Letter to Secondary School Families: Ontario Assessment, Evaluation, Attendance and Graduation Requirements

Dear Grand Erie Secondary School Students and Families,

Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, the Ontario Ministry of Education has introduced several changes to assessment, evaluation, attendance and graduation requirements for all Ontario secondary students.

Under Ontario legislation, students are expected to attend school each day unless absent for a reason recognized by Ministry of Education requirements. The following information outlines what families need to know.

New Provincial Requirement Beginning September 2026

The Ministry of Education now requires attendance and participation to be included as part of a student's final course mark at all secondary schools in Ontario:

• Grades 9 and 10: 15% of the final course mark
• Grades 11 and 12: 10% of the final course mark

What This Means for Students

• Excused absences will not negatively affect the attendance portion of a student's final mark.
• Unexcused absences may affect the attendance and participation portion of the final mark.
• Students are responsible for completing missed learning, assessments and course requirements when absent.

Families should continue to report absences through PowerSchool’s SafeArrival and provide the reason for the absence. If you believe an absence should be reviewed, please contact your child’s school.

Changes to Final Evaluations and Exams

The Ministry of Education has also updated expectations for final evaluations in secondary courses. All secondary courses will now include a mandatory final evaluation, which may take the form of:

• a written examination.
• a culminating task, project, performance or presentation.
• a combination of both.

The format will depend on the course and subject area, and individual teachers will share expectations directly with students. All written final exams from Grades 9 to 12 will take place during the designated exam period.

How Final Marks Will Be Calculated

In Grades 9 and 10, most courses will be:

• 65% from learning completed throughout the course.
• 20% from the final evaluation.
• 15% from attendance and participation.

In Grades 11 and 12, most courses will be:

• 65% from learning completed throughout the course.
• 25% from the final evaluation.
• 10% from attendance and participation.

Students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and multilingual language learners will continue to receive supports and accommodations that help them demonstrate their learning.

New Financial Literacy Graduation Requirement

The Ministry of Education has introduced a new financial literacy graduation requirement for students who entered Grade 9 in the 2025-26 school year and beyond. The requirement will be completed as part of the compulsory Grade 10 Career Studies and students must achieve a minimum mark of 70% on the financial literacy component.

This component will represent 5% of the final Grade 10 Career Studies mark and will be recorded on the Ontario Student Transcript once completed.

Questions?

Please contact your child’s school if you have questions about attendance expectations, assessment and evaluation practices, final evaluations, or graduation requirements.