The rollout of a new online standardized literacy test for Ontario high school students did not go as planned today.
The Education Quality and Accountability Office cancelled the assessment today, acknowledging it had been experiencing widespread technical issues with the network.
(2/7) We acknowledge that we are experiencing widespread technical issues with the online #OSSLT network.
— EQAO (@eqao) October 20, 2016
(3/7) We regret to inform you that we have cancelled today’s assessment.
— EQAO (@eqao) October 20, 2016
Instead, they ran into frozen webpages.
The online test was pitched as a "risk-free" way to take part in the exam before the next scheduled assessment in March.
A failing grade would have left the door open for another chance to take the test in the spring.
EQAO says it's disappointed with what has happened and has apologized to students and schools.
(6/7) We recognize all of the work that schools have done to prepare for this trial.
— EQAO (@eqao) October 20, 2016
(7/7) We are disappointed at the outcome of this trial and sincerely apologize for this development.
— EQAO (@eqao) October 20, 2016