Since September 2026, showing up is part of the grade. In every Ontario high school course, attendance and participation now make up 15 per cent of the final mark in Grades 9 and 10, and 10 per cent in Grades 11 and 12. Only unexcused absences count against it, which makes the way an absence gets reported matter more than it used to.
All Ontario secondary schools, from the 2026-2027 school year. Source: Ontario Ministry of Education, 2026
How much does attendance count toward a high school mark in Ontario?
Attendance and participation count for 15 per cent of the final mark in Grades 9 and 10 and 10 per cent in Grades 11 and 12, starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The rest of the mark comes from classroom work and a mandatory final evaluation (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2026).
In Grades 9 and 10, a final mark is now 65 per cent classroom work, 20 per cent final evaluations and 15 per cent attendance and participation. In Grades 11 and 12, the split is 65, 25 and 10. The update replaces the evaluation chapter of Growing Success, the province's assessment policy, so the same weights apply in every board. In most courses the final evaluation includes a written exam during a set exam period. In Grade 9 math, the EQAO assessment counts as the written exam and makes up 20 per cent of the course mark.
How the attendance and participation mark is scored
The Ministry has published one set of criteria for every school. Each level combines two things: the share of classes a student misses for unexcused reasons, and how consistently they take part in class. The Ministry gives each level as a percentage of classes and as an approximate number of classes per semester.
| Level | Attendance and participation mark | Unexcused classes missed per semester | Takes part in class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 4 | 80% to 100% | About 2 or fewer (up to 2.5%) | Consistently |
| Level 3 | 70% to 79% | About 2.5 to 4.5 (2.5% to 5%) | Generally |
| Level 2 | 60% to 69% | About 5 to 7 (5% to 7.5%) | Occasionally |
| Level 1 | 50% to 59% | About 7.5 to 9 (7.5% to 10%) | Infrequently |
| Below Level 1 | Under 50% | More than 9 (over 10%) | Does not take part |
Taking part in class means contributing ideas, asking relevant questions, respecting the contributions of others and helping build a positive classroom culture. Excused absences are not counted against the student.
Assessment criteria for attendance and participation, Grades 9 to 12. Source: Ontario Ministry of Education, 2026
Sign Up Free & Find Your Teacher in 3 Minutes →Two details stand out. First, the scale is steep. A student who skips three classes in a semester without an excuse is already below Level 4, and more than nine unexcused classes puts this part of the mark under 50 per cent.
Second, perfect attendance does not earn full marks on its own. The participation side asks whether a student contributes ideas, asks relevant questions, respects what others say and helps build a positive classroom culture. A quiet student who never misses a class can still land below Level 4, so it is worth asking each teacher what they count as participation.
Do excused absences affect marks in Ontario?
No. The Ministry states that excused absences do not negatively affect a student's mark. Excused means permitted under legislation or school policy, which may include illness, unavoidable circumstances such as bad weather, and approved absences such as cultural days and holy days (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2026).
Parents can still excuse other absences too. At a September 1 press conference, Education Minister Paul Calandra said important extracurricular activities, and even a family vacation, would still be allowed, with parents informing the principal, who will "make the determination" (CP24, October 2026). Peel District School Board has told families that the process for approving absences has not changed from last year, and that principals will not be more restrictive than before (Peel District School Board, 2026).
The detail that catches families out is the difference between a reported absence and an excused one. Upper Grand District School Board, for example, explains that an absence with no explanation from home is treated as unexcused. An absence a parent has explained is recorded as verified, but it can still count against the mark if the reason does not meet the criteria to be excused (Upper Grand District School Board, September 2026). Your own board's attendance policy decides which reasons qualify.
Where the rules are still being worked out
The policy is a month old, and some situations do not have a single province-wide answer yet. The Ontario Student Trustees' Association told CP24 that grey areas remain, particularly for activities such as conferences and volunteering (CP24, October 2026). A parent quoted in the same report worried that the policy could be applied differently from school to school, or even from teacher to teacher.
The practical answer is to ask before the absence, not after the mark appears. A short email to the school asking how a specific absence will be recorded gives you an answer in writing.
What parents can do this semester
- Report every absence the way your school asks. Call or use the board's reporting line on the day it happens. An absence with no word from home is treated as unexcused.
- Plan known absences ahead. For a tournament, a trip or a religious observance, send the request to the principal in writing before the date and keep the reply.
- Check how each absence was recorded. If your school shares attendance through a parent portal or a report, look at the codes, and ask the office to correct a mistake while the dates are fresh.
- Talk about participation, not just attendance. Ask your teen what each teacher looks for, and whether they feel able to speak up in that class.
- Raise health and disability needs early. If anxiety, a chronic condition or a disability affects attendance, ask the school about accommodations. Upper Grand, for one, says it will accommodate needs related to the Ontario Human Rights Code. If your child has an IEP, bring attendance up at the next review, and see what changed in special education in Ontario this year.
- Catch up quickly after any absence. An excused absence protects this part of the mark, but the missed lesson still matters, and classroom work is 65 per cent of the grade.
If your teen has just started high school, our guide to what Grade 9 is really like in Ontario covers credits and de-streamed courses, and our guide to Ontario report cards explains how the final mark is reported.
How Connect Education Can Help
Absences add up in two ways: in this new part of the mark, and in the lessons a student misses. Connect Education works exclusively with certified teachers who hold a professional teacher certificate in good standing. If a stretch of illness or a busy season has left your teen behind, a teacher can build a personalized one-on-one plan to catch up on missed content and prepare for final evaluations, online, in person or at a public library, at times that work around school.
Start with a free 15-minute assessment, or browse certified teachers first. For a wider look at the year ahead, see our guide to tutoring in Ontario for 2026-2027.