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EQAO

General Administration Dates 2025–2026 School Year

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT)
Fall 2025 - Tuesday, November 4, 2025 to Tuesday, December 2, 2025, with individual student results reported on or by the end of January 2026.
Spring 2026- Monday, March 23, 2026 to Monday, April 20, 2026, with individual student results reported on or by the end of May 2026.

Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics
Winter 2026 - Wednesday, January 7, 2026 to Friday, January 30, 2026, with individual student results reported after each student has completed the assessment.
Spring 2026 - Thursday, May 28, 2026 to Wednesday, June 24, 2026, with individual student results reported after each student has completed the assessment.

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) 

Successful completion of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) is a graduation requirement for all high school students in Ontario.  The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) measures whether students are meeting the minimum standard for literacy across all subjects. The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) is employing a computer-based online OSSLT to eligible students across the province. The assessment must be completed in person at the student’s school on a school board owned device.

February 13 2026 - Upcoming EQAO/OSSLT Assessment

Attention Parent(s)/Guardian(s) of Grade 10 Students or Eligible OSSLT Students:

The Education and Quality Accountability Office (EQAO) is running the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) this year for students in grades 10, 11, & 12  This is a graduation requirement for students who will graduate in June 2026.  Additional information about the OSSLT is available on the EQAO website. EQAO employs a computer-based online OSSLT to eligible students across the province. The assessment must be completed in person at the student’s school on a school board owned device.
  
**If your student has successfully completed this requirement, please disregard this memo. 

Students in grade 10 are currently eligible to complete the OSSLT. Eligible senior students (grade 11/12/12+) will write the Literacy Test during our Spring 2026 session as well. This includes students who may not have been successful in the OSSLT assessment in previous years, including those who wrote in Fall 2025. Students enrolled in an English class this semester will be writing the test between March 23rd and April 20th 2026. Once we have a specific schedule we will share this with students and families. Students will complete the assessment in two sessions (Session A and Session B). Session A is designed to be 65 minutes to complete and Session B is designed to be completed in 75 minutes. Additional time can be provided for any students who require it.
 
In preparation, students have the opportunity to become familiar with the online test and its platform through EQAO’s online practice test.  For more information about EQAO and to view the full practice test, you are encouraged to visit EQAO’s website. There will also be an opportunity in class for students to become familiar with the interface of the online test including learning how to use the helpful tools that are now available. Students with an IEP will be offered accommodations consistent with their IEP. This letter will come out shortly to those families.
 
More information will be provided in the coming weeks as it relates to the OSSLT. 

Best Regards, 

Ms. Williams - Department Head of English
Mrs. Dailey - Vice Principal

Below is a list of resources for students to access in preparation for the OSSLT:

Literacy Lessons

OSSLT Practice Test

Student Tips Sheet

Slideshow-Preparing and Supporting Students for the OSSLT

OSSLT Framework

 

Questions? Please contact:

Ms. Williams
Department Head of English
williamsch@hdsb.ca

Mrs. Dailey
Vice Principal
daileya@hdsb.ca

Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO)​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​​​​EQAO is an independent provincial agency funded by the Government of Ontario. Every year, EQAO conducts province-wide tests at key points in each student’s education and reports the results to educators, parents and to the public. These tests measure achievement in reading, writing and mathematics in relation to Ontario Curriculum expectations.

​​EQAO assesses students throughout their educational journey:

  • ​​Grade 3 assessment of reading, writing and mathematics
  • Grade 6 assessment of reading, writing and mathematics
  • Grade 9 assessment of mathematics 
  • Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) - successful completion of the test is one of the requirements students must meet to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma ​

2023-2024 EQAO Results​​​

Grade 3 EQAO Results

Percentage of Fully Participating Students at or Above the Provincial Standard (Levels 3 and 4) for the 2023–2024 school year.

HDSB Mathematics​

69%

  • ​69% of HDSB Grade 3 students met or exceeded the provincial standards in math 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in math exceeded the provincial average by 8%​

HDSB Reading​

77%

  • ​​77% of HDSB Grade 3 students met or exceeded the provincial standards in reading 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in reading exceeded the provincial average by 6%​

HDSB Writing​

71%

  • ​​71% of HDSB Grade 3 students met or exceeded the provincial standards in writing 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in writing exceeded the provincial average by 7%

Grade 6 EQAO Results​ ​​

Percentage of Fully Participating Students at or Above the Provincial Standard (Levels 3 and 4) for the 2022–2023 school year.​

HDSB Mathematics​

62%

  • 62% of HDSB ​Grade 6 students met or exceeded the provincial standards in math 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in math exceeded the provincial average by 12% ​

HDSB Reading​

88%

  • 88% of HDSB Grade 6 students met or exceeded the provincial standards in reading 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in reading exceeded the provincial average by 6%

HDSB Writing ​​

87%

  • 87% of HDSB Grade 6 students met or exceeded the provincial standards in writing 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in writing exceeded the provincial average by 7%​

Grade 9 Math and OSSLT Results

Percentage of Fully Participating Students at or Above the Provincial Standard (Levels 3 and 4) for the 2023–2024 school year.​​

Grade 9 HDSB Mathematics Results​​

​70%

  • 70% of HDSB Grade 9 students met or exceeded the provincial standards in math 
  • This represents an 1% increase as compared to the previous year 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in math exceeded the provincial average by 16% ​

Grade 10 Literacy Test Results ​​

92%

  • ​92% of HDSB students met or exceeded the requirements of the OSSLT ​
  • The percentage of HDSB students who met or exceeded the requirements of the OSSLT exceeded the provincial average by 7%

2022-2023 EQAO Results​

Grade 3 EQAO Results

Percentage of Fully Participating Students at or Above the Provincial Standard (Levels 3 and 4) for the 2022–2023 school year.

HDSB Mathematics​

69%

  • ​69% of HDSB Grade 3 students met or exceeded the provincial standards in math 
  • This represents a 2% increase as compared to the previous year 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in math exceeded the provincial average by 9%​

HDSB Reading​

81%

  • ​​81% of HDSB Grade 3 students met or exceeded the provincial standards in reading 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in reading exceeded the provincial average by 8%​

HDSB Writing​

74%

  • ​​74% of HDSB Grade 3 students met or exceeded the provincial standards in writing 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in writing exceeded the provincial average by 9%

Grade 6 EQAO Results​ ​​

Percentage of Fully Participating Students at or Above the Provincial Standard (Levels 3 and 4) for the 2022–2023 school year.​

HDSB Mathematics​

63%

  • 63% of HDSB Grade 6 students met or exceeded the provincial standards in math 
  • This represents a 4% increase as compared to the previous year 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in math exceeded the provincial average by 13% ​

HDSB Reading​

90%

  • 90% of HDSB Grade 6 students met or exceeded the provincial standards in reading 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in reading exceeded the provincial average by 6​%

HDSB Writing ​​

90%

  • 90% of HDSB Grade 6 students met or exceeded the provincial standards in writing 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in writing exceeded the provincial average by 6%

Grade 9 Math and OSSLT Results

Percentage of Fully Participating Students at or Above the Provincial Standard (Levels 3 and 4) for the 2022–2023 school year.​​

Grade 9 HDSB Mathematics Results​​

69%

  • 69% of HDSB Grade 9 students met or exceeded the provincial standards in math 
  • This represents an 8% increase as compared to the previous year 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in math exceeded the provincial average by 15% ​

Percentage of First-Time Eligible Students Who Were Successful​​

92%

  • ​92% of HDSB students met or exceeded the requirements of the OSSLT 
  • This represents a 3% increase as compared to the previous year 
  • The percentage of HDSB students who met or exceeded the requirements of the OSSLT exceeded the provincial average by 7%

2021-2022 EQAO Results​

Grade 3 EQAO Results​ 

HDSB Mathematics​

67.5%​

HDSB Reading​

82.3%

HDSB Writing​

73.9%

​

Grade 6

HDSB Mathematics​

58.4%

HDSB Reading​

91.5%

HDSB Writing​

90.6%

 

Grade 9 Math and OSSLT Results​

Grade 9 HDSB Mathematics Results​​

61.4%

Percentage of First-Time Eligible Students Who Were Successful​​

89.1%​

Percentage of Previously Eligible Students Who Were Successful​​

93.1%

Individual student results of EQAO assessments are shared with parents/guardians and distributed directly by individual schools while school,  Board and provincial results are shared with public.​ ​Visit the EQAO website for more information.​​​​​​​​​​​​

 Additonal EQAO Information​​​

EQAO distributes an individual report to each student who writes the tests, and posts school, school board and provincial results on its website. Schools and school boards also create their own reports of EQAO data for distribution to parents/guardians and others in their communities. Along with our schools, the Halton District School Board (HDSB) creates our own reports of EQAO data to distribute to parents/guardians and community members.

The assessment results expand upon the current knowledge about student learning, and serve as an important tool for improvement at the individual, school, school board and provincial levels. They can be used effectively to improve student learning through initiatives such as:
  • Developing literacy and numeracy improvement plans
  • Providing extra resources to meet the needs of students
  • Providing parents/guardians with strategies to help their children at home
It is important to remember that EQAO test results provide just one way of measuring student success.