EQAO has worked alongside educators, parents and guardians, and policy-makers to help build a clearer picture of student learning in Ontario. The timeline below reflects how the agency emerged, why it was created and how its role has evolved. From its early days as a response to growing calls for accountability to its current place in the province’s assessment system, EQAO’s history highlights the relationship between assessment data, policy decisions and the evolving needs of Ontario learners.
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1995
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Ontario’s Royal Commission on Learning
“It seems obvious to us that the public school system is responsible to the public, and owes to the public to demonstrate how well it’s doing with our children…So we take a stand on behalf of close monitoring of every child’s progress right from the earliest years, and of the system itself at every level, in order that both can learn to be even better.”
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1996
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1996
Establishment of EQAO
The Ontario government, with all-party support, established EQAO as a Crown agency through the Education Quality and Accountability Act of 1996 in response to recommendations from the 1994 Royal Commission on Learning.
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1996
Establishment of the Assessment Advisory Committee (AAC)
Originally the AAC was a committee that brought together representatives of various stakeholder groups, charged with providing advice on assessment activities. Since the role of EQAO has evolved, the committee has been repurposed and renamed. The AAC has since progressed into the EQAO Advisory Committee (EAC), which provides advice on EQAO programs and policies through the Director of Assessment and Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer.
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1997
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1997
First Administration of the Grade 3 Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics
EQAO’s first full-census large-scale assessment was conducted during the 1996–1997 school year and assessed Grade 3 students’ reading, writing and mathematics skills at the end of the primary division, according to curriculum expectations. The assessment required approximately 12 hours of testing over two weeks.
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1997
First Release of EQAO Results
On October 31, 1997, EQAO released its first Provincial Report on Achievement, which summarized the EQAO results for the Grade 3 Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics.
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1998
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1998
Trial Administration of the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics
EQAO piloted a mathematics assessment in multiple Grade 9 classrooms.
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1999
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1999
First Administration of the Grade 6 Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics
The Grade 6 Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics was introduced in the spring of 1999, at the end of the junior division, and required approximately 12 hours of testing over two weeks.
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1999
Establishment of the EQAO Research Program
As part of its commitment to providing objective, reliable and useful data about student achievement, EQAO established a dedicated research program to ensure its data supports evidence‑informed decisions that enhance student learning.
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2000
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2000
Trial Administration of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT)
The OSSLT was introduced and administered over two half-days.
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2001
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2001
First Administration of the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics
The first full-census administration of the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics was introduced in 2001 and required about five hours of testing over two days. Two test administrations were held each year: in winter for students taking Grade 9 math courses in first semester, and in spring for students taking the math courses in their second semester or over the full year. Different versions of the assessment were developed for students taking the applied and academic mathematics courses, and the assessments were based on the relevant curriculum expectations.
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2002
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2002
First Administration of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT)
The first full-census administration of the OSSLT took place in February 2002 and required about five hours of testing over two half-days.
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2002
Launch of the Quality Assessments Review
In November 2002, five years after the administration of the agency’s first assessment, EQAO’s board of directors launched the Ensuring Quality Assessments review. The purpose of this initiative was to conduct a comprehensive review of all aspects of EQAO’s assessment program to ensure that current international standards of best practice in large-scale assessment were being met, and that the agency’s reporting satisfied user needs for accountability, improvement planning and staff development. The review process had three main components that included a study of best practices, an external review by a team of experts from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto, and consultation with stakeholders. EQAO responded to the key findings and implemented refinements to assessment programs.
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2004
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2004
Creation of the School Support and Outreach Team
A team of school principals at EQAO was established to build capacity for the appropriate use of data, support improvement-planning conversations, and conduct outreach activities with schools across Ontario. The team also helps parents and guardians understand, interpret and use EQAO data.
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2005
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2005
Further Enhancements to Assessment Designs, Assessment Practices and Reporting
Starting in the 2004–2005 school year, significant enhancements were implemented, such as reducing the total testing time for all assessments, reducing the time between administration and reporting, and making refinements to the reporting of student results.
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2005
Establishment of the Psychometric Expert Panel (PEP)
PEP was a group of Ontario, national and international measurement and assessment experts who reviewed EQAO’s assessment methodologies and provided technical advice on psychometric methodologies and practices. In 2017, the panel shifted to become the Modernization in Measurement Advisory Panel (MMAP) to address the agency’s transformation and modernization. MMAP was composed of experts in large-scale assessment who share knowledge and expertise to support EQAO in meeting its digitalization and modernization objectives. In 2025, the panel was discontinued so that EQAO could reassess the terms of reference and scope to ensure alignment with evolving priorities.
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2005
Establishment of the Assessment Committees
Following the recommendations outlined in the Ensuring Quality Assessments: The Move Forward report published in 2004, the agency developed two new committees: Assessment Development Committee (ADC) and Sensitivity Committee (SC). The ADC reviewed items to ensure they were appropriate for the age and grade of the student and directly linked to Ontario Curriculum learning expectations. The SC reviewed the items for fairness and accessibility to the broadest range of Ontario students by considering equity issues related to gender, culture, English-language-learner status and special-education-needs status. The two committees eventually combined and evolved into the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Assessment Development Committee.
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2006
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2006
Establishment of the Student Data Collection (SDC) System
The SDC process in place for all assessments allows school boards to submit their school’s data electronically instead of requiring school staff to provide information to EQAO on paper. This significant enhancement reduced schools’ workload for submitting student-level data, which is used to prepare for the administration of assessments, and better positioned the agency to report results in a timelier manner.
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2007
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2007
Release of EQAO’s First Cohort Report
EQAO reported achievement results in reading, writing and mathematics for a cohort of students whose achievement was tracked from Grade 3 to Grade 6.
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2009
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2009
Auditor General of Ontario Review of EQAO
The annual report of the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario (OAGO) confirmed the quality, reliability and value-for-money of EQAO’s assessment program.
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2009
School and Board Profile Web Pages
EQAO debuted the school- and board-profile web pages on its public website. The enhanced school-search feature gives parents and the public easier access to school and board results.
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2011
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2011
First Cohort Report Bridging Elementary to Secondary Divisions
EQAO released a cohort report that tracked students’ mathematics achievement as they progressed from the primary and junior divisions to Grade 9.
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2011
Auditor General of Ontario Follow-Up Report
The audit praised EQAO’s budgeting and procurement processes and acknowledged that the agency had reduced its expenditure by more than 20% over five years while delivering substantially the same service. The follow-up report confirmed that substantial progress had been made toward addressing almost all of the recommendations from the Auditor General’s 2009 Annual Report.
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2012
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2012
Development of the First Online Reporting Tool
To facilitate the analysis and review of EQAO data, EQAO developed the EQAO Reporting Tool for administrators and board contacts. This tool allows educators to put student names behind the data, to generate reports to support their students and to cross-reference students’ results with demographic and contextual information.
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2014
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2014
Launch of Online Assessments
The project was launched in September 2014 to bring the provincial assessments in line with the digital world and the digital classroom. The first assessment selected to move online was the OSSLT. During the 2014–2015 school year, more than 10 000 students from more than 100 schools across 59 school boards participated in the field test.
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2018
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2018
Creation of the EQAO Student Advisory Committee
Elementary- and secondary-school students from across Ontario were invited for the first time to join an EQAO working group to share feedback, advice and their educational experience. In 2021, the committee was renamed the EQAO Student Engagement Committee to reflect the ongoing open dialogue between students and the agency, which is central to EQAO’s work.
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2019
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2019
Addition of the Mathematics Proficiency Test (MPT) to EQAO’s Mandate
EQAO’s mandate expanded to include the development of the MPT for teacher candidates.
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2020
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2020
Pause of EQAO Assessments During the COVID-19 Pandemic
EQAO assessments and reporting of results were paused during the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 school years. The agency used this time to digitalize and modernize its large-scale assessments.
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2021
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2021
Launch of E-Assessments
EQAO field tested the online Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test with secondary-school students who were attending school in person during the 2020–2021 school year.
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2021
Launch of Online Scoring
As EQAO assessments shifted online, scoring followed suit: selected-response questions are scored automatically (computer-scored), while open-response questions are scored by qualified educators who are trained to follow the principles outlined on clear and consistent rubrics.
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2022
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2022
First Release of Digital Assessment Results
EQAO released its first provincial, school board and school results since the digitalization of its assessments. The agency also launched modernized online reporting tools with interactive dashboards and enhanced data visualization.
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2022
Establishment of the Position of Chief Equity and Assessment Officer (CEAO) and Equity Team
EQAO’s’ CEAO is responsible for setting and implementing a renewed vision for equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) that seeks to eliminate systemic organizational barriers and promote inclusive and anti-racist practices across the agency’s structures, culture and leadership. In addition, an internal Equity Team was established to increase staff awareness of EDI-related issues through training sessions and other hands-on activities. Together, these initiatives support the development of long-term actions aimed at fostering more equitable assessments and a more inclusive organizational culture.
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2023
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2023
Establishment of the First Nations Collaborative Council (FNCC) and the Métis Network
The FNCC committee and the Métis Network guides EQAO with fulfilling the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as they relate to student achievement and well-being and community expectations. FNCC and Métis Network members make recommendations to the agency that address the needs of First Nations, Métis and Inuit students and populations. The committee also provides opportunity for collaboration and input on EQAO policies and programs, including guidance on large-scale assessments.
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2024
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2024
E-Assessment Association (eAA) Best Practitioner of the Year (Team) Award
EQAO won the Best Practitioner of the Year (Team) Award at the 2024 International e-Assessment Association (eAA) Awards, highlighting the agency’s leadership in the modernization and transformation of Ontario’s large‑scale assessment program, and demonstrating EQAO’s role as a leader in innovative, digital assessment practices.
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2024
Establishment of the EQAO Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (MYP)
EQAO’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (MYP) outlines the agency’s commitment to improving accessibility for employees and removing barriers to inclusion for its partners and stakeholders, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA), the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR), and the Ontario Human Rights Code.
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2024
Establishment of the Black Communities Collaborative Council (BCCC)
The BCCC examines the experiences of Black students taking EQAO assessments and helps to dismantle anti-Black racism by identifying how it may be present in the agency’s policies and processes around assessment creation, administration and reporting. BCCC members make recommendations and provide insights that are crucial to creating more culturally relevant and responsive assessments and enable Black students to best demonstrate their learning.
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2025
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2025
First Cohort Reporting of Digital Assessments
The agency released its first report on the achievement of cohorts of students since the modernization of EQAO’s assessments. These cohort reports track progress in reading, writing and mathematics for students moving from Grade 3 in 2021–2022 to Grade 6 in 2024–2025, and in mathematics from Grade 6 in 2021–2022 to Grade 9 in 2024–2025.
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2025
First Nations Data Stewardship Advisory Committee
Comprised of representatives from the Chiefs of Ontario, and numerous First Nations organizations, the committee examines where EQAO interacts with First Nations student data and helps inform and support the development of data stewardship policies, procedures and guidelines for the agency.
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2025
eAA Best Research Award
EQAO was once again honoured to receive international recognition for innovation in assessment research in digital large-scale assessment. The e-Assessment Association (eAA) Best Research Award reflects EQAO’s leadership in generating actionable insights that support student achievement and system improvement on the global stage.
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2026
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2026
30th Anniversary
Since 1996, the agency has provided relevant, evidence-based data that supports student success, public accountability and continuous improvement across Ontario’s education system.
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2026
eAA Awards
EQAO wins the Excellence in Accessibility (A11Y) Award and the CIEA Educational Assessment Outcomes Award. These awards recognize the agency’s commitment to inclusive digital assessments and EQAO’s positive impact on teaching and learning, in partnership with the Upper Canada District School Board.
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2026
First-Time Hosting the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA) Conference
EQAO, in partnership with the International Association for Educational Assessment and Vretta, hosts the IAEA’s 51st Annual Conference in Toronto, under the theme “Trust, Transparency and Technology in Educational Assessment.”
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