June 15, 2011: Today, the Halton District School Board released the school-by-school results of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) for Grade 10 students. This year 3,821 students in the Halton District School Board participated in the OSSLT.  This represents 97% of all Grade 10 students and is one of the highest participation rates in the province. Boards are permitted to exempt or defer students for whom the test is not currently appropriate.

Eighty-eight per cent of Halton District School Board students passed the test on their first attempt, which is above the provincial average of 83%.  The success rate of students in Halton has been maintained during the past five years while the number of successful Grade 10 students in the Halton District School Board has grown with the population. The percentage of fully participating students and the success rate of students in Halton has continued to surpass the provincial average during this five-year period.

Success Rates for OSSLT First Time Writers:
            
              2007       2008    2009     2010       2011
HDSB      90.1%     89.5%    90.9%    89.6%     88.4%
Ontario    84.0%     84.0%    85.0%    84.0%     83.0%

Students who are unsuccessful or miss their first opportunity to write the OSSLT may take the test in subsequent years.  As well, students who have found the format of the test difficult have the opportunity to take the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC) to improve their literacy and develop a portfolio to demonstrate their reading and writing skills. Successful completion of this course meets the literacy requirement for graduation. 

“Obtaining this literacy standard is a prerequisite for a student to receive a diploma,” says David Euale, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board.  “The efforts of teachers and the Board to address literacy in both elementary and secondary schools has virtually eliminated this standard as a barrier to graduation.” 

“For example, of our students first eligible to write the OSSLT in 2007-2008, 97% have acquired the literacy standard through success on the test or success in the literacy course,” adds Euale.    

Associate Director Jeff Blackwell feels strongly Halton District School Board students are being well prepared for the literacy test.

“Our schools have continued to focus on helping all of our students successfully demonstrate their literacy skills,” says Blackwell. “Not only do we have one of the highest success rates in the province, we also have one of the highest participation rates.  Administrators and teachers use the information from the OSSLT along with other data related to student performance to improve instruction and intervention strategies so Halton District School Board students continue to be successful in the acquisition of reading and writing skills.”

Note: Click here for a table of the school results


For additional information, contact:
     Jeff Blackwell, Associate Director (ext. 3352)
     Halton District School Board 
     (905) 335-3663; Toll free: 1 877 618-3456