OSSLT April 3rd & 4th

March 25, 2025

Dear Parent/Guardian,

We are writing to let you know that all Grade 10 students enrolled in English this semester will be taking the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test on the mornings of April 3rd and April 4th. The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test is split into two sections. Students will write Part A on April 3rd and Part B on April 4th.

The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) is administered by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), an independent agency of the Government of Ontario, to determine whether students have acquired the minimum literacy skills (reading and writing) expected by The Ontario Curriculum across all subjects to the end of Grade 9.

OSSLT results do not count toward students’ grades, but successful completion of the test is a requirement for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

The OSSLT is a digital test, so it is very important that the student brings in their HWDSB Laptop fully charged for the test with their charger. Currently, we do not have any additional chargers.

During the test students can have access to the following:

• Headphones for listening to test questions/calming music. We request that students bring in their own headphones that can be plugged into their devices.
• Extra Time if needed

Our Grade 10 teachers will be running OSSLT preparation sessions for their students. Students can also access a practice test by visiting the following link: Practice Test.

There are supports in place for students who do not pass, including an opportunity to rewrite the test or to take the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your child’s Guidance Counselor or our Vice Principal, Julie Boulton (email: [email protected]).

Sincerely,

Timothy Powell, Principal

Bernie Custis Secondary School