Viewing and Managing Students
After logging in to your account, you can view the list of students at your school by selecting the Students tab on the main navigation panel.
Using the list, you can view student information, see which class students are assigned to, add students, see if students have any accommodations, or export students’ data. You can adjust how many students from the list appear on your screen using the drop-down menu on the right. There are filter buttons on the header of each column that allows you to sort students.
Adding Students
Your school board is responsible for providing student data to EQAO. When you see this data in the system, it should be organized into groupings. However, there may be cases where you will need to add students to the school’s student list.
If multiple students need to be uploaded, it may be easier to use the Import student feature. Refer to Importing Students for more information. If you only need to add a few students, they can be added one at time using the Create New Account feature.
To add one student at a time to the student lists for your school, log in to your account and select the Students tab.
Under the Students tab, click Create New Account. This will open an input form where you can manually add all of the student’s information.
In order to add a student, you will require the student’s personal information, along with information on any accommodations or special provisions the student requires, which will be entered in a separate tab.
When filling in a student’s personal information, ensure you select the appropriate eligibility status for that student.
Eligibility Status
A student’s eligibility is based on the year in which the student entered or would have entered Grade 9.
- First-Time Eligible
For the 2022–2023 administration, a student is first-time eligible if the student
- entered Grade 9 in the 2021–2022 school year; or
- entered Grade 10 in the 2022–2023 school year from out of province or from another board.
- Previously Eligible
A student is previously eligible if he or she has not satisfied the graduation requirement and:
- was absent, unsuccessful, or received a deferral in a previous school administration.
- was exempted from the administration in a previous school year but is now working toward an Ontario Secondary School Diploma;
- came from out of province or from another board and entered Grade 11 or 12 in the 2022–2023 school year;
- is enrolled in an adult education program and began Grade 9 in or after the 2000–2001 school year;
- is a mature student; or
- has fulfilled or plans to fulfill the graduation requirement through the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC) during the school year (i.e., during summer school the previous summer or during the first or second semester or over the full year).
Note: If the school does not offer the OSSLC every year and the student plans to take the OSSLC in the following school year, his or her participation should be indicated as deferred for the current school year.
Importing Students
The import feature can be used to add multiple students at a time.
- After logging in to your account, select the Students tab. Select the assessment for which you would like to import students; then select the Import button found on the top-right corner of the page.
2. To import data into the system, first click Template to download a sample Excel spreadsheet to input the student data. For assistance in determining the appropriate values for each column in the template, click the Student Import Data Definitions button; this will download a spreadsheet containing data definitions for the values in the template.
3. Once you have filled out the student data in the template, save the file, and then select Import.
Note: The system will allow you to import a maximum of 60 records at once.
4. A preview of the data will appear in the window. If the information is accurate, select OK. If you have selected the incorrect file or would like to edit the information again before uploading, click Cancel to close the window. Once you have finished editing the file, you can select Import again to upload the modified file.
5. If there is missing or invalid information in the student data to be imported, an error message will appear identifying the items with validation errors; this will prevent the student data from being uploaded. You will need to edit the document to include the appropriate information and then import the file again.
6. Once the import is complete, the student data will appear in the Students table.
Validating Student Information
A warning icon on the Students tab of your dashboard indicates that there is student data to be validated. After logging in to your account, select the Students tab to start validating the student data.
A message will appear at the top of the Students page indicating that you need to review the student data for the assessment type that you currently have selected.
To view only students who have errors associated with their information, click Show Flagged Items Only.
A warning icon will appear next to the OEN of any student with missing information or where there is a conflict due to data provided in a board upload. Click the student’s OEN or name to review the student data and correct the error; alternatively, select the student and then click Edit Student Info.
To return to the list of all students, click Show Import Yellow Flag Items and then click Show all Students.
Once all of the students have been reviewed and their data has been validated, the flags will be removed from their accounts. You can now select Confirm that all student data has been validated.
After you have confirmed that the data has been validated, a green message will appear at the top of the Students page confirming the validation.
Note: The validation process should be completed prior to the administration period and will be required prior to the release of Individual Student Reports.
Editing Student Information
There may be cases where you will need to edit the student information.
After logging in to your account and selecting the Students tab, you can edit a student’s information.
Click the checkbox beside the name of the student (1) whose information you want to edit, and then click Edit Student Info (2). This will open the student’s information panel and allow you to make changes to the information.
Viewing and Managing Additional Accommodations for Students
After logging in to your account and selecting the Students tab, you will see a list of all students. In this list, there is a column labelled Accommodation. If you assign a student additional accommodations that are not part of the e-assessment system, a checkmark will appear in this column.
You can review and enter specific accommodations that an individual student has been assigned according to their IEP. If the information was not included in the data upload by your school board, school administrators must enter the information. To do this, click the checkbox beside the student’s OEN and click Edit Student Info. A pop-up form will then appear; select the Accommodations and Alternative Version tab. Here you can enter the student’s accommodations.
Please read the options for accommodations carefully which appear below.
Note: An alternative version of the test is available for students with special education needs or special circumstances. Please review the section of this user guide called the Alternative Version of the OSSLT.
Viewing and Managing Non-Participation Status
As part of the validation of the student data process, please make sure that you include in the student records data the reason why eligible students are not participating in this year’s OSSLT administration.
Currently, there are three reasons why a student would not participate in the OSSLT during this school year. These reasons include exemption, deferral and meeting the literacy requirement through the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC). Decisions regarding exemption and deferrals are made in consultation with the student, or parent or guardian, and the teacher. Please review the information below.
Exemption
An exemption is applicable for the following reason:
- a student has an IEP indicating that the student is not working toward an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
Additional Information
- If an adult student wishes to write the test, or the parents or guardians want their child to write the student must be allowed to write.
- If the learning expectations for the student are revised and the student begins to work toward an OSSD, the literacy requirement in order to receive a diploma will apply.
- Refer to Ontario Schools, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Program Requirements (2016).
Deferral
A deferral is applicable to students for one of the following reasons:
- a student is an English language learner and has not yet acquired a level of proficiency in English sufficient to participate;
- a student has been identified as exceptional by an Identification, Placement and Review Committee and would not be able to participate in the test even if all accommodations were provided;
- a student has not yet acquired the reading and writing skills appropriate for Grade 9; or
- a student has a temporary condition owing to illness or injury (e.g., a broken arm, a concussion) or is new to the school, and appropriate accommodations cannot be provided.
Additional Information
- Participation may be deferred until the next school year.
- If an adult student or parent or guardian disagrees with the principal’s decision, the supervisory officer will make a final decision.
- Refer to Ontario Schools, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Policy and Program Requirements (2016).
Decisions about exemptions and deferrals must be made
- prior to the OSSLT;
- for each student individually;
- in consultation with the student and parents or guardians or the adult student, and with the appropriate teaching staff.
Meeting the literacy requirement by taking the OSSLC
This option is applicable to students for the following reason:
- a student who has fulfilled, is currently completing, or is planning to fulfill the literacy requirement through the OSSLC during the current school year.
Identifying the Non-Participation Status of Students in the Student Data
As part of the validation of the student data process, please make sure that you include in the student records data the reason why eligible students are not participating in this year’s OSSLT administration.
1. To access the Non-Participation Status page for individual students, click the student’s name or OEN in the student list found under the Students tab.
2. The Student Record page will open. You will then be taken to the student record data, where you will be able to click the Non-Participation Status tab.
3. After you click Non-Participation Status, below the details related to the student, you will be able to select one reason why a student is not participating in this year’s assessment.
The three reasons for non-participation listed in the student record are as follows:
Option 1: This non-diploma student is exempted in accordance with the policies outlined in the User Guides for the Administration of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT).
Option 2: This student’s participation is deferred in accordance with the policies outlined in the User Guides for the Administration of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT).
Option 3: This student is not participating and, in accordance with Ministry of Education policies, has fulfilled or is planning to fulfill the requirement through the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC) during the current school year (i.e., summer school last summer, first semester, second semester or full year).
4. Once you have indicated one reason for non-participation, a yellow box will appear in the checkbox you selected; click OK to return to the list of students.
Managing Students Who Are Home-Schooled
Students who are home-schooled and would like to participate in the OSSLT are permitted to complete the assessment at their local school. School Administrators can add these students to their school list. The School Administrator must select Home-schooled under the Student Type field which is found in the Personal Information tab.
IMPORTANT
Students must be supervised by an educator.
