Requirements for Graduation
The Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
The Ontario Secondary School Certificate (OSSC)
The Ontario Secondary School Certificate (OSSC) will be granted on request to students who are leaving secondary school upon reaching the age of eighteen without having met the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. To be granted an OSSC, a student must have earned a minimum of 14 credits distributed as follows:
7 required compulsory credits
- 2 credits in English
- 1 credit in mathematics
- 1 credit in science
- 1 credit in Canadian history or Canadian geography
- 1 credit in health and physical education
- 1 credit in the arts, computer studies, or technological education
7 required optional credits
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7 credits selected by the student from available courses
The Certificate of Accomplishment (COA)
Students who are leaving secondary school upon reaching the age of eighteen without having met the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma or the Ontario Secondary School Certificate may be granted a Certificate of Accomplishment. The Certificate of Accomplishment may be a useful means of recognizing achievement for students who plan to take certain kinds of further training, or who plan to find employment directly after leaving school. The Certificate of Accomplishment is to be accompanied by the student’s Ontario Student Transcript. For students who have an Individual Education Plan (IEP), a copy of the IEP may be included.
The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test
All students must meet the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Requirement in order to earn a secondary school diploma. Generally this is accomplished by successfully completing the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test. This test will be administered in the student's Grade 10 year and will be based on the Ontario Curriculum expectations for reading and writing in all subjects, up to and including Grade 9. Remedial assistance will be provided for students who do not successfully complete the test. This assistance, which may be provided through a credit generating English Literacy Skills course (also offered at summer school), is designed to help students improve their skills so that they are better prepared to retake the test in the following school year. There is no limit to the number of times the test may be attempted. Students on an IEP may be provided with accommodations as allowed by the policies of the Ministry of Education. Concerns about accommodations, deferrals or exemptions should be discussed with the principal and appropriate school staff. Students who have attempted the test and been unsuccessful at least once, are eligible to take the Ontario Secondary Literacy Course (OLC 4O), a Grade 12 English course. Students who complete the course successfully will receive a credit, and will meet the provincial literacy requirement for graduation.