The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) measures whether students are meeting the minimum 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.
The literacy graduation requirement has been restored beginning with students graduating in the 2022–2023 school year. Students graduating in 2022–2023 are required to meet the literacy graduation requirement. All students in Grades 10 and 11 and non-graduating students, including those who are learning remotely, must also work toward the literacy graduation requirement by participating in the OSSLT or completing the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC).
To provide maximum flexibility for students to acquire the literacy graduation requirement, particularly for students enrolled in remote learning, students can be enrolled in the OSSLC without having attempted the OSSLT in 2022–2023. As of the 2022–2023 school year, the eligibility criteria for the adjudication process for the literacy graduation requirement will revert to the policy outlined in Ontario Schools: Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Program Requirements, 2016 (pp. 65–66).
The administration of the OSSLT will take place from
- Wednesday, November 2, to Wednesday, December 7, 2022, with individual student results reported by end of January 2023.
- Wednesday, March 1, to Wednesday, April 26, 2023, with individual student results reported by mid-June 2023.
Administration User Guides, 2022–2023
These online user guides provide direction and information to school administrators, teachers and IT professionals at schools and boards who are involved in the administration of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test. The user guides provide guidelines and answers to frequently asked questions regarding the role of teachers, administrators and IT professionals in the administration of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test.
The user guides will help guide
- teachers through key aspects, including accessing their accounts, managing their classrooms, preparing their students for assessment sessions, and administering the official assessment sessions.
- school administrators through key aspects, including accessing and navigating their accounts; managing student lists at their school as well as upcoming assessment sessions and teacher accounts; and being a primary point of contact for teachers.
- school boards’ IT team and representatives through key aspects, including navigating the general technical readiness process and preparing for the accessibility and accommodations options, bandwidth and connectivity requirements, security and domain allowed-list protocols as well as the configuration of devices.
Practice Test
Students have the opportunity to become familiar with the online test and its platform through EQAO’s online practice test. The online practice test comprises two sessions, which include content from previous tests. The practice test is equivalent to the two sessions students will be completing during the live test. In addition, the practice test includes an introductory session that allows students to become familiar with the new online platform’s tools and functions
Framework
The Framework provides a detailed description of EQAO’s OSSLT (including how the test is grounded in the Ontario Curriculum’s expectations for literacy skills for all subjects up to the end of Grade 9) as well as a sample student report.
The OSSLT is a computer-based assessment that comprises two sessions (Session A and Session B) containing a total of 33 questions: 31 multiple-select questions (e.g., multiple-choice, drag and drop, drop-down menu, checklist, text selection) and two constructed open-response questions. The OSSLT uses a linear test design. Several equivalent test forms are assembled according to content and statistical specifications ahead of test administration. The forms are fixed in length.
Revised: 03.15.23
Frequently Asked Questions
Information Videos
This video will provide information on what students can expect when participating in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT).
Live Webinars
Webinar for Secondary School Principals & Consultants: Accessing EQAO Data
EQAO is introducing a new reporting tool that allows educators to visualize EQAO data in new ways. In this training session, you will learn how to access EQAO data reports that can inform school improvement planning. EQAO staff will be available to answer your questions.
Webinar for School Principals: Administering the OSSLT 2022-2023
Register for a live webinar and learn the details of administering the OSSLT using the e-assessment system. Participants will hear about updates to the e-assessment system for 2022-23. The session is approximately 45 minutes, followed by a live Q&A with EQAO staff.
OSSLT Webinar for Private School Principals
Q&A Webinars for School Board IT Staff
Staff from EQAO will be available to answer questions that school board IT staff may have about the network readiness requirements for the administration of EQAO assessments.
Online Professional Learning Modules
Learning Module for Principals and Teachers : OSSLT
Register for a self-paced learning module and learn the details of administering the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test using the e-assessment system.
Learning Module: EQAO Collaborative Data Analysis
Register for this self-paced learning module and learn how to use EQAO’s new interactive reporting tool to find information about student success, attitudes, and the contexts in which they live and learn.