Learning, Engagement and Achievement
What This Commitment Means
We’re committed to creating vibrant, supportive learning environments where students and staff can thrive. This includes helping students build strong, transferable skills; offering a wide range of learning opportunities that reflect their interests and goals; ensuring student voices help shape their experience; and providing staff with high-quality, evidence-informed professional learning to support their growth and student success.
Highlights from 2025-2026
- Implemented a comprehensive capacity-building strategy to advance literacy achievement, fulfilling 91 requests across 66 elementary schools and delivering 270 days of targeted support.
- Learning Resource Teachers and Early Reading Itinerant Resource Teachers partnered with 870 Kindergarten to Grade 3 teachers to support small-group instruction and collaborative planning.
- Credit-accumulation rates remain strong: 91% of Grade 9 students earned eight or more credits and 89.4 % of Grade 10 students earned 16 or more – both above benchmark.
- Implemented a comprehensive, data-driven support initiative to advance student achievement in numeracy across 30 elementary schools, providing in-classroom co-teaching, math programming reviews and professional learning planning.
- Halton Skills Competition showcases student talent and pathways in technological education
- Halton District School Board celebrates 42nd annual Celebration of Student Excellence event
- HDSB continues to achieve strong results in EQAO scores and independent rankings
By The Numbers
| Metric | Result (2025-26) |
|---|---|
| % of Kindergarten to Grade 3 students meeting/exceeding benchmark (Acadience) | 70% |
| % of Grade 1–8 students meeting/exceeding provincial standard | 69.8% – 88.3% across grades and subject areas |
| Grade 9 students earning 8+ credits | 91.0% |
2025-2026 EQAO Results
Results released from the Ontario Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) show HDSB students continue to perform above provincial standards in literacy and mathematics, with growing achievement year-over-year.
Grade 3 EQAO results
- In Grade 3 Reading, 80 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standards in 2025-2026, remaining steady with the 2024-2025 results. The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in Reading exceeded the provincial average by five per cent.
- In Grade 3 Writing, 74 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standards, increasing from 71 per cent in 2024-2025. The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in Writing exceeded the provincial average by seven per cent.
- In Grade 3 Mathematics, 71 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standards, remaining steady with the 2024-2025 school year. The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in Math exceeded the provincial average by five per cent.
Grade 6 EQAO results
- In Grade 6 Reading, 92 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standards, remaining steady with the 2024-2025 results. The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in Reading exceeded the provincial average by six per cent.
- In Grade 6 Writing, 92 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standards, an increase from the 91 per cent of students who achieved this benchmark the previous year. The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in Writing exceeded the provincial average by six per cent.
- In Grade 6 Mathematics, 64 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standards. The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in Math exceeded the provincial average by 13 per cent.
Grade 9 EQAO results
- In Grade 9 Mathematics, 76 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standards. The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in Math exceeded the provincial average by 18 per cent.
Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT)
- In the Grade 10 OSSLT, 91 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the requirements, exceeding the provincial average by five per cent.
What’s Next
- Expand Tier 1–3 literacy supports beyond the early years, focusing especially on Grade 3–9 and students with special education needs.
- Analyze 2025-2026 assessments (EQAO, OSSLT/TPCL) and adjust interventions accordingly.
- Continue building professional learning for numeracy, especially through blended (in-person and virtual) models to reach more educators.
- Strengthen student voice and diverse-learning-pathway options, ensuring every learner has meaningful choice and support toward graduation.
2025-2026 CEO’s Annual Report Sections
Six Commitments to Student Success
