In developing this document, the creators drew from language in the following documents: Growing Success (2010), The Ontario Human Rights Code (2014), The Ontario Education Act (1990), The Ontario College of Teachers (2017) standards of professional practice, and The OSSTF Professional Conduct Guidelines.
The OOS uses a student assessment, evaluation, and reporting policy that is applied consistently throughout all programs. This policy is informed by the provincial policy for assessment, evaluation, and reporting required in Growing Success (2010), Growing Success: The Kindergarten Addendum (2016), and provincial curriculum expectations. To ensure effective implementation of ministry policy, direct statements from provincial and board policy documents have been embedded consistently throughout this document.
The OOS is committed to excellence in education by supporting the equitable access to opportunities for success, for all students. This includes the commitment by the school, and its staff to anti-oppression practices through the identification and elimination of all types of discrimination as outlined in Ontario's Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy (2009) in PPM No. 119, Developing and Implementing Equity and Inclusive Education Policies in Ontario Schools (2013), Ontario's Education Equity Action Plan (2017), and the Anti-Racism Directorate's three year anti-racism strategic plan, A Better Way Forward (2017). Our assessment and evaluation practices are underpinned by these beliefs.
In the event that there is a dispute between what is written in this document and what is stated explicitly in the aforementioned documents, the aforementioned supersede this document.
* For the purpose of this document, "school" refers to OOS, and "classroom" refers to the online learning environment.
How Your Final Grade Is Built (2026–27 School Year)
Starting September 1, 2026, Ontario changed how every OSSD-credit course — public, board-run, or Ministry-inspected private — is assessed, under Bill 101, the Putting Student Achievement First Act, 2026, and the Ministry's Growing Success 2026 Addendum. OOS courses follow this provincial model exactly. Only courses fully completed before September 1, 2026 remain under the previous model.
Grades 9–10
- Coursework (term evaluation): 65%
- Final evaluation (written exam and/or culminating task): 20%
- Attendance & participation: 15%
Grades 11–12
- Coursework (term evaluation): 65%
- Final evaluation (written exam and/or culminating task): 25%
- Attendance & participation: 10%
The final evaluation
Most courses include a written exam, delivered through secure remote proctoring so students write it from wherever they already study. Some courses combine a written exam with a culminating task. A small number of course types — locally developed compulsory credits (Grades 9–10), workplace-preparation and open courses (Grades 11–12), most Guidance courses, Co-operative Education, Interdisciplinary Studies, and ASL — use a project, portfolio, or in-class evaluation instead of a written exam, at the same weighting. Your teacher confirms your course's exact format and exam date at enrolment.
Attendance & participation
Because OOS is fully asynchronous, attendance is measured through regular platform engagement — logging in and progressing through your course — and participation through your scheduled teacher check-ins and any discussion or reflection activities in your course. Excused absences (illness, severe weather, cultural or religious observance, and approved activities) do not lower this mark; contact your teacher as early as possible if something will affect your engagement.
Sources: Ontario Ministry of Education, Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting in Ontario Schools (2026 Addendum); Bill 101, Putting Student Achievement First Act, 2026. Confirm exact wording and any late technical amendments against the Ministry's published Addendum.
Fundamental Principles of Assessment & Evaluation
In order to collect meaningful information that will help inform instructional decisions, promote student engagement, and improve student learning:
Students need to:
- Demonstrate a sincere commitment to their work and their learning, and focus on the development of appropriate learning skills, as well as the curriculum specific skills.
- Monitor their own thinking and learning strategies, inform their educator as to the learning style best suited for them, and apply strategies that will most likely lead to success.
- Communicate with teachers about challenges and concerns clearly, and in a timely fashion.
- Be willing to share current learning strategies with their teacher, and work towards a more effective method if one is recommended by teachers.
- Follow through with agreed upon commitments to their teacher, and to their classmates.
Teachers will:
- Create and maintain a positive, safe learning climate where students feel comfortable asking questions, trying new things, and participating in class discussions.
- Differentiate instructions and assessments to support the diverse learning styles of students.
- Provide clear learning goals and success criteria at the start of learning, and return to them frequently during the learning process.
- Offer multiple opportunities for assessments (for & as learning) before an evaluation.
- Provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely, in order to support improved learning & achievement.
These will minimize misconceptions, encourage student involvement, and allow students to have a clear understanding of all the required expectations.
If a student has concerns about their classroom experience:
Students should:
- Communicate with their teacher about the challenges or concerns clearly, and in a timely manner.
- If that does not resolve the issue, students can choose to have a conference with the teacher, in the presence of a parent/guardian and an administrator.
Teachers must consider the four mitigating factors:
- Individual circumstances
- Number and frequency of incidents
- Maturity of the student
- Grade level of the student
After considering the four mitigating factors, teachers may, in their professional judgment: listen and respond accordingly to the raised concern with the student's best interest in mind; consult with other teachers for support and ideas; reflect on current instructional and assessment practice; discuss and develop a resolution plan with the student; communicate with the student's home; enter a note in the School Information System; or, if the issue cannot be resolved, initiate a conference with parents, student, and an administrator.
1. Late Assignments
Synchronous learning option — when an assignment is submitted after the agreed upon date.
In order to ensure that all evaluations are submitted by the established due date:
Students will:
- Know timelines around assignment submission by checking classroom resources, including the course calendar.
- Record due dates using their device or agenda.
- Enable notifications on the OOS Moodle App so that they receive notifications about upcoming due dates.
- Speak to their teacher well before (not on) the agreed upon due date, if they are unable to complete or submit the assignment on time.
Teachers will:
- Plan for major assignments to be completed in stages, so that students are less likely to be faced with an all-or-nothing situation at the last minute.
- Establish deadlines (collaborating with students) for the submission of assignments and clearly communicate those deadlines to students and, where appropriate, to parents.
- Publish submissions in an easily accessible medium (e.g. the Moodle classroom).
Teachers may:
- Remind students of upcoming due dates.
If an evaluation is submitted after the established due date:
Students will:
- Offer suggestions for alternative assignments that can assess the skills and content that were being assessed in the initial assignment.
- Negotiate a new date to submit the assignment and adhere to the new deadline.
Teachers must consider the four mitigating factors:
- Individual circumstances
- Number and frequency of incidents
- Maturity of the student
- Grade level and pathway of the student
After considering the four mitigating factors, teachers may, in their professional judgment: provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their evidence of learning using an alternative format; call parents to discuss late assignments; schedule catch-up opportunities; or accept late assignments with or without penalty, in accordance with Growing Success and Policy 1. However, "teachers must ensure that mark deductions will not result in a mark on the report card that, in the professional judgment of the teacher, misrepresents the student's actual achievement."
2. Plagiarism
Misleading a teacher by using the work of an author — exact or close imitation either in language or ideas — and presenting it as one's own original work.
In order to prevent issues of plagiarism:
Students will:
- Always produce original work.
- Give credit through appropriate citation and referencing when quoting and paraphrasing the work of others.
- Not allow others to copy their work.
- Seek clarification and assistance from their teacher regarding proper citation.
Teachers will:
- Discuss with students what academic honesty and plagiarism look like, including examples.
- Share specific protocol concerning plagiarism with students at the beginning and throughout the semester.
- Provide students with appropriate resources to properly reference their work (e.g. MLA/APA guide, easybib.com, turnitin.com).
- Create authentic evaluations to minimise the likelihood of plagiarism.
- Explain the consequences for plagiarism.
Teachers may:
- Collect and assess work done during class time.
- Provide students with assessment choices.
As a result of plagiarism:
Students may:
- Have a conversation with the teacher — discussing circumstances openly and honestly and accepting responsibility and consequences for behaviour.
- Complete the same or an alternative assignment done with supervision.
- Have a note entered in the School Information System.
Teachers must consider the four mitigating factors:
- Individual circumstances
- Number and frequency of incidents
- Maturity of the student
- Pathway of the student
After considering the four mitigating factors, teachers may, in their professional judgment: have a conversation with the student to determine whether the transgression was done inadvertently or deliberately; document the incident in the School Information System; counsel the student and give them the opportunity to revise or resubmit the work with teacher supervision; assign a reflection on academic honesty; contact the parent/guardian; refer the student to a vice-principal; or assign a zero — however, "teachers must ensure that mark deductions will not result in a mark on the report card that, in the professional judgment of the teacher, misrepresents the student's actual achievement."
3. Missed Assignments
When a student is absent for an evaluation being conducted in the classroom.
In order to ensure that there is sufficient evidence of learning collected:
Students will:
- Provide input and consult with their teacher in order to negotiate timelines for due dates and absolute deadlines.
- Use their school agenda or personal electronic device to record due dates for assignments and evaluations.
- Speak to their teacher well before (not on) the agreed upon due date, if they are unable to complete or submit the assignment on time.
- Where possible, inform their teacher in advance if they will be absent for an evaluation.
- Provide a note from their parent/guardian authorizing their absence in cases of a missed evaluation.
Teachers will:
- Gather evidence of learning based on observations, conversations with students, as well as products students create.
- Establish due dates and absolute deadlines with students.
- Inform the student's parent/guardian, counsellor, and vice-principal about developing patterns of incomplete or missed assignments.
- Provide the student with an alternative assignment if the assignment or evaluation has been marked and returned.
Teachers may:
- Remind students of upcoming in-class evaluation dates.
- Outline expectations of the evaluation in advance.
If teachers have insufficient evidence of student learning:
Students will:
- Explain their reason for not completing the assignment.
- Provide any relevant documentation that supports or explains why they did not complete the assignment (e.g. a note from a parent/guardian or a medical note).
- Make use of all available opportunities to complete missed assignments (for example, attend Credit Rescue).
Teachers must consider the four mitigating factors:
- Individual circumstances
- Number and frequency of incidents
- Maturity of the student
- Grade level of the student
After considering the four mitigating factors, teachers may, in their professional judgment: provide an alternative assignment; assign Zero or Incomplete as a placeholder until the student demonstrates evidence of learning; refer to the last evidence of learning for the specific learning goals if no new evidence can be collected; or recommend the student for Credit Recovery.
4. Cheating
Misleading a teacher in some way to gain credit for work that is done by another person either partially or fully, or work performed with unauthorised assistance.
In order to ensure that all evidence is original to the student:
Students will:
- Understand the definition of cheating: breaking the rules; completing work in a dishonest way; stealing or using another student's work; possessing, copying, or using unauthorised notes; fabricating references; using an electronic device to access unauthorised sources; taking pictures and sending/receiving messages.
- Always produce original work.
- Understand the consequences for cheating.
- Seek clarification and assistance on assigned coursework from teachers as needed.
- Be prepared to share sources of information and ideas when asked by a teacher.
- Not allow others to copy their work.
Teachers will:
- Define cheating clearly for students at the outset of the course.
- Explain the consequences for cheating.
Note: A zero can only be assigned to the section the student was caught cheating on.
As a result of cheating:
Students will:
- Have a conversation with the teacher — discussing circumstances openly and honestly and accepting responsibility and consequences for behaviour.
- Accept responsibility and the consequences of their choices.
Teachers must consider the four mitigating factors:
- Individual circumstances
- Number and frequency of incidents
- Maturity of the student
- Grade level of the student
After considering the four mitigating factors, teachers may, in their professional judgment: provide an alternative assignment; have a conversation with the student to determine whether the transgression was done inadvertently or deliberately; document the incident in the School Information System; counsel the student and give them the opportunity to revise or resubmit the work with teacher supervision; assign a reflection on academic honesty; contact the parent/guardian; refer the student to an administrator; or assign a zero — however, "teachers must ensure that mark deductions will not result in a mark on the report card that, in the professional judgment of the teacher, misrepresents the student's actual achievement."
5. Extended Absences
Being away from the online school environment for 5 days or more.
In order to ensure that there is enough evidence of learning collected:
Students will:
- Obtain and complete the Extended Absence Form.
- Meet with their teacher to notify them of the length of absence, acquire what work will be missed, discuss next steps, and if available access the class site for more information.
- Email the completed Extended Absence Form to the school administration for review.
Teachers will:
- Complete the Extended Absence Form with the student.
- Discuss the expectations for completing the missed work either before, during, or after the absence.
- Establish a set date for all work during the absence to be completed.
- Provide learning goals, success criteria and online/print resources to support learning.
- Provide an alternative task that combines essential skills and knowledge representative of missed summative tasks.
To ensure all students an equal educational opportunity, make-up work and late assignments should be accepted.
Teachers may:
- Communicate with parents/guardians to arrange a pre-conference to outline expectations and agreements.
- Refer students to credit rescue.
- Utilise the Academic Resource Room.
As a result of an extended absence:
Students will:
- Upon return, meet the agreed upon set date for completing missed work.
- If the deadline is not met, take responsibility for creating the next steps to demonstrating evidence of learning — for example, setting a conference date with the teacher or completing an alternative assignment with a due date set by the teacher.
Teachers must consider the four mitigating factors:
- Individual circumstances
- Number and frequency of incidents
- Maturity of the student
- Grade level and pathway of the student
After considering the four mitigating factors, teachers may, in their professional judgment: communicate with parents/guardians to arrange a post-conference to discuss next steps; assign Zero or Incomplete as a placeholder until the student demonstrates evidence of learning; refer to the last evidence of learning if no new evidence can be collected; or triangulate evidence of learning.
6. Student Contested Grades
When there is a discrepancy between the received mark and the given criteria.
In order to ensure that grades are accurate, consistent, meaningful, and supportive of learning:
Students will:
- Review the rubric, instructions, expectations, checklist, success criteria and teacher feedback prior to questioning or contesting the grade.
- Allow at least 24 hours to complete the above steps before scheduling a time to discuss the grade with the teacher.
- Be accountable for providing a reason for their contestation.
- Be accountable for providing evidence for the grade being advocated for, including learning goals, success criteria, rubrics/checklists, and other related course work.
Teachers will:
- Instruct the student to review task expectations, instructions, rubric/checklist, success criteria and feedback prior to the discussion.
- At the teacher's discretion and convenience, schedule a time to discuss the grade and to review instructions, expectations, success criteria and rubrics with the student.
As a result:
Students may:
- If the concern is not resolved, discuss it with the department head.
- If the issue is still not resolved, take the concern to a vice-principal and a conference may be set up with the teacher, student, and parents.
Teachers may:
- Initiate and arrange a meeting between parents, student, and an administrator to resolve the issue.
7. Attendance
Success in an online learning environment depends on regular and active participation in class activities. As a rule of thumb, it is recommended that students spend approximately 6 hours a week on the course. This includes time logged on to the online learning platform, as well as offline time working on lesson materials. Final grades in OOS courses are distilled through a triangulation of student products (the grades a student receives on assignments they complete and submit), observations of the student, and conversations the student has with teachers and fellow students. As such, it is imperative that students log on frequently and participate in the various class discussions.
Starting with the 2026–27 school year, attendance and participation are a graded component of every course's final mark — 15% in Grades 9–10, 10% in Grades 11–12 — measured through platform engagement and check-in participation as described above. Excused absences (illness, severe weather, cultural or religious observance, and approved activities) do not lower this mark.
OOS teachers monitor student attendance through participation and will notify students and parents if a concern arises. If student attendance issues cannot be resolved, the administration will be informed and possible consequences may include: student and parental/guardian contact, attendance contracts, or removal from the program. Please see the Student Code of Conduct for full details on the OntarioOnlineSchools.ca attendance policy.
9. Appropriate Computer Use Policy
The Learning Management System (LMS) at the Ontario Online School is designed for educational purposes only. All use of any LMS tool within the course for any purpose other than the intended educational purpose is prohibited. Inappropriate uses include, but are not limited to, criminal, obscene, commercial, or illegal purposes. The administration has the right to review all student work in order to determine the appropriateness of computer use. If the LMS is deemed to be used inappropriately, the administration will levy consequences which may include suspensions and/or removal from the program. In some cases, further action may be taken including contacting day schools, legal representation, or the police.
Students need to be very vigilant in order to prevent situations where they may be suspected of inappropriate use. Therefore students are reminded to:
- Always protect their passwords and not share them with anyone.
- Always inform their teachers of suspicious messages or other incidents that they encounter.
- Always only access content that is intended for student use.