The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) is a Crown agency of the Government of Ontario in Canada.

It was legislated into creation[1] in 1996 in response to recommendations made by the Royal Commission on Learning in February 1995.

Educational accountability is important to three key stakeholders: taxpayers, elected officials, and teachers.

The specific responsibilities of the office include: EQAO conducts province-wide tests annually.

Students attending publicly funded elementary and secondary schools in Ontario are required to take the respective tests at their grade level: For students with special education needs, some accommodations that are consistent with regular classroom assessment practices are permitted on the provincial tests.

EQAO tests are based on The Ontario Curriculum, which is the foundation for what is taught in classrooms every day.

This video provides an outlook on EQAO from the teachers perspective, discussing how the test may be causing more damage to children than good.

Another major area of criticism is focused on the monetary expenses used each year to conduct the EQAO tests.

EQAO tests on the other hand, approach learning from a structured and systematic perspective, forcing students to demonstrate their knowledge in a way very different from that which is typically done in the classroom.

The majority use of multiple-choice questions limits critical thinking, and restricts creativity in the students.

Another recognized flaw in the EQAO testing system is with regards to Ontario's French Immersion program, which is consistently growing in attendance and popularity.

[18] Studies have shown that students enrolled in early French Immersion programs demonstrate a lag in their English literacy skills in the grade three EQAO test.