Ontario Schools Tie Attendance to Grades | Ottawa News

Ontario’s Education Minister Paul Calandra is cracking down on absenteeism by tying school attendance directly to final grades—15% for grades nine and ten, 10% for eleven and twelve. Students with more than two unexcused absences lose that portion of their mark, with illness and religious holidays excused—but weekend sports tournaments? Not so much. Calandra warns parents not to pull kids out for such events, citing alarmingly low attendance rates compared to the rest of Canada. While elite athletes may get some flexibility, education remains the top priority. The policy aims to force students to prioritize class time over extracurriculars, with the ministry ready to tweak it based on feedback next year. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/fb0670fe5963eca7