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.