Ontario Grade 9–10 final exams in 2026–27: what teachers need to know
Beginning in the 2026–27 school year, most Ontario secondary courses require a written final exam. For Grades 9–10, 20% of the course mark comes from final evaluations, but the written exam's share depends on the subject. Check the row for your course before updating a course outline or building review materials.
In the sources' words
“most secondary courses will require written exams”
Source: Ontario Ministry of Education — Growing Success (Table 1 and exemptions)
What the current sources say
- The Grade 9–10 final mark is 65% classroom work, 20% mandatory final evaluations, and 15% attendance and participation. Source: Ontario Ministry of Education — Growing Success (Table 1 and exemptions)
- Written final exams take place in the designated exam period, except the EQAO Grade 9 mathematics assessment. Ontario says that assessment counts as the MTH1W written exam and makes up 20% of that course mark. Source: Ontario Ministry of Education — Growing Success (Table 1 and exemptions)
- The written-exam requirement has course exemptions, including Grades 9–10 locally developed compulsory credit courses. Guidance and Career Education is exempt except Grade 10 Career Studies, whose final-evaluation split is shown separately in the table. Source: Ontario Ministry of Education — Growing Success (Table 1 and exemptions)
How the written-exam share varies
| Course group | Grade 9 | Grade 10 |
|---|---|---|
| English, mathematics, science | 20% written exam | 20% written exam |
| Canadian and World Studies | 20% written exam (geography) | 20% written exam (history, civics and citizenship) |
| Arts, computer studies, HPE, technological education; business, social sciences and humanities; languages; FNMI studies | 10% written exam + 10% culminating task | 10% written exam + 10% culminating task |
| Guidance and Career Education | Not applicable | Career Studies only: 5% financial literacy requirement + 15% culminating task |
Source: Ontario Ministry of Education — Growing Success (Table 1 and exemptions)
What the public pages do not settle
- The provincial policy page gives the weighting and broad subject rows, not your school's exam-day schedule. Confirm the designated period and course plan locally.
- The policy page does not supply your course's exam questions, marking guide or student study package. Build practice from what was actually taught and your school's instructions.
Teacher checklist
- Find your course in Ontario's full Table 1; confirm whether its final evaluation is a 20% exam or a 10% exam plus 10% culminating task.
- Check the school's designated exam period, approved accommodations, course outline and communication to students and families.
- Teach and review the course expectations actually covered; recheck every practice answer and avoid promising an official provincial question bank.
- For MTH1W, use the EQAO Grade 9 mathematics assessment guidance rather than treating it like a separate teacher-written exam.
Common questions
Does every Ontario Grade 9–10 course have a written final exam in 2026–27?
No. Ontario says most secondary courses will require written exams from 2026–27, with exemptions that include Grades 9–10 locally developed compulsory credit courses. Guidance and Career Education is exempt except Grade 10 Career Studies. Some course groups pair a 10% written exam with a 10% culminating task instead of a 20% exam. Source: Ontario Ministry of Education — Growing Success (Table 1 and exemptions)
How much of the Grade 10 course mark is the exam for history, English, mathematics and science?
Ontario's Table 1 lists a 20% written exam for Grade 10 English, mathematics and science, and for Grade 10 Canadian and World Studies (history, and civics and citizenship). Check the row for your course in the full table. Source: Ontario Ministry of Education — Growing Success (Table 1 and exemptions)
Does the EQAO Grade 9 mathematics assessment replace the MTH1W exam?
Ontario says the EQAO Grade 9 mathematics assessment counts as the MTH1W written exam and makes up 20% of that course mark. Source: Ontario Ministry of Education — Growing Success (Table 1 and exemptions)
Does Ontario publish the exam questions or a marking guide for these courses?
The policy page gives the weighting and broad subject rows. It does not supply a course's exam questions, marking guide or student study package, so build practice from what was taught and your school's instructions. Source: Ontario Ministry of Education — Growing Success (Table 1 and exemptions)
Optional: a Grade 10 History exam kit from Milestone Teachers
This is optional, teacher-made material from an independent publisher for Grade 10 History (CHC2D, Academic): two complete 100-mark exams with answer keys and marking schemes. It is not an official ministry or board exam and cannot tell you what your school's exam will contain, so follow your school's exam instructions first.