Policy/Program Memorandum No. 146Date of Issue: March 8, 2010 Effective: Until revoked or modified Subject: REVISIONS TO CREDIT REQUIREMENTS TO SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS AND LEARNING TO 18 Application: Directors of Education Reference: Ontario Secondary Schools, Grades 9 to 12: Program and Diploma IntroductionThe purpose of this memorandum is to provide direction to school boards1 and schools regarding further changes to credit requirements. In the version of this memorandum published November 19, 2007, changes were announced to Ontario Secondary Schools, Grades 9 to 12: Program and Diploma Requirements, 1999 (OSS) and to the curriculum policy documents for health and physical education for Grades 9 to 12. Those changes are all still valid. This revision of the memorandum makes further changes to the “Compulsory Credit Requirements” section that apply only to English-language schools (see Compulsory Credit Requirements section below). The revisions to secondary school program and curriculum requirements increase the flexibility and options for students, so that they can create personalized pathways based on their interests and needs within graduation requirements that continue to maintain high expectations and standards for all students. All requirements outlined in this memorandum will apply in the 2009–10 school year and in subsequent years. REVISIONS TO OSS REQUIREMENTS2 Compulsory Credit Requirements In 2007, section 3.1.1 (“Compulsory Credits (total of 18)”) and Appendix 5 (“Compulsory Credits”) were revised to include other courses that may be used to meet the “additional compulsory credit requirements” for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. These revisions are described separately below for English-language and French-language schools. The new changes described below under “English-Language Schools” add French as a second language to group 2 and group 3 requirements, and affect maximum requirements for French as a second language. English-Language Schools Group 1. In 2007, the term “a third language” was removed from group 1. Instead, the additional compulsory credit requirement for group 1 may also be met with one credit earned through successful completion of one of the following courses:
Group 2. The additional compulsory credit requirement for group 2 may also be met with one credit earned through successful completion of one of the following courses:
Group 3. The additional compulsory credit requirement for group 3 may also be met with one credit earned through successful completion of one of the following courses:
In English-language schools, a maximum of two of the three additional compulsory credit requirements for groups 1, 2, and 3 may be met with credits in French as a second language, one of which may be earned for group 1 and the second for either group 2 or group 3. Through this revision, the maximum number of credits in French as a second language that a student in an English-language school may count towards the 18 compulsory credits has been raised from two to three. French-Language Schools Group 1. In 2007, “a third language” was removed from group 1 and was replaced by “a classical or an international language”, which was moved to group 3. In addition to the remaining choices in group 1, the additional compulsory credit requirement for group 1 may be met with one credit earned through successful completion of one of the following courses:
Group 2. The additional compulsory credit requirement for group 2 may also be met with one credit earned through successful completion of one of the following courses:
Group 3. The additional compulsory credit requirement for group 3 may also be met with one credit earned through successful completion of one of the following courses:
In French-language schools, a maximum of two of the three additional compulsory credit requirements for groups 1, 2, and 3 may be met with credits in English, one of which may be earned for group 1 and the second for either group 2 or group 3. Through this revision, the maximum number of credits in English that a student in a French-language school may count towards the 18 compulsory credits has been raised from two to three. Credits Earned in Language-Support Programs The revisions to section 7 are described separately below for English-language and French-language schools. English-Language Schools In 2007, section 7.3.1.1 (“Support Programs in the Language of Instruction”) was revised. Students may continue to count a maximum of three credits in English as a second language (ESL) or English literacy development (ELD) towards the four compulsory credits in English, but must earn the fourth compulsory credit in English at the Grade 12 level instead of having the choice of earning it at either the Grade 11 or the Grade 12 level. (Students graduating in the 2007–08 school year were exempt from this requirement.) The courses that meet the compulsory credit requirement in Grade 12 are ENG4U, ENG4C, and ENG4E. This revision aligned the policy for English-language schools with the compulsory credit requirements listed in section 3.1.1 of OSS, the policy for French-language schools, and the new policy for English language learners (see English Language Learners – ESL and ELD Programs and Services: Policies and Procedures for Ontario Elementary and Secondary Schools, Kindergarten to Grade 12, 2007). French-Language Schools As stated in section 7.3.2.1 (“English et anglais pour débutants”), a student may count one credit in anglais pour débutants as the compulsory credit in English. The revised requirement allows a student to count a maximum of two further credits in anglais pour débutants as additional compulsory credits in English in group 1 and either in group 2 or in group 3. REVISIONS TO CREDIT REQUIREMENTS IN HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION The revisions to policy outlined below, which were made in 2007, continue to be valid. Students have the flexibility to take more than one Healthy Active Living Education course for credit in each of Grades 10, 11, and 12. In addition, schools may offer more than one Grade 9 Healthy Active Living Education course, and a student may take one or more of those courses for credit. The groupings for Grade 9 are the same as those listed for Grade 10 in the curriculum policy document for Grades 9 and 10. The course codes for the Grade 9 courses are as follows:
1. The terms school board and board are used in this document to refer to district school boards and to those school authorities that offer secondary school courses. 2. For ease of reference, an outline of the diploma requirements that reflects the revisions given in this memorandum can be found in the chart called “What do you need to graduate?”. The chart accompanies this memorandum and is also available on the ministry's website. |
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