Ontario to make attendance count for sizable portion of high school final grades

TORONTO — Ontario high school students will soon have their attendance count for a sizable portion of their final grades, one of a set of upcoming changes to how students are assessed.

Policy changes affecting teacher instruction and student marks in class were among measures announced this week by Education Minister Paul Calandra as he tabled legislation to overhaul school board governance.

The proposed new measures largely target trustees, who are set to have a reduced role going forward, and school board administration, but Calandra also announced changes that will directly affect classrooms.

He says participation and attendance will count for 15 per cent of final marks for Grades 9 and 10, and 10 per cent in Grades 11 and 12, and written exams will be mandatory on official exam days.

Martha Hradowy, the president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, says some schools and boards had moved away from giving final exams, and “by and large” teachers support reinstating them.

Calandra says student absenteeism has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, and Hradowy agrees, though she says teachers would rather he address the issue by increasing resources so students feel supported and attend class, rather than giving grades for attendance in the way he proposes.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2026.

Allison Jones, The Canadian Press