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Before the OSSLT

Contents

Refer to the Checklist for more information.

Summary of steps before administering the OSSLT

  • Read this user guide and the Professional Responsibilities.
  • Ensure you understand how to administer the OSSLT using the e-assessment system. EQAO provides webinars and self-guided learning modules.
  • Meet with the school administrator to review roles and responsibilities, and to plan for the administration, accommodations, etc.
  • Coordinate with the school administrator to ensure that the Alternative Version of the assessment will be available in all formats that students will use.
  • Register, activate and log in to your e-assessment account.
  • Ensure you are assigned to the correct grouping as communicated by your school administrator.
  • View student list and click each student’s name to ensure information is accurate (including accommodations).
  • Add additional teachers or invigilators to your grouping, if applicable.  
  • Schedule the practice test. Session A must be scheduled before Session B.
  • Confirm students can log in to the e-assessment system. Provide each student with their OEN and access code for the group.
  • Enter the 4-digit (SEB) or 6-digit (Kiosk) code on each computer before students can log in. Your school administrator has this code.
  • Have students practice using the tools and platform functionality while completing the scheduled practice test. Ensure that the End Practice Test button is selected following the administration of the practice test. This will close the practice session and allow you to open the OSSLT when ready.
  • Consult with the school team about appropriate scheduling so that students will write each session of the OSSLT in one continuous, supervised sitting.  Consider school times, bus times, special events, etc. so that students are provided with the necessary time.  For example, scheduling a session close to the end of the day may not provide students with the necessary time to complete a session in one continuous sitting.  Once the student leaves the supervised testing environment, they are not permitted to return to parts of the test they have already seen. 
  • Schedule the OSSLT (if not already scheduled by your school administrator).
  • Confirm access to resources as needed, including headphones, and paper and either pen or pencil for rough work.

Step 1 – Managing your account

IMPORTANT
You must always log in with the email address and password you used to create your account, from year to year.

Creating your account

  1. Follow the directions in the e-mail you received from no-reply@eqao.vretta.com:
    • Enter the invitation code.
    • Fill in your information.
  2. Activate your account by following the directions in the account validation e-mail.
  3. Click Proceed to Login.

NOTE
Each invitation code can be used only once and is valid only for seven days from the time it is sent out. Should you require an extension, please speak to your administrator or send an e-mail to eqao-support@vretta.com.

Logging in to your account

  1. Go to the EQAO login page.
  2. Click the login button under Ontario school administrators and teachers.
  3. Input your e-mail.
  4. Input your password.
  5. Click Sign In.

Logging out of your account

  1. Click at the top left of the page.
  2. Click Logout.

Resetting your password

  1. Go to the EQAO login page.
  2. Click the login button under Ontario school administrators and teachers.
  3. Input your e-mail.
  4. Click Forgot Password.
  5. Follow the instructions in the e-mail you just received.

NOTE
Teachers that have an existing account will use the same account for different assessment years. There is only one account associated with a teacher e-mail.

Step 2 – Managing your Classes/Groupings

To view or manage your groupings:

  1. Log in to your teacher account.
  2. Select the Grouping(s) from the list at the bottom of the screen.
  3. In your Groupings page, you can:
    • find the access code that students will need to login to the practice test and OSSLT
    • start or schedule an assessment session
    • view the active and completed assessment(s)
    • manage your students
    • add or remove an additional invigilator

Step 3 – Adding or removing additional invigilators (as needed)

The main assigned teacher can add new invigilators to their grouping(s). When added, the new invigilators will have access to the Invigilation page.

IMPORTANT
The main teacher originally assigned to the grouping will not see their own name displayed in the additional invigilator list.

  1. Click the [Add/Remove] button next to Additional Invigilators.
  2. Select or unselect teacher(s) from the list to add/remove to this grouping. Only teachers with active accounts will be visible in the list. See your school administrator for more details.
  3. Click OK.

NOTE
Adding teachers allows them to invigilate the assessment for students in this grouping.

Step 4 – Managing your students

Viewing your students

  1. Log in to your teacher account.
  2. In the Classes/Groupings, click Select Grouping. 
  3. Click Manage Students.

You now see a list of all your students in this grouping and their information, including OENs and accommodations. There is an option to print the list with OENs.

Adding students

You may need to add students to your grouping after the initial upload. This can be done directly from your Grouping page. Your administrator can also add new students to your grouping.

  1. Click New Student Account.
  2. Add the student’s OEN.
  3. Click Lookup.
  4. Enter the student’s personal information in the form.
  5. Click Create New Account.

Adding guest students

NOTE
Home-schooled students and students receiving home instruction are not considered guest students and will be recorded on the school list by the school administrator.

A student is a guest student if they are enrolled in another school, for example a virtual school, and needs to complete the practice test or the OSSLT at your school under the supervision of school staff. They will need to provide you with their access code assigned by their virtual or other registered school to be added to your list. A guest student’s results will be accessed by their school where they are enrolled. 

  1. Click Add Guest Students.
  2. Enter the access code from the student’s assigned class at the school where they are enrolled.
  3. Click Add.
  4. Provide the guest student with the access code for your class and have the guest student login with your access code and their OEN. The guest student should now appear on your list.

NOTE
The teacher from the home school should not schedule the practice test or the OSSLT for students that have been added to groupings at another school as guest students.

Step 5 – Scheduling the practice test

  1. Log in to your teacher account.
  2. Select a Grouping.
  3. Under Practice Test (OSSLT), click Schedule/Start Assessment Session.
  4. Choose either Start Now or Schedule for Later.
    • If you choose Start Now, you may administer the practice test immediately. You will access a table displaying the assessment status for your students. Click Continue to go to the Invigilation page. Here you can unlock Session A and Session B as needed.
    • If you choose Schedule for Later, select a future date. You will set start date/time for Session A and B. Session A must be scheduled before Session B. When you have finalized your dates, click Schedule Assessment.

Step 6 – Administering the practice test

  1. Initialize the student devices by opening the SEB or Kiosk application using the passcode given to you by your school administrator.
  2. Log in to your teacher account.
  3. Under Practice Test (OSSLT), click Ready to Start.
  4. Land on the invigilation page, where you will find the access code needed for students to login.
  5. Assist students with logging into the practice test:
    • Provide students with the access code and their OEN to login to the practice test.
    • Once logged in, students must enter their last name to access the landing page of the practice test.
  6. On the Invigilation page, you will unlock Session A, followed by Session B when ready.

TIP
Do not unlock sessions for students who are absent or unsupervised.

  1. Monitor the progress of your students from your Invigilation page:  
    • view the status of each student (not started, ready to start, in progress, submitted)
    • pause, lock or unlock sessions as needed.
  2. Click End Practice Test when you are ready to end the session for all students. Multiple Practice Test sessions may be scheduled as desired. 
  3. Proceed to the scheduled OSSLT session when ready.

The practice test allows students to experience the types of questions and features of the OSSLT, including all tools and accessibility features. Students using assistive technology are encouraged to try it out during a practice test session to increase familiarity.

Student responses to the Practice Test are only saved when students log in the e-assessment platform to access the test.

IMPORTANT
If a student requires accessibility software that is not compatible with the SEB or the Kiosk application, please discuss with your school administrator. They may need to use the alternative access. Refer to Alternative access for specific students with accommodations for details.

NOTE
If the Alternative Version has been assigned to one or more of your students, a practice test is available in the same format. Refer to Alternative Version of the OSSLT.

Accessing the practice test from the EQAO website 

The practice test content on the website is the same as the practice test in the e-assessment system. The benefit of the practice test in the e-assessment system is so that students and teachers can practice all logging in protocols, including the use of the SEB or KIOSK security features.

Anyone can access the practice test directly from the EQAO website: 

  • English: Click here
  • French: Click here

Students can complete the practice test multiple times. 

Results 

Teachers will not be sent a copy of the practice test results. Students can access their own results and scoring rubrics after completing the practice test. 

Step 7 – Scheduling the OSSLT

  1. Log in to your teacher account.
  2. Select a Grouping.
  3. Under Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, click Schedule Assessment Session.
  4. Choose Schedule for Later.
  5. Review the table showing your students and the status of their sessions.
  6. Click Continue.
  7. You will set start date/time for Session A and B. Session A must be scheduled before Session B. When you have finalized your dates, click Schedule Assessment.

Note: Sessions may be scheduled by the school administrator before the administration window opens.

Updated on October 11, 2024