Tuesday marks the official return to school for hundreds of thousands of Ontario students, but the academic landscape inside those halls will look a little different this fall.
If you’ve just come off a busy summer full of beach days and cottage trips, here are some of the major updates you may have missed.
Final written exams now required for high school courses
In June, Education Minister Paul Calandra announced several changes, including making final written exams mandatory for most high school courses.
The move is “intended to provide a more consistent approach to assessment and evaluation for students in Grades 9 to 12,” according to the province’s website.
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Why Ontario is changing high school attendance, exams rules
Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra announced changes to the province’s English school systems, including mandatory written exams and incorporating attendance and participation into high school students’ final marks.
For Grades 9 and 10, mandatory final written exams are now worth 20 per cent in core subjects like English, math and science. The EQAO Grade 9 mathematics assessment counts as a written final exam.
In Grades 11 and 12, exams account for 25 per cent of the grades in core subjects, while non-core subjects split final evaluations between a written exam and a culminating project.
Workplace preparation, co-op and special education courses remain exempt from written exams, though final non-written evaluations are still required.
Attendance will affect final grades
This year, attendance and participation will count for 15 per cent of a final mark in Grades 9 and 10. In the upper years, it will be worth 10 per cent.
A student who has more than two unexcused absences won’t be able to get that full percentage.
After the change was announced in June, Calandra told The Canadian Press attendance rates in Ontario high schools have been among the worst in the country.
“My advice to parents is, keep them in school,” he said at the time. “Education should be their priority.”
Illnesses and religious holidays are considered excused absences and won’t impact grades.
A new financial literacy graduation requirement
Ontario high school students also need to pass a financial literacy test now in order to graduate.
Grade 10 students will take this new standardized financial literacy evaluation during Career Studies (GLC2O) and must score at least 70 per cent to pass.
The province’s website states that students will have two opportunities during the course to reach that benchmark. If they don’t succeed initially, they’ll get additional chances outside of class time.
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Parent reacts to Ontario’s planned mandatory exams changes
Ontario is planning on introducing mandatory written exams on ‘official exam days’ for grades nine through twelve. We spoke with one parent who’s worried about these changes-especially for kids who struggle with tests.
The education minister announced this requirement last spring because he believes students need practical skills like managing money effectively.</P
The evaluation focuses on important financial life skills such as budgeting at home, understanding interest rates, using credit cards wisely , saving strategies , and being aware as consumers , according to the province.
Support offices established for families across all boards
Last week , the government revealed that student support offices would launch at all72school boards.
The program was first introduced last fall when five boards were placed under provincial control due alleged mismanagement. These boards were ordered open these support offices by January2026.
When announcing expansion plansin Hamilton last week , Calandra explained that these offices aimto giveparentsand caregivers clear next steps when dealingwith unresolved issuesatthe local level.
“We know there are goingto be timeswhenparentshave questionsandconcerns,”hesaid.“Mostofthese canandshould beresolved withthe teacherorprincipal.”
However , parents shouldn’t spend weeks figuring out who handles more complicated problems either , Calandraadded.
New kindergarten curriculum focuses on basics
A revised kindergarten curriculum begins thisschoolyear.
This “back-to-basics” approach moves awayfrom play-basedlearning toward greater academic structure as statedbytheprovince.
It includes new requirementsfor math , science, and language skillsthat shift emphasis fromexplorationandplayto structured learning.
Some teachers worry ifthese expectationsare suitableforfour-andfive-year-olds.
Theprovinceclaimsit maintains learningthrough playwhile addingmore organizedlessonsin reading, written expression, andmathematics.
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