized support has been provided in the areas of primary literacy and Grade 6 mathematics, to ensure that all students are receiving evidence-based instruction targeted to their unique needs.

BHNCDSB has also expanded its human-resource supports significantly. Since 2022–23, the school’s SERT complement has grown by 140%, and the number of supportive adults available to students has increased by 80% to support the growing needs. In literacy, the addition of evidence-based reading intervention programs such as Lexia and Empower has supported measurable improvement in student achievement. Ten Grade 3 EQAO participants engaged in Empower, strengthening confidence and dramatically improving reading skills. Students using Lexia have, on average, gained 2.5 reading levels per academic year.

“On behalf of the Holy Cross School community, I am incredibly proud of our students and staff for the growth reflected in this year’s EQAO results. These achievements are a direct result of our students’ perseverance and the hard work, professionalism, and deep commitment of our staff to improving student learning each day. Their focus on high-quality instruction, knowing their learners, and responding with care and precision has made a real difference. I also want to acknowledge and thank the Board for the unprecedented support we have received. The partnership with Student Achievement, Special Education, and other departments has ensured that the right programs, resources, and staffing are in place to meet student needs. This collaborative approach has strengthened our capacity to support every learner, and we are excited to continue building on this momentum together.”  ~ Chris Assettino, Principal, Holy Cross School

These improvements at the school level speak to the commitment of both students and staff. They are the result of the collective efforts of frontline educators who work tirelessly to help students grow, strengthened by targeted supports and by strong partnerships with families and parish communities. The Board celebrates this progress while continuing to build momentum so that all schools and all learners experience sustained growth.

Secondary Results: OSSLT Up Board-Wide, Continued Focus on Grade 9 Math

At the secondary level, the Board is proud to report that OSSLT achievement increased by 5% overall, with improvements evident across all BHNCDSB secondary schools. This growth highlights the impact of consistent literacy instruction and targeted student supports. At the same time, Grade 9 mathematics results declined by 4% in 2024–25. The Board will use this data to intensify efforts in Grade 7–9 mathematics learning, ensuring students are supported through the transition to secondary pathways.

“Our improvement in OSSLT results shows what is possible when we align instruction, intervention, and student wellbeing around a clear goal,” said Chandra Portelli, Vice Principal of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment.  “The Grade 9 math results tell us where we need to focus our next steps with urgency and care.”

Strengthening System Supports to Accelerate Achievement

Prior to the release of these results, BHNCDSB took intentional steps to strengthen system supports for student achievement. In the spring of 2025, the Student Achievement Team was restructured to sharpen our focus on improving Grade 3 and Grade 6 EQAO performance, OSSLT outcomes, and Grade 9 mathematics achievement. As part of this work, seven Elementary Literacy and Numeracy Consultants were added to our priority schools, providing targeted, classroom-embedded support with a particular emphasis on primary literacy and Grade 6 mathematics.

At the secondary level, a De-streamed Mathematics Consultant was assigned to each school to enhance Grade 9 achievement through tiered intervention, close monitoring of student progress, and focused professional learning for educators. In addition, assessment data was used to strategically concentrate secondary literacy supports where they were most needed to strengthen foundational literacy skills and improve OSSLT success.

“Over the past year, we have strengthened our system supports with a clear and deliberate focus on student achievement. Under the restructured Student Achievement Team, we’ve invested in additional literacy and numeracy expertise in our priority elementary schools and enhanced de-streamed mathematics supports in every secondary school. These roles are designed to be classroom-embedded, responsive, and data-informed—ensuring that educators and students receive the right support at the right time. I am grateful for the collaboration across departments, including Student Achievement and Special Education, and for the commitment of our school teams who bring this work to life each day. Together, we are building consistent, high-impact practices across the system, and we are confident this strengthened approach will continue to drive improvement in literacy and numeracy for all learners.” ~ Chandra Portelli, Vice Principal of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

These enhanced roles have increased direct, face-to-face instructional time with students and strengthened responsive, evidence-based teaching across our schools. With these supports firmly in place, BHNCDSB is confident that student achievement in both literacy and numeracy will continue to grow in the years ahead.

Anchored in Our Strategic Plan: Belonging, Learning, Wellness for All

The EQAO results connect directly to BHNCDSB’s 2023–27 Strategic Plan priorities:

• Belonging for All — safe, inclusive, equitable, and welcoming environments where students are known, valued, and supported.
• Teaching & Learning for All — innovative, evidence-based learning experiences that strengthen literacy, numeracy, and life-long learning skills.
• Wellness for All — faith-filled communities that support the whole child and help students live their best life.

“Our Strategic Plan reminds us that growth happens when students feel they belong, when instruction is strong, and when wellness is prioritized,” said Carol Luciani, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “We are proud of these advances and fully committed to the work ahead.”

Continuing the Work

Building on this year’s results, BHNCDSB will continue to:

• strengthen early and junior literacy supports that are showing positive impact;
• deepen evidence-based mathematics instruction and intervention from K–6 and through the Grade 7–9 pathway;
• invest in professional learning focused on classroom practice, student engagement, and achievement;
• support student confidence, wellbeing, and identity through inclusive and faith-filled learning communities.

About EQAO

EQAO assessments provide province-wide data on student achievement in reading, writing, and mathematics. Results help school boards and schools celebrate progress while identifying next steps to support learning for all students.

EQAO Overall Results: Provincial Results

Contact: For more information about this media release please contact Phil Wilson, Superintendent of Education | 518-756-6505 Ext. 11266