October 2025

RE: Upcoming EQAO Literacy Assessment (2025–2026)

Dear Parent/Guardian,

The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) assesses whether students have met the minimum literacy standards expected across all subjects up to the end of Grade 9.

This year, the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) will administer the OSSLT online to all Grade 10 students, as well as previously eligible students, including those learning remotely. Successful completion of the OSSLT is a mandatory requirement for earning the Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

Testing Window:
Eligible students will complete the OSSLT between November 10th and December 2nd, 2025.

Testing Schedule:

Grade 10 students will write the test during Period 2, continuing into Period 3.
Previously eligible students will write during Period 4, continuing into Period 5.

The test consists of two sessions (Session A and Session B), each focusing on reading and writing skills. Each session is designed to be completed in 65–75 minutes and will be written in a single sitting.

Important Information:

The OSSLT is fully online and must be completed onsite using a school computer.
Students must be in the designated testing rooms (Room 206 or 207) and ready to begin by 9:25 a.m..
All students will be provided with reasonable extra time to complete the test confidently.
Cellphones are not permitted in the testing room during the assessment.
OSSLT results do not affect students’ grades, but passing the test is required to earn the Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
Students who are absent or unable to complete the test during the scheduled window will have another opportunity to write in the Spring.

Accommodation for Students with IEPs:
Most accommodations are now built into the online testing platform. If your child requires speech-to-text, Google Read and Write, or a scribe, these supports will be available on the day of the test.

For more information regarding online practice test, and other Literacy Test information, please go to the St. Benedict Website at https://stbenedict.wcdsb.ca/. Click on “Student Services”, and then click “OSSLT Literacy Test Preparation”, or students can visit the EQAO website at www.eqao.com

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Andreia Borba at Andreia.borba@wcdsb.ca for further clarification.

Sincerely,

Andreia Borba

School Improvement Head

OSSLT Support Resources for Students

Preparing for the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT)? We’ve got you covered with two key resources to help you build confidence and sharpen your skills:

🔹 EQAO Sample OSSLT Assessment Explore interactive sample questions and practice tests designed to mirror the actual OSSLT experience. This tool helps students familiarize themselves with the format and types of questions they’ll encounter. Go to www.eqao.com and scroll down and click on the OSSLT Practice Test.

🔹 D2L OSSLT Support Hub – St. Benedict Access curated lessons, tips, and practice materials directly through your D2L homepage. Just log in to your D2L and scroll down to School Resources and click on OSSLT Supports.

Whether you’re brushing up on reading strategies or practicing writing tasks, these resources are here to support your success. Good luck!

Schedule for Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Student participating in the OSSLT will follow the schedule below:

Warning Bell	7:55
Instructions	8:00 – 8:10
Session 1	8:10 – 9:30
BREAK	9:30 – 9:40
Session 2	9:40 – 11:15
Survey	11:15 – 1:25
Dismissal	11:25

Classes to remain open for students needing extra time – please contact Andreia Borba if you have students who need extra time.

Results for the testing will be released mid June after the open-response questions have been scored. An Individual Student Report will be generated for each student after the scoring of the assessment.

For all students not participating in the test administration, they will be working from home ASYNCHRONOUSLY. Lessons and work will be posted for your child by 8:00am. Students will be required to log into their D2L to access their work.

If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Andreia Borba, OSSLT Lead at andreia.borba@wcdsb.ca. You may also contact your child’s administrator.

Good Luck to all our students who will be participating in the testing on April 10th.

Test Preparation for Students

We recognize that some students find testing stressful, and we will provide students with support leading up to the test. Small group sessions will begin to run March 18th and will continue to run until April 9th. Furthermore, we are providing students with literacy support during their lunch hour in room 213 and after school in room 213 on Mondays and Wednesdays at our Homework Club. Please encourage your child to seek assistance and support for the testing.

Students have also been enrolled in a D2L page that will also provide them with the practice test and support lessons for the section of the testing.

Accommodations

All students are eligible to receive extra time if required. As per past practice, additional accommodations are available to students with special program needs who have an IEP (Individual Education Plan). Those accommodations are listed on your child’s Individual Education Plan. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the accommodations your child will receive, please contact Andreia Borba at the information listed above or your child’s IEP Monitor.

We wish all our students the best of luck as they participate in the Ontario Secondary Literacy Test.

Thank you for your continued support.