(September 2026 Mandatory Assessment and Evaluation Requirements)

Achievement Categories (GS pages 16-18 and 24-25)

The achievement chart identifies four categories of knowledge and skills: Knowledge and Understanding, Thinking, Communication and Application. This chart serves as a standard province-wide guide, enabling teachers to make consistent judgments about student work based on clear performance standards and a body of evidence collected over time.

The categories of knowledge and skills are:

Knowledge and Understanding (KU) – Subject – specific content acquired in each grade/course (knowledge) and the comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding).

Thinking (T) – The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes.

Communication (COM) – The conveying of meaning through various forms.

Application (AP) – The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various contexts.

A final grade is recorded for every course, and a credit is granted and recorded for every course in which the student’s grade is 50 per cent or higher. The final grade for each course in Grades 9 to 12 will be determined as follows:

Sixty-five percent of the grade will be based on evaluations conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade should reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration should be given to more recent evidence of achievement.

Twenty or Twenty-five percent for final evaluation.

Breakdown of Final Evaluations (Exams vs. Culminating Tasks)

The 20% (Grades 9–10) or 25% (Grades 11–12) final evaluation is further broken down by subject area. Beginning in 2026, written exams are mandatory for most secondary courses and must occur during the designated exam period.

- Ten or Fifteen percent for mandatory attendance/participation. This component is a graded part of the final mark, evaluated using a four-level scale based on unexcused absences and class engagement.
- Grade 9-10 15%
- Grade 11-12 10%

What “counts” in the 65% grade?

Grades 9 through 12 are now based on classroom work completed throughout the course. This portion consists of evidence that the student has demonstrated achievement of the overall expectations outlined in the curriculum policy document for the subject.

Students must be provided with opportunities to practice and receive timely feedback before their learning is evaluated. Formative assessments, such as self- and peer assessments, are used to provide constructive feedback and should not be included as part of the evaluated 65% classroom work grade; only formal evaluations are included in the student’s reported grade.

Note: Assessments should not be administered by supply teachers or on-call teachers. Classroom teachers must be present when an assessment is administered to support student learning and the demonstration of knowledge and skills.

Mandatory Final Evaluations (20%-25%)

The purpose of the final evaluation is to provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate their learning of the overall expectations of the course. Most secondary courses now require written exams to be administered during the designated exam period.

Core Subjects (English, Math, Science): Require a full 20% written exam in Grades 9–10 and a 25% written exam in Grades 11–12.

EQAO Grade 9 Math: This assessment now counts as the written exam and must be weighted at exactly 20% of the final mark.

Other Subjects (Arts, Tech, Business, etc.): Typically require a 10% written exam combined with a 10% or 15% culminating task.

The final evaluation must include questions from all four achievement categories using the same weighting assigned for the 65% classroom work evaluations. No new content or skills should be introduced during this time; students are demonstrating knowledge and skills already learned. Marks from any evaluations held prior to the formal examination period are included in the 65% classroom work grade.

Marks from any evaluations held in the middle of the semester or prior to the examination period are always to be included in the students’ 65% grade and are not included as any part of the final 20%-25% evaluation. Final 20-25% of the course should start no earlier than the last 4-6 weeks of the course.

Course exempt from mandatory written exams

The following courses are exempt from mandatory written exam policy:

Grades 9 and 10 locally developed compulsory credit courses (LDCC)
Grades 11 and 12 workplace preparation courses (E courses)
Grades 11 and 12 Open courses (O courses)

Subject areas exempt from mandatory written exams

Guidance and Careers Education, except for Grade 10 Career Studies (GLC20)
Co-operative Education
Interdisciplinary Studies

These courses require a final evaluation (worth 20% for Grade 9-10 and worth 25% for Grade 11-12) that do not require the mandatory written examination but may include in-class written evaluation or other final evaluation such as a project, presentation and portfolios.

20 or 25% Final Grade for students who are absent

All students must take part in the course-culminating activities that make up the 20% or 25% final evaluation mark. If a student misses part or all of the culminating activities and if time allows, the student will be given another opportunity to complete the missing part of the culminating activities. In those circumstances when time or circumstances do not allow, the Principal, in consultation with the teacher, will determine an appropriate mark.

Vacations and other trips are not valid reasons for missing examinations. Failure to write an examination will result in a mark of zero. No examination will be changed from the final printed schedule for any reason. If a student is late, they must report immediately to the examination room. Late students will be given the balance of the examination time only. Students who arrive after the examination time has expired will receive a mark of zero.

Final Grade for students who joined the course late (i.e. prior to mid-semester)

Students who enrol in a course late in the semester (i.e. prior to mid-semester) should be given every opportunity to learn the course material taught prior to their arrival. Students in this circumstance should be provided with the appropriate course material and given the opportunity to meet with the teacher to learn the material at the teacher’s convenience. In addition, such students should be directed to extra help programs available at the school.

The mark assigned to the student should be done in consultation with the Principal. It is important to note that students in such circumstances do have the opportunity to pass the course depending on the curriculum expectations they have completed, irrespective of their attendance record. If the student has not demonstrated enough of the overall expectations an “I” will be assigned for students in Gr 9 & 10 and a mark of 2% will be assigned for students in Gr 11 & 12. The comment will indicate that due to recent arrival the student has not demonstrated the curriculum expectation and the credit is not granted.

REPORTING PERIODS

MIDTERM REPORTING

The minimum number of evaluations for the mid-term reporting period is four (4) major evaluations that encompass all the four achievement categories (for example, four entries each of knowledge and understanding, communication, thinking and applications).

Again, it is important to report the actual mark earned by the student on the mid-term report card. Teachers are not to increase or decrease the mark attained by a student.

Every student registered in your class must receive a Percent Grade or an “I”.

If the student has never attended (“no show”), has been recently added to the course OR you have insufficient evidence to calculate a mark, for:

Grade 9 and 10 courses ONLY – “I” may be used to indicate that insufficient evidence is available

to determine a percentage mark (GS pg. 42).

Grade 11 and 12 courses give a mark of 2%.

FINAL REPORTING

The minimum number of evaluations for the final reporting period is eight (8) major evaluations that encompass all the four achievement categories (for example, eight entries each of knowledge and understanding, communication, thinking and applications).

Every student registered in your class must receive a percent grade.

If the student has never attended, in other words they are a “no show”, give a mark of 2% or “I” and reflect the non-attendance and subsequent non-achievement in the comments section.
If they have attended even one class, however, you have no evidence or mark that can be calculated – assign them a mark of 2% or “I”. Again, reflect the lack of attendance and achievement in the comments section.
Use professional judgment when assigning marks of 46, 47, 48 and 49. Marks of 46-49% can be reported on a mid-term report card.
For final marks only do not assign a mark of 46, 47, 48, or 49%. Use professional judgment to determine if the mark will be 45% or 50%. A mark of 50% indicates the mark has been boosted to 50%. A mark of 51% indicates the credit is being earned.

THE EVALUATION OF LATE AND MISSED ASSIGNMENTS GRADES 9 - 12

Students are responsible for their own behaviour and for completing and submitting work for evaluation on time.

Students must make themselves aware of each due date and the ultimate deadline which is the last opportunity a student has for submitting an assignment for evaluation.

Teachers support students in the development of their learning skills and work habits that make them successful learners. Teachers, students and parents will work together and use a number of strategies to ensure that students complete their work and submit it on time. Suggested strategies include:

counselling the student and offering extra help
setting up a student contract
helping students develop better time-management skills
scheduling conferences with student and parents/guardians/caregivers
referring to the student’s IEP for suggested accommodations/modifications
providing alternative forms of assignments

Should the need occur, students must advise their teacher when a challenge will prevent the student from submitting work on time. The teacher will use professional judgment and consider extenuating circumstances for individual students. Students must also understand that there are consequences for incomplete, missing and late assignments. When a significant number of strategies have been tried, marks may be deducted up to and including the full value of the assignment.

ABSENCES FOR TESTS, PRESENTATIONS, INTERVIEWS

If a student misses a test, presentation, or interview as a consequence of serious illness or significant extenuating circumstances, the student or a parent/guardian must call the school by 8:30 a.m. to leave a message for the teacher. A medical note may be required. The medical note must be brought to the office by the student and have it approved by their Vice Principal. It is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements with their teacher upon their return to reschedule any assessments that they have missed during their absence.

NOTE: It may not always be possible to re-schedule tests, presentations, or interviews. Opportunities to make up such work will be undertaken by students at the discretion of the teacher.

LATE AND MISSED ASSIGNMENTS

Records of late or incomplete work will be kept and reported on the Learning Skills portion of the provincial report card. Students must understand that there will be consequences for not completing assignments for evaluation or for submitting those assignments late. Teachers will evaluate learning skills on an ongoing basis and communicate in a timely fashion to parents/guardians/caregivers if students have not submitted work.

The due date is the date that the student’s work must be submitted if it is to be marked without penalty. The ultimate deadline is the day after which the student’s work may not be marked. If an assignment is submitted after the ultimate deadline the teacher will give the student feedback on the work, but the work may not receive a mark. A mark of “0” may be given for student work submitted after the ultimate deadline based on the teacher’s professional judgment and interpretation of evidence. The ultimate deadline will be set using the professional judgment of the teacher(s), and all students taking the same course will have the same ultimate deadline for common assignments. In accordance with the Ministry of Education‘s Assessment and Evaluation document, Growing Success (2010), consequences will be applied to students for not completing assignments or for submitting late assignments. Teachers are to exercise their professional judgment and work in consultation with administration in exceptional circumstances.

Go to TDSB website at www.tdsb.on.ca

Click on “About Us” tab

Select and click on “Policies, Procedures and Forms”

Select and click on Click on “PR614”

ACADEMIC HONESTY

Students are expected to be academically honest by submitting their own original work, and the marks they receive are intended to reflect their own academic achievement. Academic dishonesty in any form is a serious offence.

PLAGIARISM

One form of academic dishonesty is plagiarism. Plagiarism is usually defined as presenting someone else’s words and ideas as one’s own. It can take many forms, including the following:

• submitting an essay/assignment written by someone else, e.g., buying an essay online,

• downloading an essay from a website, AI generated, having someone else do an assignment, or copying or using work done by another student (including homework),

• piecing together material from one or several sources and adding only linking sentences,

• quoting or paraphrasing material without citing the source of that material, including books, magazines, journals, websites, newspapers, television programs, radio programs, movies,

• videos, photographs, and drawings in print or electronic form,

• copying and pasting from the Internet or other electronic sites without citing the source; and not providing quotation marks for direct quotations—even if the sources have been cited.

To ensure academic honesty and avoid instances of plagiarism, teachers will:

• define plagiarism, and teach students the research skills that help them avoid plagiarizing (evaluating sources, note making, paraphrasing, proper citing of sources) so that students increase skills and confidence in submitting their own work for evaluation,

• clearly inform students of the consequences of plagiarism in the course outline distributed at the beginning of the course,

• use a variety of resources to assist in the instruction of research skills,

• create research assignments and tests that involve higher-order critical thinking and that engage students, therefore reducing the opportunities for students to plagiarize,

• structure major research assignments so that process steps in completing the assignment (bibliographies, thesis statement, outline, notes, drafts) are required of students and are assessed,

• give students time to work on the assignment occasionally in class so that the teacher can assess, on an ongoing basis, the research skills students are developing, and can provide support as needed,

• apply the procedures for dealing with instances of plagiarism consistently and fairly.

To ensure academic honesty and avoid instances of plagiarism, students are expected to:

• seek clarification from teachers about what constitutes plagiarism,

• seek remediation when their research skills are deficient,

• understand the penalties for academic dishonesty and plagiarism; and

• ensure that all their work is original and that they cite sources accurately and consistently.

CONSEQUENCES OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY/PLAGIARISM

When plagiarism is detected, the following process is to be followed:

• When a teacher comes across evidence of plagiarism, the teacher will discuss the matter with the student(s) involved.

• the teacher will inform the Vice Principal with specific details regarding the plagiarized assignment; and the teacher will inform the parent(s)/guardian, document, and inform the Vice Principal

• A mark of zero will be awarded for the assignment in question, as there has been no evidence that the student has demonstrated research skills required to demonstrate achievement of the course expectation.

• At the discretion of the teacher, there may be an opportunity at another time for the student to demonstrate evidence of proper research skills.

• Depending on the nature of the offence, the student’s other teachers should be alerted.

The severity of the offence and the number and nature of previous offences will be considered when determining the consequences of second, and any subsequent, offences. All students accused of plagiarism have the right to appeal the teacher’s decision to the Vice Principal. Students may appeal their case to the Vice Principal only after they have first discussed the matter with their course teacher.

For a copy of the Procedure on Academic Honesty PR613: Go to TDSB website at www.tdsb.on.ca

Click on “About Us” tab. Select and click on “Policies, Procedures and Forms”. Select “PR613”

20 or 25% Final Grade for students who are absent

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