EQAO is Ontario's agency that runs four student tests: Grade 3, Grade 6, Grade 9 math and the OSSLT, usually written in Grade 10. Only Grade 9 math counts toward a mark, and the OSSLT is required to graduate. TutorLyft connects Ontario families with reading, writing and math tutors.
Maybe a notice about EQAO came home in your child's backpack, or another parent at pickup asked if your family is "doing anything" to get ready. It's easy to feel like you've missed something. You haven't. Here's each test by grade, what really counts, how to read the results and where to find free practice tests.
What EQAO is and who writes the tests
EQAO stands for the Education Quality and Accountability Office. It describes itself as "Ontario's provincial agency responsible for assessing student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics at key stages in a student's education." In plain terms, it runs the province-wide tests your child writes at school in Grades 3, 6, 9 and 10.
Ontario educators write the questions, and each test is based on the Ontario curriculum up to the grade being tested. Grade 3, for example, covers what students learn from Grade 1 to the end of Grade 3. So the content isn't new material. It checks the reading, writing and math your child has been working on in class.
Participation is mandatory for students in publicly funded schools, according to EQAO. Students with special education needs can get accommodations on test day. EQAO also runs a math test for teachers, the Mathematics Proficiency Test, but that has nothing to do with your child.
Which grades write EQAO
There are four EQAO assessments for students. Each one happens at a different stage, and each one matters in a different way. The table below shows who writes each one and whether it counts.
| Assessment | Who writes it | Counts toward marks? |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Division (reading, writing, math) | Grade 3 | – |
| Junior Division (reading, writing, math) | Grade 6 | – |
| Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics | Grade 9 (MTH1W) | Yes 10% to 30% of the course mark |
| Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) | Usually Grade 10 | Required to graduate |
Only two of the four have consequences for your child: Grade 9 math, which counts toward the course mark, and the OSSLT, which is a diploma requirement. The Grade 3 and Grade 6 tests are a check-in, not a grade.
Grade 3 EQAO
The Grade 3 assessment, called the Primary Division assessment, covers the reading, writing and math your child is expected to know by the end of Grade 3. It's done online at school on a device. There are 29 language questions and 40 math questions. Most are selected-response questions, such as multiple choice, drag and drop or drop-down menus, and the language part also includes some written, open-response questions.
The test is split into short pieces. The language part has four sessions of about 35 minutes each, and the math part has four stages of about 30 minutes each. Schools can run them back to back or spread them over different days, and each piece is done in one sitting.
A few details tend to surprise parents:
- Calculators are allowed: Grade 3 students can use a calculator for the math component.
- Built-in help: every student can zoom in, use a text-to-speech reader and switch to a high-contrast view.
- No retakes: the Grade 3 test is written once, and the results aren't included in report card marks.
If you're seeing early gaps in reading or math, a Grade 3 tutor can work on them one-on-one before they grow.
Grade 6 EQAO
The Grade 6 assessment, called the Junior Division assessment, follows the same format as Grade 3 but covers what students should know by the end of Grade 6. It has 31 language questions and 44 math questions, again split into four language sessions of about 35 minutes and four math stages of about 30 minutes.
Grade 6 students can use a calculator, and they also get EQAO's Formula Sheet for the math part. The math component includes French-English and English-French glossaries, which helps students in French Immersion programs.
Math is where Grade 6 students find EQAO hardest. In 2025–2026, 86% of Grade 6 students in English-language schools met the standard in reading, but only 52% did in math. If your child is in that second group, they have plenty of company, and the gap is a useful signal for where to focus before high school. Like Grade 3, Grade 6 results don't count toward report card grades, and the test can't be retaken.
For students who need a hand with fractions, ratios or problem solving at this stage, a Grade 6 tutor can go back over the skills at your child's pace.
Grade 9 EQAO math
The Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics is the one EQAO test that affects a mark. EQAO's guide for parents says results "will count for at least 10% and up to a maximum of 30% of a student's final course mark" in the Grade 9 math course, MTH1W. Ask your child's teacher how much it counts in their class.
The test covers the strands of the 2021 Grade 9 math curriculum: number, algebra, data, geometry and measurement, and financial literacy. It's written online near the end of the course, in two sessions of about 60 minutes each. Its 50 scored questions are all selected-response, such as multiple choice and drag and drop. The test is adaptive, which means the questions shift in difficulty based on how a student is doing.
Students can use a scientific or graphing calculator, and EQAO publishes a Grade 9 formula sheet covering perimeter, area, surface area and volume. There's a winter window (January 12 to February 5, 2027) and a June window (June 8 to 30, 2027), and the school picks the dates. One rule catches families off guard: students write the assessment each time they enrol in the Grade 9 math course, so repeating the course means writing it again.
If your teen is finding Grade 9 math hard, start by working out which of the strands above is giving them trouble.
The OSSLT in Grade 10
The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, or OSSLT, checks whether students meet the minimum standard for reading and writing across all subjects, up to the end of Grade 9. Students usually write it for the first time in Grade 10. It's taken on a computer in two sessions of about 65 and 75 minutes, with 37 questions: 35 selected-response questions and two written, open-response questions.
Unlike the other EQAO tests, the OSSLT has a clear outcome. Students are reported as "successful" or "not yet successful", and passing is one of the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). Students who aren't successful can write it again in a later session. After two tries with at least one unsuccessful result, they become eligible for the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC), which also meets the requirement. A principal can allow earlier enrolment if it's in the student's best interest.
In the 2026–2027 school year, the fall sitting runs November 3 to 30, 2026, with results by the end of January 2027. The spring sitting runs March 30 to April 19, 2027, with results by the end of May. The OSSLT sits alongside the other OSSD requirements, such as earning credits and completing community involvement hours.
What to expect on test day
Schools can run EQAO in small groups, so the exact day and time can vary even within one class. Ask your child's teacher when their sessions are booked. All four assessments are online, and an alternative version is available for students who can't complete them digitally.
Here's what the experience looks like for your child:
- Scrap paper: students can use paper for rough work to keep track of their thinking.
- Changing answers: students can go back and change an answer until they submit the session or stage.
- Breaks: sessions can run back to back or on different days, and the platform includes breathing exercises to help students stay calm.
- Absences: if your child is away, they can complete the assessment when they return, as long as it's within the administration window.
Students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) can use the accommodations listed in it, as long as EQAO permits them. Options include Braille, printable or large-print versions, audio versions, interpreters and assistive technology such as screen readers. The school confirms which accommodations apply, so it's worth checking a few weeks ahead.
French Immersion students have options too. School boards decide the language. Grade 3 students can write everything in English, write the math part in French, or write only the math part, in French. Grade 6 students can write everything in English or write the math part in French, and Grade 9 students can answer in English or French.
How to read your child's EQAO results
For Grades 3, 6 and 9, EQAO reports results in four levels. Level 3 is the provincial standard, set by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Level 4 is above the standard, Level 2 is approaching it, and Level 1 is much below it. So a "good mark" on EQAO is Level 3 or 4.
In Grades 3 and 6, the standard isn't used to decide whether a student passes or fails, and the result doesn't count toward report card grades. A Level 1 or 2 tells you, and their teacher, that some skills need more practice. In Grade 9, the result feeds into the course mark, and the OSSLT is the only test with a successful or not yet successful result.
Your child brings home an Individual Student Report from school, and the school tells families when the reports are ready. School, board and provincial results usually come out in the fall of the following school year. You can look up your child's school on EQAO's Find My School page.
What the latest EQAO results show
EQAO released the 2025–2026 provincial results on September 25, 2026. In English-language schools, reading was the strongest area: 75% of Grade 3 students and 86% of Grade 6 students met the standard. Writing followed closely in Grade 6, at 85%.
Math is still the weak spot. In Grade 3, 65% of students met the math standard, and in Grade 6, 52% did. Grade 9 math has improved, from 54% in 2023–2024 to 59% in 2025–2026. Another 33% of Grade 9 students reached Level 2, which EQAO describes as approaching the standard. On the OSSLT, 86% of students writing it for the first time were successful.
EQAO practice tests and free resources
EQAO says no extra preparation is needed beyond regular classwork, because the tests follow the curriculum. Still, seeing the format ahead of time takes away a lot of the nerves. Every resource below is free and comes from EQAO or another Ontario public organization.
Grade 3 and Grade 6 practice
EQAO posts a sample test for each assessment on its Grade 3 and Grade 6 pages, including versions with audio for students who need them. EQAO also publishes released math questions with provincial data for Grade 3 and Grade 6. These show the share of students at each level who chose each answer, so you can see which questions trip students up. Grade 6 students also get EQAO's formula sheet during the test, so it's worth looking at it together beforehand.
Grade 9 math practice
The Grade 9 math page has a sample test with 27 questions in one session, so your teen can try the format. Pair it with the formula sheet so they know which formulas are given and which ones to remember. For free one-on-one help, TVO Learn Mathify offers free online math tutoring with Ontario Certified Teachers for Grade 4 to 12 students in publicly funded English-language schools.
OSSLT practice
The OSSLT page has a full practice test and an alternative version for students who need adjusted formats. Doing one session at home, timed, is the easiest way for a Grade 10 student to see how long the reading and writing take.
How to help your child prepare without adding stress
EQAO tests what your child is already learning, so the goal is confidence, not cramming. A few things make a real difference:
- Talk to the teacher first: ask which skills your child finds hardest. They know where your child hesitates.
- Try one sample test together: treat it like a game for younger kids. Seeing the screens once is often enough.
- Keep the framing light: tell your child it's a chance to show what they know, not a test they can fail. For Grades 3 and 6, that's literally true.
- Protect the basics: a good night's sleep and a normal, unhurried morning before each session.
- Watch for worry: stomach aches before math or "I'm just bad at it" can be signs of math anxiety, and small, steady practice helps more than pressure.
For Grade 9 students, the stakes are a little higher because the result is part of their course mark. Regular practice through the semester is easier on everyone than a push in the final week.
When a tutor can help with EQAO
A tutor is worth considering when the same gap shows up in class, on report cards and on EQAO, especially in math. For a Grade 9 student, starting a few months before the winter or June window leaves time to work through the strands, and you can compare Grade 9 math tutors. For younger students, you can browse math tutors in Ontario, and for reading and writing, including the OSSLT, there are English tutors in Ontario.
Every TutorLyft tutor is vetted before joining, holds at least a bachelor's degree and has three or more years of experience. Families can also book a free consultation.
EQAO is one snapshot, not the whole picture
EQAO results can feel like a verdict, but they reflect a few hours on one test. Your child's teacher, their report card and how they feel about learning tell you far more. Use the results as a starting point for a conversation, and give yourself and your child time to work on what comes up.
If you'd like support with reading, writing or math before the next EQAO window, you can find a tutor on TutorLyft.
FAQs
EQAO only tests curriculum your child has already covered, and it says no extra preparation is needed beyond regular classwork. Math is where the most students fall short: in 2025–2026, 52% of Grade 6 students in English-language schools met the math standard.
No. EQAO doesn't share completed assessments or student responses because the questions are reused in future years, but your child brings home an Individual Student Report with their level.
Yes. Students in Ontario's French-language schools write French-language versions of the assessments, including the TPCL literacy test in place of the OSSLT.
It's a math test for teachers, not students. Passing it became a certification requirement for Ontario and internationally educated teachers on February 1, 2025.