Ontario School Rating Methodology

Most school rating systems reduce a school to a single number based on data that may be a year or more behind. A school rated 8.5 could be exceptional in Math but average in Literacy, or vice versa — those are very different schools for different families, and a single score hides that distinction.

Some widely-used formulas also include factors like gender performance gaps that introduce statistical noise without helping parents answer the question that actually matters: will my child learn effectively here?

RealHunt Ratings are designed to be current (updated within weeks of EQAO data release), transparent (you see exactly what's measured), and focused on academic outcomes — no hidden factors, no noise.

Based on Grades 3 and 6 EQAO assessments. The Overall Rating is a weighted composite:

• Math: 40% — weighted higher because math gaps compound over time and predict long-term academic outcomes in STEM, finance, and data-driven careers
• Reading: 30%
• Writing: 30%

We removed gender gap metrics entirely. In smaller schools, gender performance differences fluctuate randomly year-to-year based on which specific students are tested — it adds noise to the score without reflecting teaching quality.

Full elementary methodology with interactive charts →

Based on Grade 9 Mathematics and the OSSLT (Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test). The weighting reflects the information density of each test:

• Grade 9 Math: 60% — five achievement levels provide detailed performance data
• OSSLT: 40% — pass/fail binary, combining First-Time and Previously Eligible students at fixed provincial weights (84/16) to prevent feedback loops

Full secondary methodology with board rankings and maps →

Ratings are standardized each year using Z-scores across all Ontario schools, then mapped to a consistent scale with a median of approximately 6.0:

• A rating of 6.0 is always “average” compared to other Ontario schools that year
• An 8.0 is always “well above average” by the same relative amount, year over year
• Ratings are comparable across years — a 7.5 in 2024-25 means the same relative performance as a 7.5 in 2021-22

Elementary and secondary schools are rated within their own populations — the underlying tests are different, so scores are not directly comparable across levels.

Schools with small cohorts can show wild year-to-year swings — a school with 15 students tested can see a 2-point rating change just from which kids happened to be absent on test day. We apply Bayesian shrinkage, pulling small-school scores slightly toward their school board's average to reduce noise while preserving local context.

Schools need at least 12 students in key subjects to receive a rating. If a school doesn't meet that threshold, we don't force a score. Over 97% of schools are unaffected by this adjustment.

All ratings are derived from EQAO provincial assessment results, used under the Open Government Licence — Ontario. We update within weeks of each EQAO data release — our current ratings use 2024-25 data, the most recent available. Ratings, methodology, and visualizations are original works by RealHunt.