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Ontario’s Math Struggles Spark Provincial Review of Student Testing

Ontario’s latest standardized test results reveal that math achievement remains a serious concern across the province , with many students failing to meet expected benchmarks. The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) released its 2024–2025 assessment data this week, showing that only 51% of Grade 6 students and 58% of Grade 9 students met the provincial math standard , while Grade 3 students fared slightly better at 64%. Despite modest improvements compared to previous years, the results underscore a persistent gap in student performance. Education Minister Paul Calandra acknowledged that progress has been too slow, announcing the creation of a two-member advisory body to review Ontario’s approach to standardized testing and curriculum delivery . The review will examine whether current teaching strategies, resources, and assessment methods are effectively supporting student learning. The EQAO results also highlighted disparities among student groups and school boards ,...

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Alzheimer’s vaccines get a boost from new drug approval

 

After decades of disappointment and controversy, the field of Alzheimer’s disease research has finally seen a breakthrough with the approval of the first drug that targets the underlying pathology of the condition. 

Aducanumab, a monoclonal antibody that clears amyloid plaques from the brain, was granted accelerated approval by the US Food and Drug Administration in June 2021, despite mixed results from clinical trials and objections from some experts. 

The drug’s approval has rekindled interest in other therapeutic approaches that aim to prevent or slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s, such as vaccines that stimulate the immune system to attack amyloid or tau, another protein that accumulates in the brains of people with the disease. 

Several vaccine candidates are currently in various stages of development and testing, and some researchers are optimistic that they could offer a more effective and convenient way to treat Alzheimer’s than infusions of antibodies.


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