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National and
International
Assessments

Overview    |  ■ TIMSS  ■ PIRLS  ■ PISA  ■ PCAP  ■ SITES

Information on Previous Assessments

Assessments and Project Summaries

Ontario has recently participated in several national and international assessments as outlined in the project summaries.

AssessmentSchool Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP) Science
SampleRandom samples, 5000 13- and 16-year-olds
SubjectScience
AdministrationApril 1999
ReportsJune 2000
SummaryOntario participated in the Council of Ministers of Education, Canadas (CMEC) School Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP) Science Assessment, which was conducted in April and May of 1999. The assessment was administered in a random sample of about 400 Ontario schools (English and French) and involved a total of approximately 5000 13- and 16-year-old students. This is CMECs second round of testing in science; the first occurred in 1996. The 1999 science assessment had two separate components: a written test of science concepts that was administered by the classroom teacher, and a hands-on, practical test of science skills that was administered by EQAO representatives. In each of the selected schools, a random sample of 13- and 16-year-old students was involved in the assessment activity, and the selected students took part in one component only. The assessment took about two and a half hours to complete.
Date Results ReleasedMay 2000
Link to Results FileSchool Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP) Science Assessment Results
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AssessmentSchool Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP) Mathematics
SampleRandom samples, 5000 13- and 16-year-olds
SubjectMathematics
AdministrationApril 2001
ReportsWinter/spring 2002
SummaryThe SAIP mathematics assessment was conducted in April 2001. Two prior rounds of SAIP mathematics testing have occurred (in 1993 and 1997) using essentially the same instruments. Ontario was part of the consortium to design and administer the assessment.
Date Results ReleasedApril 2002
Link to Results FileSchool Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP) Mathematics Assessment Results
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AssessmentSchool Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP) Writing
SampleRandom samples, 5000 13- and 16-year-olds
SubjectWriting
AdministrationApril 2002
ReportsDecember 2002
SummaryThe administration of the next SAIP reading and writing assessment was scheduled for the spring of 2002; however, the CMEC felt there was insufficient time to design and develop the reading component of the assessment. Consequently, only the writing component was administered in 2002 (the reading component will be conducted at a later date). Two earlier cycles of writing assessment were conducted in 1994 and 1998. The design and development of the 2002 writing assessment began in January 2001. Field testing of the instruments and procedures took place during the fall of 2001.
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AssessmentTrends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)-R
SampleRandom samples, 4000 Grade 8 students
SubjectMathematics and science
AdministrationMay 1999
ReportsDecember 2000
SummaryOntario participated in the Third International Mathematics and Science Study Repeat project (TIMSS-R). TIMSS, a project conducted under the auspices of the IEA, was originally administered in the spring of 1995 and involved students in Grades 3 and 4, 7 and 8 and 12 and OAC in Ontario. The TIMSS-R project, in which 38 countries participated, was administered in Ontario in May 1999 and involved randomly selected samples of students in Grade 8. This study allowed us to examine how the cohort of students (English and French) who were in Grade 4 in 1995 performed in mathematics and science as Grade 8 students four years later.
Date Results ReleasedDecember 2000
Link to Results FileSchool Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP) Mathematics Assessment Results
TIMSS Instructional MaterialsAs a follow-up to the original TIMSS study, EQAO commissioned research concerning the common types of errors and misconceptions that Ontario students demonstrated in their work. On the strength of this research, EQAO developed a series of resource materials to assist Ontario teachers in addressing areas where students' work demonstrated a lack of understanding or knowledge. The resource materials contain information about Ontario students' learning strengths and weaknesses in mathematics and science. These materials comprise four booklets on mathematics and science instruction. They were designed primarily for Grades 4 and 8 and secondary school teachers but are useful for all elementary and secondary mathematics and science teachers. They also describe effective teaching strategies and approaches that can be used to address the areas of weakness.
These documents were released during the 1999–2000 school year.
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AssessmentOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Program (OECD's) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2000
SampleRandom samples, 4000 15-year-olds
SubjectReading (major) mathematics and science (minor)
AdministrationSpring 2000
ReportsDecember 2001
SummaryOntario participated in the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in reading (major subject), and mathematics and science (minor subjects), which was administered in the spring of 2000. The study involved randomly selected samples of 15-year-old students. Approximately 4000 Ontario students participated in the full administration.
For more information concerning PISA, or to purchase relevant publications, please visit the following Web site: www.pisa.gc.ca
Date Results ReleasedDecember 2000
Link to Results FileSchool Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP) Mathematics Assessment Results
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AssessmentSecond Information Technology in Education Study (SITES) Module 1 (Surveys)
SampleRandom samples, 1100 schools with students in Grades 5, 9 and 12/OAC
SubjectComputer technology and its use in schools; principal and technical questionnaires
AdministrationNovember and December 1998
ReportsSeptember 1999
SummaryIn November and December 1998, Ontario participated in Module 1 of the International Associations for the Evaluation of Educational Acjievement's (IEAs) Second Information Technology in Education Study (SITES). It involved random samples of a total of approximately 1100 Ontario schools (English with French) with students in Grades 5, 9 and 12/OAC. School principals and school computer coordinators responded to questionnaires, which asked about computers and computer use in schools. Many questions dealt with barriers to and elements that facilitate the implementation of technology in schools.
Date Reports ReleasedSeptember 1999
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AssessmentSecond Information Technology in Education Study (SITES) Module 2 (Case Studies)
SampleCase studies of 15 Canadian school sites (four in Ontario), elementary, and lower and upper secondary
SubjectCase studies using interview, observation, document analysis and audio and video taping
Administration2000–2001 school year
Reports2003
SummaryModule 2 of SITES involved case studies that focus on schools that display innovative pedagogical practices using technology. These case studies identified trends and patterns in cultural values, educational policy, resources, leadership, teacher training, technical support, curriculum and pedagogy that support innovative and exemplary practices. The purpose of the study was to obtain information to support improvement in technology use in schools. In each participating country or province, approximately two or three schools were studied per level selected (i.e., elementary and lower and upper secondary). SITES Module 2 was implemented during the 2000–2001 school year. EQAO, together with York University's Centre for the Study of Computers in Education, is part of a consortium that is serving as the International Coordinating Centre (ICC) for the project. The other two consortium members are the Centre for Applied Research at the University of Twente, the Netherlands, and Stanford Research Institute in the US. ICC activities are funded by the IEA.
Date Report Released2003
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AssessmentSecond Information Technology in Education Study (SITES) Module 3 (Assessments and Surveys)
SampleRandom samples of intact classes, minimum 150 schools; 15 teachers per school; survey of teachers of intact ICT class (optional)
SubjectRepeat of Module 1 school surveys (principal and technical); teacher survey and student performance assessment
AdministrationMay 2005
ReportsDecember 2006
SummaryThe goals of SITES Module 3 are to determine how well students can manage knowledge with information and communication technologies (ICT); to find out how ready teachers and schools are to utilize ICT effectively, especially for pedagogies needed for knowledge management; and to provide profiles of school use of ICT, identifying trends since Module 1 in 1998. The project will involve a curriculum analysis, student performance assessment and surveys of students, teachers and principals. A minimum of 150 schools will be randomly selected in each "country," and within each school one intact class and 15 teachers (where appropriate) will be randomly chosen for participation.
Data collection is planned for May 2005, and the release of final reports is scheduled for December 2006.
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AssessmentEvaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS)
SampleRandom samples, 4000 grade 4 students
SubjectReading
AdministrationMay 2001
ReportsApril 2003
SummaryOntario participated in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). This international assessment was conducted in 35 countries around the world under the auspices of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). It assessed the reading skills of Grade 4 students.
Grade 4 classes in 200 randomly selected Ontario schools took part in this study between April and May 2001. A pilot test was held in 25 Ontario schools in September 2000 to verify the validity of the assessment for the main study in 2001.
The test was administered in two 40-minute sessions separated by a short break.
The students, their parents, their teacher and the school principal were asked to complete a contextual questionnaire concerning reading habits and practices. It took between 20 and 30 minutes to complete this questionnaire.
A report on international and provincial performance was released in April 2003.
For more information about PIRLS, please send your questions or comments to PIRLS or visit the PIRLS Web site.
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AssessmentTrends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003
SampleRandom samples, 5000 Grades 4 and 8 students
SubjectMathematics and science
AdministrationSpring 2003
ReportsDecember 2004
SummaryTIMSS 2003 assessed student achievement in mathematics and science in Grades 4 and 8 (Populations 1 and 2). Jurisdictions that participated in the earlier TIMSS assessments, such as Ontario, were able to study trends from 1995 and 1999. Instrument development took place during 2001, field testing occurred in the spring of 2002 and the main data collection happened in the spring of 2003.
Date Results ReleasedDecember 2004
Link to Results FileTrends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 Assessment Results
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AssessmentOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Program (OECD's) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003
SampleRandom samples, 5000 15-year-old students
SubjectMathematics (major) science and reading (minor)
AdministrationApril and May 2003
ReportsDecember 2004
SummaryThe Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Program (OECD's) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003 involved approximately 5000 randomly selected 15-year-old Ontario anglophone and francophone students. All of the students were tested in mathematics as the major PISA domain, and most of the students were also tested in science, reading or both as minor PISA domains. The assessment included a brief student questionnaire and a principal questionnaire. The total amount of testing time for students was about three hours.
Date Results ReleasedDecember 2004
Link to Results FileOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Program (OECD's) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003 Assessment Results
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