Final Exams Are Back: How Bill 101 Reshapes Ontario High School Grades in 2026
Here is the short version for students and parents. Starting with the 2026-2027 school year, Ontario secondary students will write mandatory final exams again, and a new attendance and participation mark will count directly toward final grades. Both changes come from Bill 101, the Putting Student Achievement First Act, which received Royal Assent in May 2026. It is the biggest change to how Ontario high school grades are calculated since exams were scaled back during the pandemic.
This guide breaks down what changes, which courses are affected, how a final grade is now built, and simple ways to prepare. If your child learns online, there is good news near the end. At Royal Ontario Academy, proctored final exams are already part of how we run our courses, so our credits meet the new standard by design.
Quick Takeaways
- From September 2026, written final exams are mandatory again in math, English, and science.
- Exams are worth 20% of the final mark in Grades 9 and 10, and 25% in Grades 11 and 12.
- Other credit courses use a 10% exam and 15% project split instead of a single exam.
- Attendance and participation now count too: 15% in Grades 9 and 10, and 10% in Grades 11 and 12.
- Workplace preparation and co-op courses are exempt from the written exam.
- In senior university-prep courses, about a third of the grade now sits outside daily coursework, so plan for exams early.
What Bill 101 Actually Changes
Bill 101 covers a broad set of education reforms, but two of them touch students directly. The first is the return of mandatory written final exams in core academic subjects. The second is a legislated attendance and participation mark that forms part of the final grade.
Before this law, school boards and individual teachers had wide discretion over whether to hold a formal exam at all. Many had moved toward projects or continuous assessment instead. Bill 101 removes that discretion for a defined set of subjects and sets a single province-wide minimum weighting. In plain terms, the exam requirement is now written into the assessment framework itself, so students can expect a consistent baseline no matter which school or board they attend.
The New Exam Weightings, Grade by Grade
How much an exam counts depends on both the grade and the subject. In Grades 9 and 10, a written exam is worth 20 percent of the final mark in mathematics, English, and science. In Grades 11 and 12, that rises to 25 percent in the same three subjects. The heavier weighting in the senior years reflects how much universities and colleges rely on Grade 11 and 12 results when they review applications.
Courses outside math, English, and science follow a different structure. Instead of a single high-stakes exam, these credits use a 10 and 15 split. That means a written exam worth 10 percent and a final project worth 15 percent. A small group of courses, including workplace preparation and cooperative education, sits outside the mandatory exam structure, because those credits are already assessed through hands-on and placement-based work.
| Grade level | Math, English, Science | Other credit courses | Attendance and participation | Exempt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 9 to 10 | 20% written exam | 10% exam and 15% project | 15% of final mark | Workplace prep, co-op |
| Grades 11 to 12 | 25% written exam | 10% exam and 15% project | 10% of final mark | Workplace prep, co-op |
A few other credits, such as some locally developed and interdisciplinary courses, may also fall outside the written-exam requirement while still ending in a final evaluation such as a project or portfolio. Confirm the exact assessment plan for a specific course with the school or provider.
How the Weighting Changes a Final Grade
The math is simple once the percentages are set. Picture a Grade 12 student in a course with the 25 percent exam requirement. The student earns 90 percent on coursework, which is now worth 75 percent of the grade. They then score 70 percent on the written exam, worth the final 25 percent. The final mark becomes 90 times 0.75 plus 70 times 0.25, which is 67.5 plus 17.5, for a final grade of 85 percent.
Under a coursework-only model, that same student would have finished with 90 percent. The five-point gap shows why one exam now carries real influence over a final mark. The effect is a little smaller in Grades 9 and 10, where the exam is worth 20 percent, but the principle holds. A strong coursework average no longer guarantees an equally strong final grade if exam performance falls behind.
Attendance and Participation Now Count Toward Grades
The second major change applies on its own, separate from the exam rules. Attendance and participation now make up 15 percent of the final mark in Grades 9 and 10, and 10 percent in Grades 11 and 12. This is a formal, legislated part of the grade, not an informal penalty for missing class. The province has framed it as a response to rising chronic absenteeism, with the goal of keeping students engaged and on pace.
The participation mark is meant to reflect genuine engagement across a semester, not a raw count of days present. The province has signalled that excused absences, such as a documented illness or the observance of a holy day, should not count against a student the way an unexcused absence would. Accommodations recorded in a student’s Individual Education Plan continue to apply to all forms of assessment, including the final exam and the participation mark. If your child has an IEP, confirm the plan with the school early in the semester so nothing is missed.
Why This Matters Most for University-Bound Students
The subjects hit hardest by the new rules, math, English, and science, are also the ones most often required for competitive university and college programs. Grade 12 credits such as ENG4U, MHF4U, MCV4U, MDM4U, SBI4U, and SCH4U all fall under the 25 percent exam weighting, since each is a core academic credit. Students applying to university should expect their final grades in these Grade 12 courses to reflect a formal written exam and a participation mark on top of regular coursework.
This matters most where these credits are prerequisites. ENG4U is a near-universal admission requirement. MHF4U and MCV4U sit under most engineering and physical science programs. MDM4U is widely accepted for business and social science applications. SBI4U and SCH4U are standard for health sciences, nursing, and pre-medical pathways. A single weak exam in any of these courses now carries more weight than it did under the more coursework-heavy model of recent years, which is worth planning around well before exam week.
How This Compares to the Previous Model
Formal exams were a standard part of Ontario secondary school for decades. Between 2020 and 2024, disrupted schedules and wellbeing concerns led many boards to reduce exam weighting or replace exams with smaller ongoing assessments. That flexibility was never standardized, so the exam weight a student experienced could vary a great deal from one school to the next. Bill 101 removes that variability for the subjects it covers and sets a single minimum that applies regardless of board. For families comparing a public day school with an online provider, or for students transferring between boards, this creates a clearer baseline than has existed in years. The core Ontario Secondary School Diploma requirements, such as 30 credits and the literacy requirement, remain in place alongside these assessment changes.
When Do the Changes Take Effect?
The new rules apply from the 2026-2027 school year, which begins in September 2026 for the large majority of Ontario boards. Courses completed during 2025-2026 stay under the previous assessment model. Any course taken from September 2026 onward, including summer school and upgrade courses finished after that date, falls under the new exam and attendance requirements. Students in Grade 11 or 12 planning to apply in the coming cycle should confirm with their school or provider whether a specific course will be marked under the new or previous framework.
How Students Can Prepare
With exams carrying a fixed and, in senior courses, substantial weight, exam preparation is no longer something to leave until the last week. A few habits make the biggest difference:
- Space out review across the semester. Steady review beats cramming, especially in math and science where each concept builds on the one before it.
- Ask about the exam format early. Knowing whether it is multiple choice, written response, or a mix lets a student practise the right kind of thinking.
- Revisit earlier units, not just recent ones. A final exam tests cumulative understanding, so older assignments and tests are worth reviewing.
- Practise under timed conditions. Working through past questions with a clock running helps a student get comfortable with a proctored setting.
- Treat attendance as part of exam prep. Consistent engagement supports the participation mark and keeps a student on pace with the material.
An Ontario Online High School That Already Meets the New Standard
At Royal Ontario Academy, formal exams are not a new addition. We are a Ministry-inspected Ontario online high school, and every one of our OSSD credit courses already ends with a proctored final exam. That means our students’ credits meet the new Bill 101 standard by design, with no scramble to adjust. Our courses are built in smaller units to support retention, our teachers give quick and meaningful feedback, and virtual labs help students apply science and math concepts before they sit the exam. Students learn at their own pace on a rolling enrolment schedule, and tuition is the same for Canadian and international students. Families new to Canada can also request a free PLAR assessment so previous study is recognized rather than repeated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are written exams mandatory in all Ontario high school courses in 2026?
Written exams are mandatory in mathematics, English, and science for Grades 9 to 12. Other credit courses use a 10 percent exam and 15 percent project split. Workplace preparation and co-op courses are exempt. The requirement begins in the 2026-2027 school year.
How much do exams count toward a final grade under Bill 101?
A written exam counts for 20 percent of the final mark in Grades 9 and 10, and 25 percent in Grades 11 and 12, for math, English, and science. Other courses use a 10 percent exam and 15 percent project split.
Does attendance really count toward grades now?
Yes. Attendance and participation count for 15 percent of the final mark in Grades 9 and 10, and 10 percent in Grades 11 and 12. Documented excused absences, such as illness or a holy day, are not meant to be held against a student the way an unexcused absence is.
What is Bill 101?
Bill 101, the Putting Student Achievement First Act, 2026, reinstates mandatory written exams and introduces an attendance-based grading component for Ontario secondary students, alongside broader changes to school board governance. It received Royal Assent in May 2026.
When do the new exam and attendance rules take effect?
The changes apply from the 2026-2027 school year, beginning in September 2026. Courses completed before that date remain under the previous assessment model.
Do students on an IEP still get accommodations?
Yes. Accommodations recorded in a student’s Individual Education Plan continue to apply to all forms of assessment, including the final exam and the participation mark. Confirm the plan with the school early in the semester.
Sources: Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Bill 101 · Ontario Ministry of Education, graduation requirements