Student Attendance and Participation
Regular attendance and active participation help students stay connected to their school community and support learning and achievement.
Students, families and schools all play an important role in supporting regular attendance. Under Ontario legislation, students are required to attend school each day unless they are excused from attendance in accordance with provincial requirements.
When can an absence be excused?
Ontario’s enrolment register instructions outline circumstances in which a student may be excused from attending school. These may include unforeseen circumstances such as:
- bereavement
- inclement weather
- medical or mental health-related illness with appropriate documentation (e.g. medical note)
- COVID-19-related illness without a medical note
- cultural days and holy days
- school-sanctioned activities, such as field trips, academic competitions or school sporting events
Excused absences will not negatively affect the attendance portion of a secondary student’s mark.
Other Absences
Other absences are considered “unexcused”. In special or unique circumstances, a parent/guardian, or the student if they are an adult, may ask the Principal to excuse the student from school for a specific period of time. These circumstances may include:
- vacation
- family obligation
- medical or mental health-related absence without appropriate supporting documentation
- another circumstance considered by the principal
Families are asked to connect directly with the school Principal to request that an absence be excused.
New for Secondary Students (Grade 9-12): Attendance, Participation and Final Marks
Beginning in September 2026, the Ontario Ministry of Education requires attendance and participation to be included as part of a secondary student’s final course mark:
- Grade 9 and 10: 15% of the final course mark
- Grade 11 and 12: 10% of the final course mark
What This Means for Students
- Excused absences will not negatively affect the attendance portion of a student’s mark.
- Unexcused absences are part of the Ministry’s attendance and participation assessment criteria and may reduce this portion of a student’s final course mark.
- Students remain responsible for missed learning, assessments and other course requirements when they are away from school.
These are provincial requirements that apply to secondary schools across Ontario.
Reporting an Absence
Families should continue to report student absences through their school’s regular attendance reporting process and provide the reason for the absence.
If you would like an unexcused absence to be considered for approval by the Principal, please contact the school directly.
Questions? We know families may have questions about how these requirements apply to their child or to a particular absence. Your school is here to help. Please contact your school Principal if you have questions or would like to discuss your circumstances.
More information
For additional information, families can review these resources from the Ontario Ministry of Education:
