Ontario's education accountability office says "persistently low" test rates for students in high school applied math and English suggest the province should review those courses.

Provincial test results released today show that half of the high school students in applied math are not meeting the provincial standard.

The Education Quality and Accountability Office says results on the Grade 10 literacy test have decreased each year for the past five years among students in applied English.

CEO Bruce Rodrigues says in a statement that it's "worth reviewing" the applied courses to learn how they can better support student achievement.

The EQAO says that in elementary school, the percentage of both Grade 3 and Grade 6 students who met the provincial standard for math has dropped since 2010.

The literacy test results show that rates are improving in elementary schools and while 83 per cent of Grade 10 students were successful on the test on their first try, the success rate dropped among students in applied English.