Advertisement

Ontario looks to move standardized testing online, will pilot some testing this year

Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce speaks during the daily update on COVID-19 at Queen's Park in Toronto on Tuesday, June 9, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

TORONTO — Ontario says it intends to move its annual standardized school tests online and has started to search for a company to develop a platform for them.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce says the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), which creates and administers the assessments, started the procurement process Wednesday.

He says in a statement that the change will allow the agency to modernize its approach to the annual assessment and data collection.

The government says that for the 2020-21 school year, EQAO will be field-testing online assessments for Grade 9 math.

Breaking news from Canada and around the world sent to your email, as it happens.

It also says the change will ensure testing accessibility for students with special education needs, increasing equity for different student populations.

Story continues below advertisement

The province did not say when the transition to fully online EQAO testing is expected to begin.

Click to play video: 'Coronavirus: Ontario hires more than 500 public health nurses to help out in schools'
Coronavirus: Ontario hires more than 500 public health nurses to help out in schools

Sponsored content

AdChoices