who marks eqao tests?

The EQAO is the provincial Education Equality and Accountability Office. It is an independent government body that develops and oversees reading, writing and mathematics tests that Ontario students must take in Grades 3, 6, 9, and 10.

The tests give parents, teachers, principals and school boards information about how well students have learned what the province expects them to learn in reading, writing and mathematics.

The report tells you if your child’s skills are at:

Students writing the grade 10 literacy test will receive a pass/fail grade.

The grades 3 and 6 tests do not count as part of a student’s mark and do not affect their progress or future opportunities in school. The grade 9 math test can count for up to 10% of the student’s math mark. However, students must pass the Grade 10 Literacy Test or Literacy course in order to graduate with an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

There is no special preparation for the tests. Some teachers provide sample questions to help students understand what the tests will be like. The best way to help your child is to make sure they are rested and at school on time.

Yes, although some ESL students may be exempt if they have recently arrived in Canada. Others may have “accommodations” such as more time to write the test, a quiet setting or having someone read instructions and questions. The principal must consult with parents about making accommodations or exempting a student from the test.

All students are encouraged to write the test but some students with special needs may be exempt. These students usually have Individual Education Plans (IEPs) that outline “accommodations” or “supports” that help them succeed in school. The “accommodations” also help students write the EQAO tests. They may include more time to write, a quiet setting or having someone read instructions or questions to them.

The principal must consult with parents about making accommodations or exempting a student from the test.

In grade 3, schools may choose to have French Immersion students write only the French version of the mathematics test and receive results only for mathematics, or they may ask that French Immersion students write both the French math test and the English reading and writing tests.

In Grade 6, French Immersion students are expected to write all the tests in English, though they may use a bilingual glossary of mathematical terms.

Teachers and principals get a report that shows how students performed in reading, writing and mathematics. If many students did poorly on a particular skill, then teachers try to find better teaching strategies or resources to help students be more successful. If students in many schools have similar difficulties, then school boards know that all schools need to improve their teaching strategies or find better resources. Parents receive test results in the fall. Results are sent to the school where the students wrote the test, and the school forwards them to any students who have left the school.

The EQAO website has answers to frequently asked questions, sample tests, and test results.

The tests are a way to measure your progress against a provincial standard of educational achievements. The results also show what needs improvement in the public education system, and holds educators accountable for what they're supposed to be teaching.

Students take the EQAO test at different points throughout their public education. Every student in Ontario has to take the EQAO test in:

The EQAO tests are based on the curriculum that you're following as a student in Ontario, so no additional studying is required. As long as you're keeping up with what's being taught in your classes, you will be prepared to pass the tests.

Still, if you'd like to do additional preparation and familiarize yourself with the format of the test, head on over to www.eqao.com for more resources.

The OSSLT is the final provincial test and a particularly important because it measures whether students are meeting the minimum standard for literacy across all subjects up to the end of grade 9. Students must pass the OSSLT to graduate from high school.

Students who fail their literacy test are allowed to re-take it until they pass.

Some schools may use the results of the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics to count towards your course grade, but the results can only count for up to 30% of your final grade.

Support for standardized testing is waning in modern times. In fact, the very teachers mandated to deliver the EQAO tests are some of its most vocal opponents.

According to the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, there are 3 main issues with the EQAO assessments:

1. The tests are unnatural and, thus, not accurate assessments. Silent, multiple-choice testing doesn’t reflect a normal learning experience or allow all children to demonstrate their skills to the best of their ability. Test data is hyper-focused, doesn’t reflect well-being and other skills, and doesn’t account for the many other aspects of the school experience.

2. The $30 million investment in the EQAO would be better spent on enhanced staffing and resources for smaller class sizes, more 1:1 support for learning disabilities, and stronger systems for equity and inclusion. These investments would enhance learning for all students.

3. The EQAO results are used to “rank” schools unfairly, without consideration for background factors affecting school averages. This further serves to encourage inequity across districts and school by school, by attracting parents and real estate markets to particular school districts based on ranking.

If you’re like most parents, the EQAO test likely doesn’t cross your mind until your child comes home stressing about their performance. It’s natural for children to pick up on the stress teachers and administrators might be facing in preparation for the EQAO assessment.

The EQAO test is meant to provide a snapshot of the state of Ontario education in order to “keep the public education system accountable to taxpayers,” according to the EQAO. “The agency provides schools and school boards with detailed reports about their students’ achievement, as well as contextual, attitudinal and behavioural information from questionnaires… These data are used to improve school programming and classroom instruction.”

If your child feels worried about their EQAO “performance,” remind them these are tests of the school system and not them as individuals. As with any testing situation, staying calm is the best strategy.

The EQAO results do not impact your child’s grades or their success at school. Talk to your child’s teacher or suggest your child speaks with their teacher if they feel pressured to perform in a certain way on the day of the tests. You can also minimize the attention paid to the EQAO results when they come in.