ONTARIO / Content Syndication Services / – Ontario will introduce mandatory school changes this fall that affect high school exams, final marks, classroom materials and graduation rules. The changes apply as the province prepares for the 2026-27 school year. They include written exams for Grades 9 to 12 on official exam days. Schools will also follow clearer rules on how teachers calculate final marks. The measures form part of Ontario’s broader update to school policy and board oversight.
The changes follow the passage of the Putting Student Achievement First Act, 2026, which received Royal Assent in May. The law amends Ontario’s education framework and gives the minister authority to set policies on student assessment, classroom materials, board spending rules and public communications. It also changes parts of school board governance. The Ontario Ministry of Education says the measures aim to make learning and assessment more consistent across the province.
Attendance and participation will also become part of secondary school final marks. The province has set the value at 15 per cent for Grades 9 and 10. It has set the value at 10 per cent for Grades 11 and 12. Students will not lose marks for approved absences, including illness and holy days. The rule marks a shift from current practice, where attendance and participation do not have to form part of final course marks.
Financial literacy requirement added
Ontario high school students will also face a new financial literacy graduation requirement. Beginning in September 2026, Grade 10 students must complete it as part of the compulsory Career Studies course. The requirement counts toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. It covers budgeting, saving, taxes, credit, debt, interest rates, consumer awareness and financial fraud. Students will need to show they understand core financial concepts already taught in earlier grades.
The financial literacy work will use learning modules and assessment questions developed by TVO. For most students, the requirement will take less than one class period to complete. A mark of at least 70 per cent will meet the requirement. The result will count for 5 per cent of the final Grade 10 Career Studies mark. Students who need more support may receive added instruction before trying again under the province’s process.
Classroom materials face new rules
The province will also require the use of approved learning resources in classrooms. The rule covers materials used to deliver the curriculum. Teachers may still use extra resources when they match student needs. The government says approved materials will support consistency between schools and boards. The classroom resource rule comes alongside changes that remove the requirement for school boards to run school climate surveys. Families will instead have access to Student and Family Support Offices.
School boards must establish those Student and Family Support Offices by Sept. 1, 2026. The offices will give parents and guardians a formal route to raise concerns beyond a teacher or principal. The law also changes how boards handle some land, building and budget matters. It sets new approval powers for the minister in specified cases. Together, the measures make fall 2026 a major policy reset for Ontario schools, students, parents and educators.