Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test

The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) measures whether students met the provincial standard for literacy across all subjects up to the end of Grade 9. Successful completion of the literacy test is one of the requirements to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.  In the 2021-2022 school year, over 1,8000 students in YRDSB participated in the EQAO Ontario Secondary School Literacy Assessment. 

EQAO OSSLT assessments did not occur in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021.  For the 2021-2022 Grade 10 EQAO assessment, EQAO introduced a new computer adaptive assessment.  These computer adaptive assessments are different from the previous paper-based assessments used prior to 2021.  

YRDSB First-Time Eligible Students were:

• Seven percentage points higher than all students in the province (89% compared to 82%)

YRDSB Previously Eligible Students were:

• Six percentage points higher than all students in the province (91% compared to 85%)

Notes and Considerations

Considerations: EQAO notes in their provincial release of results that, “For the first time, EQAO is reporting on the achievement results of its new digitalized assessments at the school and board-level. EQAO’s large-scale modernized assessments introduced a new online model of assessment delivery that differs from that of the prior paper-based assessments.'' Achievement results from the 2021-2022 EQAO note that substantial changes and “a different EQAO assessment model necessitates that new baselines be established.”  In other words, the results from the 2021-2022 should not be compared to previous assessment years as these results are not comparable.  Please consider:  

• In response to the pandemic, students in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years did not participate in any of the EQAO assessments. Prior to 2019, all EQAO assessments were written using paper-and-pencil assessments.  
• Starting in 2021-2022, students in all assessments did so using online computer based adaptive assessments. These new assessments have different cognitive loads and the adaptive nature of the assessments means that students may have different experiences.  
• The new adaptive assessments require students to have access to computer devices for the assessment.  This approach also provided schools a larger window during which students could participate.  Consequently, some students have engaged in the assessment several weeks apart.
• The province introduced a new Elementary Mathematics Curriculum in 2020-2021 and used this curriculum to anchor assessments in the Grade 3 and 6 Mathematics assessments. 
• The province introduced a new Grade 9 Destreamed Mathematics Curriculum for Grade 9 students in 2021-2022 and used this curriculum for the Grade 9 Mathematics Assessment.  Moreover, due to pandemic challenges, only students in the second semester of 2021-2022, enrolled in Grade 9 Destreamed Mathematics participated in EQAO. 
• Prior to 2020, students in Grade 9 mathematics either participated in the Grade 9 EQAO Academic Mathematics Assessment or the Grade 9 EQAO Applied Mathematics Assessment depending on their Grade 9 Course.  With the implementation of the new Mathematics curriculum, all students in the Grade 9 Destreamed Mathematics course participated in the same EQAO Assessment.  

EQAO’s results provides Boards, schools and families with information about how our schools are supporting students.

Highlights of the Provincial Results

• Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics, Primary Division (Grade 3)
• Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics, Junior Division (Grade 6)
• Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics
• Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT)

Board and School Results 

EQAO’s new Interactive EQAO Dashboard provides access to data on students’ EQAO achievement and learning perceptions from across the province, board and schools