UCDSB Partnership with EQAO Earns International Recognition for Student Assessment Initiative

Brockville – Today, in the heart of Merrickville, the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) celebrated international recognition for its collaborative work with the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) to support student success in provincial online assessments.

The partnership was honoured with the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors (CIEA) Educational Assessment Outcomes Award from the 2026 International e-Assessment Association (eAA) Awards, held in the spring. Dan Koenig, Chief Executive Officer for EQAO, presented Superintendent Amanda Nieman and Principal Rob Scott with a ceremonious award to mark this achievement.

The award-winning initiative, No Rush Zone: How EQAO and UCDSB Supported Student Confidence in Online Math Assessments, focused on helping students feel more prepared, confident and comfortable when completing Ontario’s online mathematics assessments.

“It’s such an honour for the UCDSB to be recognized for this award. Through this ongoing partnership with EQAO and their classroom support, significant gains have been made in how students are feeling more comfortable and confident with their math skills and the EQAO assessment platform,” says UCDSB Superintendent Amanda Nieman, who has been working closely with EQAO and UCDSB educators to enhance learning and teaching practices.

To support student achievement, EQAO partnered with the UCDSB to provide professional development sessions to help educators understand the assessment structure, types of questions, and how to use the data to support learning.

“EQAO’s focus is on supporting schools with student success,” says Dan Koenig, Chief Executive Officer for EQAO. “We’re extremely proud that the agency’s assessments, data and research played a small part in UCDSB’s ongoing work. I want to congratulate the dedicated educators, administrators, and students involved in this project. This international recognition is a proud moment and a meaningful reminder of our shared commitment to evidence-informed decision making, and continuous improvement.”

UCDSB complemented this work with district-wide classroom learning opportunities. These included virtual math game shows, challenge quests, and weekly practice questions designed to encourage students to take their time, clearly explain their thinking, and review their answers before submitting them.

“These teams have shown real innovation and formed a great partnership. They’ve collaborated on ways to engage educators and students in this fundamental learning, and it’s having a real impact in the classroom. Congratulations to everyone involved. This work is making a difference for our students and staff,” says UCDSB Chair of the Board Jamie Schoular.

“Congratulations to the Upper Canada District School Board’s educators whose dedication to student success led to this prestigious international recognition. I also want to commend students for their hard work and achievements on the EQAO math assessments,” said Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. “I’m proud of the board’s efforts to build student confidence, improve academic achievement, and help prepare them for successful futures.”

Through this work, UCDSB students have grown more comfortable with digital assessments and have started to rise above the provincial averages in some areas.