Ontario's new final mark rules for 2026–27: what teachers need to know

Starting in the 2026–27 school year, every Ontario secondary course calculates its final mark a new way. If you're planning a course, building an outline or explaining marks to families, here's what changed and what it means in practice.

The new breakdown

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

Before this change, most courses used 70% term work and 30% final evaluation, so the biggest shifts are a smaller classroom-work share, a required final evaluation in nearly every course, and a new attendance and participation component.

What counts as the final evaluation

The Ministry sets the breakdown of the final evaluation by subject. A few examples teachers ask about most:

English, math and science, Grades 9 and 10: a 20% written exam, held during the designated exam period.
Grade 9 math (MTH1W): the EQAO Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics counts as the written exam, worth 20% of the final mark.
Grade 10 Career Studies (GLC2O): 5% for the new financial literacy graduation requirement and a 15% culminating task.
Many other courses combine a written exam with a culminating task or project.

Because the details differ by subject, grade and board, check the Growing Success page on ontario.ca and your board's procedures for your exact courses.

Attendance and participation

Attendance and participation now form part of the final grade: 15% in Grades 9 and 10, and 10% in Grades 11 and 12. Two points worth sharing with students and families early:

Excused absences don't lower the mark. The component recognizes the impact of being present and engaged, not illness or approved absences.
It's assessed with a level scale, so it helps to describe what each level looks like in your course outline, in plain language students can understand.

Planning tips

Build your evaluation plan first. Decide what makes up the 65% (unit summatives, tests, ongoing tasks) and how the final evaluation will be split, then plan backwards.
Put it in the course outline. Students and families should see the 65/20/15 or 65/25/10 breakdown, the attendance and participation scale and the exam dates in the first week.
Make the final evaluation cumulative. An exam or culminating task that draws on every unit gives students a reason to review, and gives you better evidence of overall achievement.
Leave room for review. Plan two or three review classes before the exam period.

Tools that help

The free marks calculator converts levels to percentages and works out a final mark using the new 2026 weightings.
Every K9solutions complete course already follows the 2026 rules: an editable course outline with the evaluation plan and the attendance and participation scale, a unit summative and rubric for every unit, and the final exam or culminating task.

Teaching outside Ontario? The planning tips apply anywhere; just swap in your own province's or district's weightings.