For the past two school years, the EQAO has been paused in Ontario for students in grades 3, 6 and 9, and one local educator believes it's time for the tests to be stopped permanently.
As a result of having to deal with regular interruptions to learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years, there's a real issue of students overall who are trying to catch up on their learning.
Greater Essex ETFO President Mario Spagnuolo says restarting the EQAO test will largely be an exercise in futility, and there's also a financial incentive to cancelling the test.
"When we do the math it's about $30 million to run the actual EQAO, but then there's initiatives that come with it so we've averaged it out when we've done the calculations. It's about $100 million annually that they spend on either putting forward the test and then supporting the test through different initiatives," Spagnuolo said.
Spagnuolo says when he talks to teachers, parents and students it's clear there's a belief that the money spent on the EQAO can be better used to support students with special needs and upgrading schools among other things.
He says students need more supports, and public education requires more funding and staff in order to address the learning needs of Ontario students.
"It doesn't provide additional value to the student's education program," he continued. "In fact when we asked teachers and parents in the past does this improve education the majority have said no, there is no research that shows it benefits education."
After two years of disruptions, some might say the EQAO could show where exactly the shortfalls are for many students.
Spagnuolo says while that's a valid point, the best way for parents to find out how their children are doing is by talking to their teacher.
"If your child goes to a public school speak to their teacher if you're concerned about where they're at. Our teachers work hours on preparing report cards, and they go out next Monday actually a week from today. Those report cards will tell you so much more than a standardized test and it will reflect what actually happens in the context of a classroom."
Spagnuolo has launched a petition calling on the provincial government, specifically Premier Ford and Education Minister Lecce, to end EQAO testing for students in grades 3, 6, and 9 for 2022 and going forward.
- with files from AM800's The Morning Drive