TORONTO, September 8, 2026 – Ontario high schools have officially introduced a new standardized grading system for the 2026–2027 school year. Under rules from the Ministry of Education, attendance and classroom participation will now count toward final course grades for students in Grades 9 to 12, and most high school courses will also include a written final exam.
The new system sets uniform grading percentages for different grades. For Grade 9 and Grade 10 students, daily classroom learning will account for 65 per cent of the final grade, final evaluation will account for 20 per cent, and attendance and classroom participation will account for 15 per cent. For Grade 11 and Grade 12 students, daily classroom learning will also account for 65 per cent, while final evaluation will account for 25 per cent, and attendance and participation will account for 10 per cent.
Students who are absent for reasons accepted by their school will not lose attendance marks simply because they missed class. Illness, severe weather, religious holidays and other approved absences are considered recognized absences. Classroom participation will be assessed based on how students take part in discussions, ask questions and participate in group activities during regular class time.
Most high school courses will also reintroduce written final exams starting this school year.
In courses such as English, mathematics and science, written exams will account for 20 per cent of the final grade in Grades 9 and 10, and 25 per cent in Grades 11 and 12. Some courses, including arts, business and social sciences, may combine written exams with projects, presentations or other forms of evaluation. Some open courses, workplace preparation courses and co-operative education courses are not subject to the mandatory written exam requirement.
The grading method for Grade 9 mathematics is also changing. Starting this year, the EQAO mathematics assessment will count for 20 per cent of the course’s final grade and will also serve as the written final exam mark for the course.
Graduation requirements are also changing. Some Grade 10 students will begin completing financial literacy learning content this school year. Students who entered Grade 9 in the 2025–2026 school year or later must complete the related module in the Grade 10 Career Studies course and achieve a mark of at least 70 per cent.
The financial literacy module will account for five per cent of the final Career Studies grade, and students will have two opportunities to complete it during the course.
For newcomer families who are just entering Ontario’s high school system, the new system means they need to pay attention to more than homework and exams. Unexcused absences, classroom participation and the final evaluation weight in different courses can all affect a student’s final course mark.（LJI by Yuanyuan）
