In Ontario’s 2025–2026 EQAO results, 52% of Grade 6 students in English-language schools met the provincial standard in mathematics, compared with 50% two years earlier. By Grade 9, the proportion was 59%, up from 54% in 2023–2024. 1
What do these figures actually mean and how should parents and students interpret them? If you’re a parent looking at EQAO results, the first step is finding your child’s Individual Student Report (ISR). From there, it helps to look beyond the score itself. How does it compare with the provincial results? Is there a pattern worth paying attention to? Most importantly, what does the result tell you about where your child is in their mathematical learning, and what might help them progress and reach their potential in the subject?
In this article, we'll be discussing EQAO scores are calculated and reported, as well as the significance behind them.
When EQAO Results Are Released and Where to Find Them
The EQAO results are released at multiple levels. Individual student results are provided to schools, which distribute the Individual Student Reports to students and/or parents.
On the other hand, school, board and provincial results are publicly available through EQAO, generally in the fall following the assessment. 2
Spring 2026 (April–June)
Students in Grades 3, 6, 9 and 10 complete EQAO assessments in school.
Summer 2026 (June–August)
EQAO scores assessments and sends Individual Student Reports (ISRs) to schools.
Early–mid fall 2026 (September–October)
Schools send ISRs home to students and/or parents and guardians.
Late September 2026
EQAO publishes provincial, board and school-level data online.
Same day as public release (Sept 25, 2026 for 2025–26)
Ontario Ministry of Education and EQAO issue news releases summarizing key findings.
Key dates for 2025–2026 results:
📍Public release: September 25, 2026
📍ISR distribution: Fall 2026 (exact date set by each school)
📍Next assessment cycle: Spring 2027, with results again released in fall 2027
Find a Student’s Individual Result
EQAO provides the individual report to the school, and the school is responsible for sharing it with the student as well as the parent or guardian. However, the timing for the results can vary by assessment.
- For the Grade 6 assessment, for example, EQAO says student results are available by the end of September of the following school year.
- For EQAO Grade 9 mathematics, an Individual Student Report is generated shortly after the student completes the assessment. 3
Find School and Board-Level Data
You can access the EQAO’s interactive dashboards to look at achievement data at the provincial, school board and school levels (for primary and junior students).
These data are useful to paint a broader picture of the overall setting and state of mathematical learning of the students who took the EQAO assessment as a group, but they do not tell you where your own child falls within that group.
EQAO Results Explained: Read a Student Report
An EQAO Individual Student Report is a snapshot of what a student demonstrated on the assessment. It is not a verdict on a child’s intelligence or potential in the subject tested.
In fact, EQAO recommends considering the results alongside classroom observations, other assessments and the student’s report card.
Student's full name, school board number and name of school
Inclusive for reading, writing and mathematics (Level 1-4)
Indicated as an established target whether the student's achievement meets the expected level for that stage of learning
Understand Achievement Categories and Levels
EQAO reports mathematics results using the Ontario Ministry of Education’s four-level scale, where Level 3 is the provincial standard and Level 4 surpasses it. The same level descriptors apply to both Grade 6 and Grade 9, but the curriculum expectations assessed differ by grade.
Here are the achievement levels for EQAO Grade 6 Mathematics. 4
| Level | Descriptor (EQAO / Ministry of Education) | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Level 4 | Surpasses the provincial standard; demonstrated with a high degree of effectiveness. | Student exceeds Grade 6 math expectations and is well prepared for subsequent work. |
| Level 3 | Meets the provincial standard; demonstrated with considerable effectiveness. | Student meets Grade 6 math expectations and is prepared for work in later grades. |
| Level 2 | Approaches the provincial standard; demonstrated with some effectiveness. | Student is below but moving toward the Grade 6 standard; needs additional support. |
| Level 1 | Falls much below the provincial standard; demonstrated with limited effectiveness. | Student has significant gaps relative to Grade 6 expectations. |
| Below Level 1 / Not Enough Evidence | Insufficient evidence to assign Level 1. | Student has not demonstrated enough of the assessed skills to place on the 1–4 scale. |
Here are the achievement levels for EQAO Grade 9 Mathematics. 5
| Level | Official Descriptor (Ministry of Education / EQAO) | Approximate Percentage Range* | What It Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 4 | Surpasses the provincial standard; demonstrated with a high degree of effectiveness. | 80–100% | Student exceeds de-streamed Grade 9 (MTH1W) expectations and is well prepared for Grade 10 math. |
| Level 3 | Meets the provincial standard; demonstrated with considerable effectiveness. | 70–79% | Student meets Grade 9 math expectations and is ready for subsequent courses. |
| Level 2 | Approaches the provincial standard; demonstrated with some effectiveness. | 60–69% | Student is below but approaching the Grade 9 standard; needs targeted support. |
| Level 1 | Falls much below the provincial standard; demonstrated with limited effectiveness. | 50–59% | Student has significant gaps relative to Grade 9 expectations. |
| Not Enough Evidence | Insufficient evidence to assign Level 1. | Below 50% or too few responses | Student has not demonstrated enough of the assessed skills to place on the 1–4 scale. |
Important note: Percentage ranges are based on EQAO’s published descriptions for secondary assessments (Grade 9 and OSSLT), not on raw marks reported to parents.
Read Strengths and Next Steps Together
Having said that, every achievement should be seen as a starting point for identifying your child’s strengths and the areas that may require further attention, making it easier to manage learning expectations and develop appropriate strategies.
For example, if a student’s mathematics result is below the provincial standard, the useful next step is not necessarily more practice or tutorials but to understand which part of the mathematics learning needs attention.
How EQAO Scores Are Calculated and Reported
EQAO scores are calculated to show how well students demonstrated the Ontario Curriculum expectations for their grade, measured against a fixed provincial standard.
Step 1
The student answers the assessment questions
Multiple-choice math items and extended responses to problem-solving tasks.
Step 2
The answers are computer-scored.
Step 3
EQAO uses the Item Response Theory (IRT) model to link the student's responses together with the difficulty level.
Step 4
The model locates the student's demonstrated mathematics knowledge and skills along a continuum represented by Levels 1 to 4.
Step 5
The student's achievement level is reflected on the Individual Student Report (ISR).
Why Raw Marks Are Not the Whole Story
Raw marks (only known internally) are then converted into achievement levels (Levels 1–4) so that reports focus on standards, and not ranking.
For example, two Grade 9 students might both be reported at Level 3, meaning they have met the provincial standard.
However, one student might sit toward the lower end of Level 3 and another toward the higher end. Their results are not necessarily saying that both students answered roughly 75% of the questions correctly.
What Participation Rates Change
Additionally, there is another number that can quietly change how EQAO results should be interpreted: participation.
When you look at EQAO results for a school, board or the province, the results may not include every student.
EQAO separates students who fully participated in the assessment from those who did not.
For example, in Grade 9 mathematics, a student is counted as fully participating if they answered at least one question in each assessment session. 6
Here's a case study to illustrate the importance of interpreting participation in the right context.
| Feature | School A | School B |
|---|---|---|
| Students enrolled | 100 | 100 |
| Students who fully participated | 95 | 60 |
| Students who met the provincial standard | 57 | 36 |
| Reported result | 60% | 60% |
| What this shows | 60% of participating students met the standard | 60% of participating students met the standard |
| Why the context matters | The result represents most of the grade (95 out of 100 students). | The result represents a much smaller group (60 out of 100 students). |
The important point is that both schools report 60%, but the numbers do not tell exactly the same story. School A’s result represents 95 students, while School B’s represents only 60. Hence, before comparing the two schools, it is worth checking how many students actually participated.
This is why participation should be considered alongside the achievement result, rather than treated as a separate footnote.
What School, Board and Provincial Results Show
EQAO results can be viewed at three levels: school, school board and province.
The important thing is not to turn these numbers into a league table. A higher percentage does not automatically mean a better school, a better teacher or more capable students.
The results are meant to support analysis and improvement at the school, board and provincial levels.
✅What each reporting level
can tell
- School level:
How students in one school performed on EQAO assessments and whether results are rising, falling or stable over time. - School board:
Broader patterns across schools and whether some approaches or areas may need attention. - Provincial:
Overall Ontario trends in literacy and mathematics (e.g., what percentage of students met the standard)
❌What each reporting level cannot tell
- School level:
Whether the school is “good” or “bad,” why results look the way they do, or how any individual child is doing. - School board:
Why one school or group of students performed differently. - Provincial:
What is happening in a particular school or classroom, whether the school's local teaching strategy works or not.
Use School Results for Local Questions
Parents and educators should use school-level results to develop better questions to review and develop strategies that support student learning, instead of judging the percentage or specific achievement level.
| School | Grade 6 math result | Better question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| School A | 35% met the standard | What areas of math need more support? |
| School B | 75% met the standard | What appears to be working, and can it be sustained? |
It would be too simple to look at this table and conclude that School B is the “better” school. The results tell us that the students who participated had different achievement outcomes, but they certainly do not tell us the reasons behind those outcomes.
Use Provincial Results as Context, Not a Benchmark to Beat
On the other hand, provincial results are particularly useful for looking at patterns over time. EQAO publishes results from previous years alongside current results so that educators and the public can see changes in achievement rather than focusing on one year's number.
The goal of reviewing provincial results is not to outperform other schools but to identify the teaching and skill gaps to improve and understand student learning in the specific subject.
Meanwhile, learn more about the EQAO Grade 9 mathematics assessment.
Compare EQAO Results Without Misleading Conclusions
EQAO results often attract attention when a school's numbers rise or fall. But a change in percentage does not explain, by itself, what changed in students' learning or why.
Other factors that need to be taken into consideration when reviewing the results include cohort differences, participation and longer-term patterns.
| Check | What to Look For | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Cohort size | Number of fully participating students reported. | Small cohorts can swing dramatically with just a few absences or changes. |
| Participation rate | % of eligible students who fully completed the assessment. | Low or changing participation can distort percentages; EQAO may suppress results when participation is too low. |
| Student population changes | Shifts in % of students with special education needs, multilingual learners, or other groups. | Different cohorts have different support needs; raw percentages may drop even when instruction is strong. |
| Three-year trend | Percentages at or above the provincial standard for the current year plus two prior years. | Single-year noise is common; sustained movement over three years is more reliable evidence of change. |
| Cohort progression | How the same group performed at earlier grades (e.g., Grade 3 → Grade 6). | Shows whether students are maintaining, gaining, or losing ground over time. |
| Subgroup performance | Results broken down by key groups (e.g., students with special education needs). | Overall percentages can hide important gains or gaps within subgroups. |
| Context vs benchmark | Whether results are used to compare similar schools or as a “target to beat.” | Provincial averages are context, not a one-size-fits-all goal for all schools. |
Compare Trends Across Multiple Years Perspective
Studying a longer trend gives a more balanced picture as compared to focusing on one year's result. A small rise or fall does not necessarily mean that a school's teaching has suddenly improved or declined.
For example, Ontario’s English-language Grade 6 mathematics results show how a trend can provide more useful information than a single-year target. 7
Students meeting the provincial standard
Students meeting the provincial standard
Students meeting the provincial standard
The gradual increase suggests that achievement is moving in a positive direction. But 52% also means that nearly half of participating Grade 6 students still did not meet the provincial standard. The trend therefore shows both progress and the need for continued support.
EQAO's cohort tracking adds another useful perspective: it follows the same group of students from Grade 3 to Grade 6, and from Grade 6 to Grade 9. This can show whether students maintained the standard, rose to it or fell below it as they progressed through school.
Factor in Student Needs and Local Context
Apart from looking at the achievement levels, parents and educators should also take note of the findings of the EQAO's student questionnaires. That's because the findings reveal students' attitudes toward mathematics and their perceptions of their own abilities and learning environment.
For example, EQAO's 2025–2026 results report that, among English-language Grade 6 students who responded to the questionnaire, 48% said they liked mathematics and 51% thought they were good at it. 7
The questionnaire can help identify patterns worth investigating, and offer a glimpse into what questions that educators and parents should be asking in the local context:
⭐Do students feel able to tackle difficult questions?
⭐Do students enjoy solving problems?
⭐Do students believe they can improve with practice?
Turn EQAO Results Into Better Next Steps
To make the best out of the EQAO results, parents should look at a child's results alongside classroom assessments, report cards and teacher observations to build a fuller picture of learning. 8
Use Results to Start a Focused Conversation
Results alone may not provide a full picture of a child's actual mathematics proficiency. A more useful conversation focuses on what the student needs and what will happen next.
👉To know if the EQAO result reflects what the teacher sees day to day.
👉Come up with a manageable learning goal and action plan.
👉Parents can offer the right learning strategies according to their child's needs.
👉Clarify what improvement might look like and when to review it.
Keep EQAO in Its Proper Place
Parents should understand that EQAO is only a snapshot of a student's learning. Yes, the EQAO assessments are aligned with Ontario's curriculum, but they assess only part of what students learn.
| What a student is learning | What EQAO can help show | What parents should also check |
|---|---|---|
| Fractions and number operations | Whether the student can answer questions that assess relevant mathematical knowledge and skills. | Can the student explain the steps and apply them to different problems in class? |
| Algebra and patterns | Whether the student can recognize relationships and solve relevant problems. | Can the student explain how a pattern works or use it in a new situation? |
| Mathematical problem-solving | How the student responds to selected assessment questions involving mathematical thinking and application. | Can the student describe their reasoning, compare strategies and learn from mistakes? |
EQAO results should be assessed alongside report cards, classroom assessments and teacher feedback.
- EQAO results: What did my child demonstrate on this assessment?
- Classroom work and report cards: What does my child demonstrate over time?
- Teacher feedback: What strengths, difficulties and next steps are emerging?
We hope you've enjoyed exploring this article on the EQAO results. It's important to note that the EQAO results should not define a child's ability or potential. The key is to help them progress according to their learning needs and goals.
References
- “EQAO Releases Assessment Results for 2025–2026 School Year -.” Eqao, 16 Sept. 2026, https://www.eqao.com/about-eqao/news-release/assessment-results-2026/. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.
- “FAQ General.” Eqao.Com, 6 Feb. 2025, https://www.eqao.com/frequently-asked-questions/general/. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.
- “Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics -.” Eqao, 28 Nov. 2025, https://www.eqao.com/frequently-asked-questions/faq-grade-9-assessment-of-mathematics/. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.
- Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO). Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics, Junior Division (Grades 4–6) Framework. Assessment framework, Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), 2023, https://www.eqao.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/junior-division-framework.pdf. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.
- Understanding the Provincial Standard and the Levels of Achievement. https://www.eqao.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/infographic-provincial-standard.pdf. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.
- “Explanation of Terms.” Eqao.Com, 4 Apr. 2025, https://www.eqao.com/about-eqao/explanation-of-terms/. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.
- “EQAO Releases Assessment Results for 2025–2026 School Year -.” Eqao, 16 Sept. 2026, https://www.eqao.com/about-eqao/news-release/assessment-results-2026/. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.
- Tips for Parents and Guardians: Having Conversations About EQAO Results. Parenting guidance, EQAO, 27 Apr. 2021, http://eqao.com/wp-content/uploads/infographic-tips-parents-guardians-results.pdf. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.
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