Understanding EQAO Scores: A Parent's Guide
Learn what EQAO assessments measure, how to interpret your child's school scores, and what the results mean for school quality in Ontario.
Updated March 1, 2026
What is EQAO?
EQAO stands for the Education Quality and Accountability Office. It is an independent agency of the Ontario government established in 1996 to measure student achievement against the provincial curriculum standards. EQAO administers standardized assessments to students across all publicly funded schools in Ontario. These assessments are the most consistent and comparable source of academic performance data available to parents.
Which grades are assessed?
EQAO assesses students at four key points: Grade 3 (reading, writing, and mathematics), Grade 6 (reading, writing, and mathematics), Grade 9 (mathematics only), and Grade 10 (the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, or OSSLT). These assessments are designed to measure whether students are meeting the expectations of the Ontario curriculum at each stage.
How are EQAO results reported?
EQAO reports results as the percentage of students achieving the provincial standard (Level 3 or above on a 4-level scale). Level 3 represents a solid understanding of the subject — students at this level demonstrate the knowledge and skills expected for their grade. Results are reported at both the individual student level and the school level. At the school level, you see what percentage of students in a given grade met the standard in each subject.
What is a good EQAO score?
At the school level, 75% or higher is generally considered strong — it means at least three out of four students are meeting the provincial standard. Between 50% and 74% is average, and below 50% suggests the school may face challenges in that subject. However, these numbers should be considered alongside three-year trends (is the school improving or declining?), the school's demographic context, and performance across multiple subjects rather than just one.
How Right School uses EQAO data
Right School takes the raw EQAO data and translates it into a single score out of 10 for each school, combining results across all assessed grade levels and subjects. We also calculate a trend indicator (improving, stable, or declining) based on three-year changes. This makes it easy to quickly compare schools without needing to interpret complex data tables. Every school profile shows the overall score, subject-by-subject breakdowns, and trends — all in plain language.
Limitations of EQAO data
EQAO scores are valuable but not the complete picture. They measure performance against curriculum standards on specific test days, but they do not capture things like school culture, extracurricular offerings, student well-being, arts programming, or the quality of individual teachers. Some schools may also have suppressed data (shown as "SP") when the number of students in a grade is too small to report without identifying individuals. Private schools do not participate in EQAO, so they cannot be compared using this data. Use EQAO data as one important input alongside school visits, conversations with parents, and your own observations.
Frequently asked questions
When are EQAO results released?
EQAO typically releases school-level results in the fall following the spring assessments. Preliminary data for the 2023-2024 school year was released in January 2026.
Do all Ontario schools participate in EQAO?
All publicly funded schools (public, Catholic, and French-language) participate in EQAO assessments. Private and independent schools are not required to participate.
Can I opt my child out of EQAO testing?
Parents can request that their child not participate in EQAO assessments. However, the assessments provide valuable information about your child's progress and the school's overall performance.
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