Toronto 
Today, the Fraser Institute released its annual rankings for Ontario’s elementary schools, providing a unique resource for parents to evaluate the academic achievements of schools across the province.
Credit: note thanun/ Unsplash
This comprehensive report card includes 3052 public, Catholic, and independent schools, grading them on nine academic indicators based on provincewide testing results in reading, writing, and math for grades 3 and 6. The rankings are based on the 2023-24 school year test results.
“Our Report Cards offer parents information they can’t easily get anywhere else, about how their child’s school performs and how it compares to other schools in Ontario,” said Paige MacPherson, a Fraser Institute senior fellow, in a news release.
The Fraser Institute says the findings highlight that schools can improve academically regardless of their demographic or geographic factors. For example, Burleigh Hill Public School in St. Catharines increased its provincial score from 4.5 in 2018 to 9.9 in 2024, ranking among the fastest-improving schools. Tyendinaga Public School also made significant gains, rising from 1.6 to 5.4, despite 43.5 per cent of students having special needs.
Eligibility for inclusion in the rankings requires schools to have a minimum enrollment and participation in specific grade-level tests. Exclusions apply to schools without a sixth grade, certain French immersion schools, and most private institutions that opt out of mandatory testing.
Top 100 Elementary Schools in Ontario
Arranged in alphabetical order.
Score: 10, Rank 1/3052
- AI-Manarat Heights, Mississauga
- Al-Ameen, Brampton
- Al-Sadeq Academy, Windsor
- Alfajrul Bassem, Oakville
- Applewood, St. Catharines
- Avondale Alternative, North York
- Corpus Christi, Hamilton
- Corpus Christi, Richmond Hill
- Cottingham, Toronto
- Forest Trail, Oakville
- Gracefield. St. Catharines
- Heritage Park, Scarborough
- High Park Alternative, Toronto
- Iroquois, Scarborough
- Islamic Institute of Toronto. Scarborough
- Islamic School of Cambridge, Cambridge
- Kate S Durdan, Niagara Falls
- Kenollie, Mississauga
- Khalsa Malton, Mississauga
- Khalsa Community, Brampton
- Northmount, Toronto
- Ontario Muslim Academy, Cambridge
- Plymouth. Welland
- Poplar Road, Scarborough
- Red Lake Madsen, Red Lake
- Safa & Marwa Islamic, Mississauga
- Sathya Sai, Toronto
- St Agnes of Assisi, Woodbridge
- St Davids/Laura Secord, St. Davids
- St Justin Martyr, Unionville
- St Sebastian, Toronto
Score: 9.9; Rank 32/3052
- Bessborough Drive, East York
- Burleigh Hill, St. Catharines
- Colchester North, Essex
- Father Hennepin, Niagara Falls
- St Vincent de Paul, Niagara Falls
- St. Gabriel, Kanata
Score: 9.8; Rank: 38/3052
- John Dearness, London
- Laure-Rièse, Scarborough
- Orchard Park, Niagara Falls
- Park Public, Grimsby
Score: 9.7; Rank: 42/3052
- Arbour Vista, Guelph
- Bellewood, Windsor
- Courcelette, Scarborough
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Toronto
- Pape Avenue, Toronto
- Pilgrim Wood, Oakville
- St Rose of Lima, Mississauga
- W. Erskine Johnston, Kanata
- Whitney, Toronto
Score: 9.6; Rank: 51/3052
- E J James, Oakville
- Macville, Caledon
- New Central, Oakville
- Oakridge, St. Catharines
- St Michael’s Choir, Toronto
Score: 9.5; Rank: 56/3052
- Bayview Fairways, Thornhill
- E T Crowle, Markham
- Earl A Fairman, Whitby
- German Mills, Thornhill
- Olive Grove, Mississauga
- Ossington/Old Orchard, Toronto
- Power Glen, St. Catharines
- Sainte-Marguerite-Bourgeoys, Markham
- St John of the Cross, Mississauga
- Steele Street, Port Colborne
- Twenty Valley, Vineland
Score: 9.4; Rank: 67/3052
- Ashton Meadows, Markham
- Blythwood, Toronto
- Dyane-Adam, Milton
- Nelles, Grimsby
- Simcoe Street, Niagara Falls
- Stephen Leacock, Kanata
- du Chêne, Oakville
Score: 9.3; Rank: 74/3052
- Bayview Glen, Thornhill
- Bedford Park, Toronto
- Charles-Sauriol, Toronto
- Heximer Avenue, Niagara Falls
- Horizon Jeunesse, Mississauga
- Lambton Kingsway, Etobicoke
- Munns, Oakville
- New Dundee, New Dundee
- Silver Stream, Richmond Hill
- St Charles Garnier, Richmond Hill
- St Joseph, Fergus
- St Pius X, Tecumseh
- Viola-Léger, Bowmanville
- Westdale, St. Catharines
Score: 9.2; Rank: 88/3052
- A K Wigg, Fonthill
- Balmy Beach, Toronto
- Castlemore, Markham
- Father Henri J M Nouwen, Richmond Hill
- ISNA Islamic, Mississauga
- Lincoln Centennial, St. Catharines
- Our Lady of Mt Carmel, Dashwood
- Pine Grove, St. Catharines
- St Edmund, Mississauga
Score: 9.1; Rank: 97/3052
- All Saints, Unionville
- Antonine Maillet, Oshawa
- Ontario, Thorold
- Pauline Johnson, Burlington
- Saint-Guillaume, Vars
- Sir John A. Macdonald, Markham
- Smith, Grimsby
- St George, London
- St Helen, Mississauga
- St Luke, Nepean
- Stonebridge, Markham
- Vance Chapman, Thunder Bay
- William Berczy, Unionville
Fraser Institute says the report aims to offer insights beyond mere academic performance, encouraging parents to consider various facets of potential schools, including extracurricular programs and community values. It also addresses concerns about the potential exclusion of lower-performing students from assessments and outlines measures in place to discourage such practices.
The Fraser Institute advises against using the rankings as the sole criterion for school selection, suggesting a more holistic approach to evaluating educational opportunities.
