The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) is Ontario’s only agency that checks the key education as well as numeric skills at important points in the school life of a student. EQAO tests are based on the syllabus of Ontario and tells how well students can use the skills they have learned in everyday problems. They help teachers to see how good these students are doing and gives you a clear picture of how your child is performing.
This exam checks the basic level skills of a student and how good they know simple texts, get ideas in writing, and use simple maths topics such as number sense, patterns, and basic problem-solving.
In Grade 6, students show a high level of reading, writing, and solving maths problems. By taking the EQAO grade 6 practice test a student can know more about the type of questions that may come in the exam.
The Grade 9 math test checks the algebra thinking, equations, study graphs, and data. It shows how good a student can use maths to solve real-time problems. You can use EQAO sample tests online to know the level of questions that are there in the exam.
This test can only be taken twice. If a student fails this test, they will then be required to complete the OLC4O course to be eligible to receive their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
Suppose you have your child’s EQAO report and are unsure about what the levels or numbers mean. In that case, this guide will walk you through everything step by step on how to interpret EQAO scores, understand the different levels used in the grades, and how to utilize this information to plan your child’s next steps.
The EQAO exam has 4 levels of success for all grades and subjects, which makes it easy for parents to know how well students are doing in comparison to Ontario’s education needs. These levels come in Grade 3, Grade 6, and Grade 9 EQAO results and helps to check if their child is meeting those needs, or needs more effort to get better results.
Students at Level 1 show limited understanding of the required skills. They may struggle with key concepts and need significant additional support at school and at home.
Level 2 shows that the skills a student is learning are getting closer to the marks needed to pass but still needs a lot of practice, test, or target learning to completely do better in the exam
This level shows good results regular basis. Students at this level understand the syllabus properly and can use their knowledge. This is the target that all students should take up.
Students at Level 4 show advanced level and strong use of skills. They have more than what minimum skills and marks are needed to get good results from this test.
If you would like to know where your child stands, take the free grade-level EQAO mini test for a quick skill check.
If your child is near Level 3, EQAO test practices for 2 to 4 weeks should be enough time to move their skills to Level 4. This can include regular reading, working on math puzzles, completing problem-solving tasks, and engaging in short writing exercises. Small steps can make a big difference.
If your child is significantly below Level 3, this means they have a 1- to 3-year learning delay in their educational development. This requires immediate intervention to close the learning gap.
In such cases, the teachers working with gap closing will need to begin from the point of the child’s learning. With intensive reading, writing, and math drills, focused lessons, tests, and alternative learning techniques, most students will be able to reach a 2.5 or higher score. If a child has been identified with an IEP, gap closing can still occur.
It is always best to seek intervention as early as possible, rather than waiting until 2-3 weeks before EQAO to expect high achievements.
If you know your child’s EQAO results, then you should not feel bad about the score. Each score and level gives a simple idea of where your child stands at present and what can be better.
By carefully reviewing the marks, you, as a parent, can identify the areas that need improvement and formulate effective strategies to enhance your child’s learning. You may book a 30-minute gap-closing consultation with the AHCTS education consultant to understand your child’s learning gaps and discuss the steps to improve their skills and test scores.
If you receive a poor EQAO result, it indicates a potential learning delay, also known as a learning gap. Several factors contribute to this delay. It can range from a learning disability to a lack of attendance at school. Therefore, it is essential to be honest and realistic about the factors causing a learning delay.
You can help your child by creating a study routine that includes daily reading and writing. They practice maths questions daily, and complete EQAO sample tests weekly. Constant practice will help your child get good results
Generally, they don’t, as these are used to determine the teaching and learning needs of the student. However, you can always reach out to your school administrators.
Generally, this depends on the type of grade and the specific questions. Some Grade 9 classes permit the use of calculators, while Grade 3 and 6 classes typically do not. Check EQAO guidelines or your school for details.
