ONTARIO — Chronic absenteeism has become a serious problem in Ontario high schools, but one education policy expert says penalizing students’ grades for missing class may create more problems than it solves.
Under Ontario’s new policy, attendance and classroom participation will now count toward final marks. For Grades 9 and 10, attendance will account for 15% of the final grade, while for Grades 11 and 12, it will count for 10%. Excused absences, including illness, mental-health concerns, bereavement and certain school activities, will not reduce marks.
Wilfrid Laurier University education policy expert Kelly Gallagher-Mackay agrees that regular attendance is essential for learning, but argues that absenteeism is often caused by much more than simple truancy. Students may miss school because of health or mental-health challenges, bullying, family difficulties, special-education needs, poverty or falling behind academically.
She warns that a one-size-fits-all penalty could unfairly hurt vulnerable students while also creating grade inflation for those who simply attend regularly.
Questions have also emerged around competitive sports, music and other outside activities. Education Minister Paul Calandra has said principals will have discretion in determining whether some absences should be excused.
Gallagher-Mackay says Ontario should focus more on early intervention, student engagement, anti-bullying measures and understanding why individual students are missing school, rather than relying mainly on lower grades as punishment.