List of Canadian primary and secondary examinations
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"Provincial examinations" redirects here. For the portions of the imperial examination in Imperial China, see Juren.
Canadian primary and secondary standardized examinations are examinations developed in Canada and taken by primary and secondary students in some provinces and territories in Canada.
The majority of the exams listed are developed provincially and are unique to each respective province and their related adjacent territories. This is as a result of education in Canada being in the jurisdiction of the provinces and territories. Such exams can be important factors in the determination of final grades and therefore also in scholarship decisions, college, and university admissions. However, policies of post-secondary institutions in Canada vary concerning whether the blended exam and class grade are used or simply the class grade are used for admission.[1]
A unique situation of primary and secondary examinations is that of Canada's territories. The territories mostly elect to adopt the curriculum of their most closely related adjacent provinces. This includes adopting the related provinces examination policy. Yukon and the Northwest Territories primarily follows the British Columbia curriculum.[2][3] Meanwhile, Nunavut primarily follows the Alberta curriculum.[4] Therefore, exams in these territories are developed and adjudicated by the aforementioned adjacent province but are administered by the territorial educational ministry. The reason for the territories adopting the curriculum of provinces is because the provinces have both greater means to create the curriculum and populations to ensure the curriculums acceptance by tertiary institutions. The reason for the territories adopting the curriculum of those specific provinces is as a result of the historical geography of Canada. Yukon was formed prior to the existence of any current western Canadian province except British Columbia. Meanwhile, Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and a handful of other provinces were created from the now nonexistent North-Western Territories which was.
List of examinations
For the purposes of the list, the 'course grade' is defined as the grade assigned by the teacher during classroom instruction. 'Final grade' or 'blended grade' are defined as the combined examination and course grade.
Some universities choose to raise Albertan students marks because of their provincially required exams. For example, the University of British Columbia automatically raises Albertan students' averages by 2%.[6]
Provincial Achievement Tests (PAT) — Taken in grades 6 and 9. Exam mark is not included in final reported grade as class grades are not reported to the province.[7]
Alberta Diploma Examinations (Diploma) — Taken in some 30 level (grade 12) courses, including:
Graduation assessments — graduation literacy assessment (GLA) taken in grade 10 and 12. Graduation numeracy assessment (GNA) taken in grade 10. GLA and GNA are both marked on a scale of 4 (1 = Emerging, 2 = Developing, 3 = Proficient, 4 = Extending). There is no minimum score required to graduate (completion only).[9]
Grade 7, including the subjects reading, writing, and mathematics.[10]
Grade 8, including the subjects reading, writing, and mathematics.[10]
Grade 12 Provincial Tests — taken in some grade 12 level courses. Exam mark is worth 30% of final course grade except for Essential Mathematics test which is worth 20%.[11]
Grade 3, including the subjects reading, writing, and mathematics.[13]
Grade 6, including the subjects reading, writing, and mathematics.[14]
Grade 9, which only includes a mathematics test.[15]
Grade 10, Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test is a graduation requirement.[16] In order to satisfy the literacy requirement, students are required to attain a minimum score of 300 out of 400. Those who do not meet this threshold must either reattempt the test or enroll in the Ontario Literacy Course.
Department Examinations - In Ontario secondary schools, the final evaluation for each course is worth 30% of the overall grade. While this percentage is consistent across all courses, the structure of the final evaluation is determined by individual departments within each school. As a result, these evaluations are not standardized across the province. The final evaluation typically consists of two components: a culminating activity (i.e., a final project) and a written examination. This dual-format approach allows students multiple opportunities to demonstrate their learning. It is particularly beneficial for students who experience test-related anxiety, as it reduces the weight placed on a single high-stakes exam. For instance, an English department might assign a media literacy presentation as the Grade 9 culminating activity worth 10% of the final grade. The remaining 20% could then be assessed through a written examination requiring students to apply a literary analysis to an unseen passage. This arrangement ensures that students are evaluated on both their applied and analytical skills. The primary objective of the final evaluation is to assess students' understanding and application of the curriculum expectations. If a student fails to demonstrate the required knowledge and skills through both term work and the final evaluation, they will receive a final grade of 49% or lower. In the case of compulsory courses, failure necessitates retaking the course, either during the regular school year or through expedited options such as credit recovery, summer school, or night school.
Primary Literacy Assessments (PLA) — taken in grade 3.[17]
Primary Mathematics Assessments (PMA) — taken in grade 3.[17]
French Immersion Elementary Mathematics Assessments (French Immersion EMA) — taken in grade 5.[17]
Elementary Literacy Assessments (ELA) — taken in grade 6.[17]
Elementary Mathematics Assessments (EMA) — taken in grade 6.[17]
Intermediate Mathematics Assessments (IMA) — taken in grade 9. Exam mark is worth 10% of final course grade.[17]
Secondary Mathematics Assessments (SMA) — taken in grade 11. Exam mark is worth 25% for Math 521A, Math 521B and Math 521M. Worth 20% for Math 512K.[17]
Ministerial Examinations — taken in grade 10 and 11 level subjects. Exam mark is worth 50% of the final grade. However, the final grade cannot be lower than the ministerial exam mark. For instance, if a student earns a 70% in the course, but an 80% on the exam, their final grade will be an 80%.[18][19]
Departmental Examinations — taken only by students instructed by non-accredited teachers, for home-based education students, and for adults wishing to earn Level 30 credits. Exam mark is worth 40% of final grade.[20]
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