Functions and Applications

A wide variety of assessment and evaluation tools will be used to earn credits towards the Ontario Secondary School Diploma at Royal Ontario Academy, including quizzes, tests, projects, essays, journals, and final assessments. The final exam is a closed-book, online test that is proctored and has a time limit. Students may also be required to appear on video for other assessments in certain courses.

At Royal Ontario Academy, the final mark in every course is made up of three parts:

• 65% is based on coursework completed throughout the online course.
• 25% is based on a final evaluation.
• 10% is based on attendance and participation, reflecting consistent weekly engagement with the course.

Depending on the course, the final evaluation may be a proctored written exam, a culminating task such as a project, essay, or presentation, or a combination of both. Attendance and participation reflects how consistently a student engages with their learning each week, and excused absences approved by the Principal do not lower this part of the mark.

Students will receive two reports per course:

• First Report (Midterm): Issued when the student reaches the halfway point of the course. It reflects achievement and development to that point, including attendance and participation.
• Final Report: Reflects overall achievement and development for the entire course, including attendance and participation.

This course follows the current Growing Success requirements, including the mandatory assessment and evaluation updates that take effect in the 2026-2027 school year. According to Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools, the primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. To ensure that assessment, evaluation, and reporting are valid and reliable, and that they lead to the improvement of learning for all students, Royal Ontario Academy teachers use practices and procedures that:

• are fair, transparent, and equitable for all students;
• support all students, including those with special education needs, those who are learning the language of instruction (English or French), and those who are First Nation, Metis, or Inuit;
• are carefully planned to relate to the curriculum expectations and learning goals and, as much as possible, to the interests, learning styles and preferences, needs, and experiences of all students;
• are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the course and at other appropriate points throughout the course;
• are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;
• provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support improved learning and achievement;
• develop students’ self-assessment skills to enable them to assess their own learning, set specific goals, and plan next steps for their learning.