Both Adolescent and Mature Students must be registered and active in an OCDSB secondary school.  Inactive students, or those who are not currently registered with the OCDSB, are not eligible through OCDSB high schools for the PLAR Equivalency process. 

Both Adolescent and Mature Students must be assigned the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) as their primary diploma in Aspen.  Students who are working towards the Certificate of Accomplishment (COA), or the Ontario Secondary School Certificate (OSSC), are not eligible for the PLAR equivalency process.  Students who undergo the PLAR Equivalency process while assigned to the OSSD, and later switch to an OSSC, and will retain any equivalent credits earned. 

Adolescent Students are those who are 17 years of age or younger as of August 31st of the current school year.  They will follow the PLAR Equivalency process under PPM 129.  The process for Adolescent Students is dependent on the year they started Grade 9 (or equivalent based on their date of birth):

• Before September 2024 (OSSD 1999) - Use this form

• In or after September 2024 (OSSD 2025) - Use this form

Mature Students are those who are 18 years of age or older as of August 31st of the current school year.  They will follow the PLAR Equivalency process under PPM 132.  Use this form.

A student's pathway should be at the forefront of conversations related to welcoming the student to their new school, when supporting them with their course selection, and when determining the how best to complete their equivalent credit assessment.  Some considerations:

• Was the student enrolled in a formal school prior to registering vs. a private non-inspected school, or home schooled?

  • What grade (or equivalent) did the student last complete?

• What documentation is the student able to produce from their last school?

  • • Note: While documentation of prior learning is prefered, it may not always be available due to extenuating circumstances.

• How many days per week were students expected to attend at their last school?

• What time did their last school start and finish?

• How many subjects would students typically follow in a year at their last school?

• Were subjects at their last school semestered, full-year, trimestered, etc?

• What level of achievement (or grade) would be considered as successfully passed for courses at the last school?

• What subjects does the student enjoy?

• What are their learning goals for high school at your school?

• What are the student's post-secondary learning goals and admission requirements? (If available)

• Special consideration should be given to students who are multilingual learners, students with identified learning exceptionalities, and students who may not yet achieving at grade level.

When documentation is available, staff will use their professional judgement in assessing how to match their prior learning subjects with Ontario high school credits appropriate for the student's age.  CESBA's Out of Province and Out of Country resources are available to support staff in this work.  Assessments of prior learning may be available through the Family Reception Centre or the Ottawa-Carleton Education Network (OCENET) for students new to Ontario.

When documentation is not available, staff should discuss with their principal how to proceed with an assessment of prior learning.  Some strategies may include:

• Consideration for the reason the documentation is unavailable

• Conversations with the student about their prior learning, experiences, skills, languages spoken, etc.

• Asking the student and/or their parent/caregiver (if under 18 years of age) to review the Ontario Secondary Curriculum to identify course readiness in a subject/pathway.  Students may be more advanced in some areas, and not yet at Ontario grade level for others.

• Waiting for a term or semester of achievement in their Ontario courses prior to determining the appropriate number and type of equivalent credits to grant.

Mature Students may complete the individual credit assessments in English, Mathematics, Science, and Canadian Geography and History (combined) in order to satisfy the diploma requirements for their junior credits.  See Section 9 of the Mature PLAR Equivalency Checklist for Mature Students for more information.  These same assessments may also be helpful when determining the best placement for Adolescent Students.

Note: While the outcomes of each student's individual equivalent credit assessment will likely vary, it is important that schools follow a consistent process that is transparent to students (and their parents/caregivers if under 18 years of age).  School staff are encouraged to consult to ensure they have considered all options for their students, and may wish to complete these assessments as part of a team to ensure the best outcome for students.

At the principal's discretion, both Adolescent and Mature Students may be eligible for up to 16 junior equivalent credits through a PLE1N PLAR package.  Follow the guidance in Section 4.3.3 Guide to determining diploma requirements for students transferring into Ontario secondary schools in Ontario Schools: K-12 (2024) to determine how many credits the student may be eligible for.

For Mature Students Only:

1. The Mature Student Date field must be populated in Aspen for any equivalent credits granted for Mature Students.

2. As mentioned above in step 5, Mature Students who do not have documentation of prior learning may complete the individual credit assessments in English, Mathematics, Science, and Canadian Geography and History (combined) in order to satisfy the diploma requirements for their junior credits.  See Section 9 of the Mature PLAR Equivalency Checklist for Mature Students for more information.

At the principal's discretion, both Adolescent and Mature Students may be eligible for up to 10 senior equivalent credits:

• Adolescent Students: Through a PLE3N PLAR package

• Mature Students: Using individual Ontario course codes that best reflect the student's prior learning.  See Section D) Senior Equivalent Credit Assessments for Mature Students for more information.

This requirement is at the principal's discretion.  Program Services recommends that schools consider past volunteer hours that may have already been completed (within the allowable time).  Program Services also recommends that students who have not yet completed this requirement be credited 5 hours per semester of high school completed elsewhere.  Staff should follow their principal's direction.

PLAR Equivalent Credit Assessment Forms must be signed by the principal and stored in the students' OSR.  Schools will communicate the outcome of these assessments to students (and their parents/caregivers if under 18 years of age).  Instructions for office staff explaining how to enter PLAR equivalent credits in Aspen are available below:

• Adolescent Students

• Mature Students