Ontario's New 10 Percent Attendance Mark: What It Means for Student Athletes and Flexible Learners
Ontario’s new 10 percent attendance and participation mark is here. Learn what the changes mean for students, parents, and flexible learners in the 2026–27 school year.
Ontario high school students are starting the 2026–27 school year under significant new assessment rules — and one of the biggest changes is the addition of attendance and participation to the final course mark.
Under the province's new assessment requirements, attendance and participation now account for 15% of the final mark in Grades 9 and 10 and 10% in Grades 11 and 12.
For families of student-athletes, performers, students who travel frequently, and other learners whose schedules don't fit a traditional school day, this raises an important question:
How will time away from school affect my child's grades?
The answer depends on how a school defines and measures attendance and participation and for students with demanding schedules, the learning model matters more than ever.
What Is Bill 101?
The Putting Student Achievement First Act, 2026 (Bill 101) introduced changes to Ontario's education system, including new assessment and evaluation requirements for secondary students.
The legislation received Royal Assent on May 7, 2026, and provisions affecting education have come into force in stages. The new attendance and participation requirements apply beginning with the 2026–27 school year.
The Ontario Ministry of Education now requires final secondary school marks to include attendance and participation.
This means attendance is no longer simply something recorded by a school. For students in Grades 9–12, it can now form part of the final course grade.
How Are Ontario High School Grades Calculated in 2026–27?
The new grading structure divides a student's final course mark into three components.
Grades 9 and 10
65% — Classroom work completed throughout the course
20% — Mandatory final evaluation
15% — Attendance and participation
Grades 11 and 12
65% — Classroom work completed throughout the course
25% — Mandatory final evaluation
10% — Attendance and participation
For a Grade 9 or 10 student, that means attendance and participation can represent 15 marks out of the student's final 100%.
For a Grade 11 or 12 student, it represents 10 marks.
That is a meaningful change from the previous assessment model, where attendance and participation were not directly included as a percentage of the final course mark.
Do Excused Absences Lower a Student's Mark?
No.
This is one of the most important points for parents to understand.
The Ontario Ministry of Education states that excused absences do not negatively affect a student's mark.
Schools may consider a student's attendance, engagement and participation when determining this component of the final grade, but an absence that is properly excused should not result in a reduction to the student's mark.
This distinction is particularly important for students whose schedules include legitimate commitments outside the classroom.
Parents should always follow their school's process for reporting or documenting an absence.
What About Student-Athletes Who Travel?
This is where the new attendance and participation mark becomes especially important for student-athletes.
Competitive athletes may spend significant amounts of time:
Travelling to tournaments
Competing outside Ontario
Attending training camps
Participating in showcases
Training multiple times per week
Travelling internationally
Attending recruitment events
Preparing for provincial, national or international competitions
A traditional school schedule can make this difficult.
A student may be an excellent learner, complete their assignments, communicate with teachers and maintain strong academic performance but still have a schedule that doesn't fit neatly into a conventional classroom timetable.
The question isn't simply: "How often is the student physically in a classroom?"
For today's student-athletes, an increasingly important question is:
How is the school measuring meaningful participation?
That distinction matters.
Why an Asynchronous Online School Can Be a Better Fit
At Aubrey Academy, our online OSSD model is designed around students who need flexibility without giving up academic support.
Our courses are asynchronous, meaning students do not have to be online in a traditional classroom at a fixed time each day.
Students can work around their actual schedules — including training, travel and competition — while continuing to complete their coursework and stay connected with their teachers.
This can be particularly valuable for student-athletes.
Instead of requiring a student to be physically present in a classroom at a specific time, an asynchronous model allows learning to happen around the student's schedule.
Explore Aubrey Academy's Online OSSD Courses
What Does "Participation" Look Like in an Online School?
Participation doesn't have to mean sitting in a classroom from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In an online learning environment, meaningful participation can be demonstrated through engagement with the course and learning process.
At Aubrey Academy, our asynchronous model allows students to demonstrate engagement through their coursework, learning activities, communication and ongoing progress with teacher support.
For an athlete travelling to a tournament in another province, for example, the student isn't necessarily stepping away from school.
They may be completing coursework from a hotel room.
They may be working through a lesson between training sessions.
They may be communicating with their teacher remotely.
They may continue progressing through their course while travelling with their team.
The location may change. The learning doesn't have to stop.
That is one of the major advantages of flexible online education.
A Realistic Example
Imagine a Grade 11 student who plays competitive hockey.
During the season, the student may travel regularly for tournaments and competitions. Some weekends may involve long-distance travel, while weekdays may include several hours of training.
In a traditional school environment, the family may need to carefully coordinate missed classes, absences and make-up work.
With an asynchronous online course, the student can structure their learning around their athletic schedule.
They can continue working through their course while travelling, complete assignments according to their course requirements and maintain communication with their teacher.
For families considering an online school, this flexibility can make a significant difference.
Does This Mean Student-Athletes Don't Have to Participate?
No.
The new rules do not mean students can simply ignore their courses because they attend an online school.
Students still need to demonstrate meaningful engagement and complete their academic responsibilities.
The difference is that an asynchronous model can allow students to demonstrate that engagement without requiring them to follow a traditional classroom timetable.
That's an important distinction.
Flexibility does not mean less accountability.
It means the structure of learning is designed differently.
Written Exams Are Also Part of the New Rules
The attendance change isn't the only major assessment update for 2026–27.
Ontario has also introduced mandatory final evaluations, including written exams for many secondary courses. The Ministry states that most secondary courses will have mandatory written exams, with specific course and subject exemptions.
English, mathematics and science courses have written examinations as part of their final evaluation structure.
Some courses are exempt from the mandatory written exam requirement, including certain locally developed compulsory credit courses, Grades 11 and 12 workplace preparation and open courses, Co-operative Education, Interdisciplinary Studies and specified Guidance and Career Education courses. These courses still require a final evaluation.
For families choosing an online high school, it is important to understand not only how coursework is delivered, but also how final evaluations and exams are administered.
What Should Parents Ask an Online School?
If your child is considering online high school for the 2026–27 school year, don't just ask whether the school is "online."
Ask how the school handles the new assessment requirements.
Here are five questions worth asking:
1. How is attendance measured?
Ask what the school considers attendance and how it contributes to the student's final mark.
2. How is participation measured?
For an asynchronous student, this is especially important.
Ask how the school evaluates meaningful engagement when there isn't a traditional daily classroom.
3. What happens when my child travels?
If your child is an athlete, performer or frequently travelling student, ask how travel affects course participation and deadlines.
4. How are final evaluations and exams completed?
Find out whether exams are written online, in person, remotely proctored or administered another way.
5. Can the school accommodate an athletic schedule?
A school may technically offer online courses while still requiring rigid schedules.
Make sure the learning model actually fits your child's life.
Why This Matters for Families Choosing an OSSD Pathway
The new Ontario grading rules don't mean that traditional school is the wrong choice.
But they do make school structure and assessment practices more important considerations for families.
For some students, a traditional classroom environment is exactly what they need.
For others — particularly student-athletes, performers, working students, frequent travellers and learners who thrive with greater flexibility — an asynchronous online model may be a better fit.
At Aubrey Academy, we believe students shouldn't have to choose between their academic future and the activities, goals and commitments that matter to them.
Our Ministry-inspected Ontario private high school offers flexible online OSSD credit courses supported by Ontario Certified Teachers, with academic pathways designed around each student's goals.
See How Aubrey Academy Supports Student-Athletes
The Bottom Line
Ontario's new attendance and participation mark is now part of the high school grading system.
Starting in the 2026–27 school year:
Grades 9 and 10 include 15% attendance and participation
Grades 11 and 12 include 10% attendance and participation
Excused absences do not negatively affect a student's mark
Mandatory final evaluations have been introduced
Many courses now include written final exams
Schools must follow the province's updated assessment requirements
For student-athletes and other flexible learners, the key question isn't simply how much time a student spends inside a classroom.
It's whether their school environment allows them to stay engaged, keep learning and demonstrate meaningful participation while managing the realities of their schedule.
Looking for Flexible OSSD Credits?
If your child is balancing high-performance athletics, training, travel, work or other commitments, Aubrey Academy can help you explore an OSSD pathway that fits.
Contact Aubrey Academy to discuss flexible online OSSD credits and find out whether our asynchronous learning model is right for your student.
Aubrey Academy
Ontario Ministry-Inspected Private High School
BSID #665140
📧 info@aubreyacademy.ca
📞 (416) 998-3354