Changes

The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test was established in 2001 by the then [[Conservative]] provincial government with the intention of alleviating the crisis of illiterate students graduating with high school diplomas. Success on the test is required in order to graduate. It is written on a pre-determined date each year, usually by tenth grade students, although some may wait until the eleventh grade.

The '''Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test''' was established in 2001 by the then [[Conservative]] provincial government with the intention of alleviating the crisis of illiterate students graduating with high school diplomas. Success on the test is required in order to graduate. It is written on a pre-determined date each year, usually by tenth grade students, although some may wait until the eleventh grade.

==Process==

==Process==

Students in their home rooms are given three hours to complete the test in a quiet environment, while students with diagnosed special needs are sometimes given as many as six hours, a full school day. The test consists of two booklets, each of them occupying approximately three pages in length. The first is the reading component, the second is the written component.

Students in their home rooms are given three hours to complete the test in a quiet environment, while students with diagnosed special needs are sometimes given as many as six hours, a full school day. The test consists of two booklets, each of them occupying approximately three pages in length. The first is the reading component, the second is the written component.

The effectiveness of the OSSLT is debatable. The OSSLT does nothing to combat sensitive students being forced to work in disruptive, chaotic, and sometimes physically irritating work environments such as excessive classroom noise, undisciplined peers, un-airconditioned or odorous classrooms, etc. Proponents (supporters) argue that this partially personalized approach to centralized (government-mandated) testing will lead to struggling students getting the one-on-one feedback that they need in order to be successful in secondary and post-secondary education.

The effectiveness of the OSSLT is debatable. The OSSLT does nothing to combat sensitive students being forced to work in disruptive, chaotic, and sometimes physically irritating work environments such as excessive classroom noise, undisciplined peers, un-airconditioned or odorous classrooms, etc. Proponents (supporters) argue that this partially personalized approach to centralized (government-mandated) testing will lead to struggling students getting the one-on-one feedback that they need in order to be successful in secondary and post-secondary education.

==Incidents==

==Incidents==

The OSSLT has not been without its share of incidents. The most notable of incidents occurred in October of 2001 when parts of the OSSLT were obtained and the answers posted on the Internet two days before the start of the scheduled test dates.  

The OSSLT has not been without its share of incidents. The most notable of incidents occurred in October 2001 when parts of the OSSLT were obtained and the answers posted on the Internet two days before the start of the scheduled test dates.  

Other controversy stems from complaints from disgruntled parents that their teen was never informed of the OSSLT's existence and thus never had the change to practice or prepare.

Other controversy stems from complaints from disgruntled parents that their teen was never informed of the OSSLT's existence and thus never had the change to practice or prepare.