Ottawa Students Among Those Caught in Ontario's Attendance Crisis
Ottawa families are paying close attention to Queen's Park this week as the Ford government grapples with a province-wide attendance crisis in Ontario high schools — one that has seen attendance fall to just 40% of the government's target for students in grades 9 through 12.
The numbers are stark. Despite years of public messaging urging students back into classrooms following the disruptions of the pandemic era, Ontario high schools have struggled to re-establish consistent attendance habits among teenagers. The province is now weighing significant changes to how attendance is tracked, incentivized, and enforced.
What the Ford Government Is Proposing
At the centre of the proposed legislation is a significant policy shift: students in grades 9 to 12 could see their attendance factored directly into their final marks. The idea is that showing up to class — something that used to be an expectation — would now carry academic weight, giving students a concrete reason to be present.
Supporers argue the approach reflects reality. If a student isn't in the room, they're missing instruction, falling behind, and undermining their own education. Making attendance count in the gradebook, the argument goes, creates a tangible incentive that purely punitive measures have failed to provide.
Critics, however, worry the policy punishes students who are already facing barriers — mental health challenges, housing instability, family obligations, or work schedules that many Ontario teens juggle alongside school. For Ottawa's more vulnerable student populations, particularly in lower-income neighbourhoods east and south of the city, the concern is that grade penalties could discourage rather than motivate.
The Ottawa Picture
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) and the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) have both been dealing with the post-pandemic attendance hangover that has hit school systems across the province. Local educators have noted that chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of the school year — has remained elevated compared to pre-2020 levels.
Ottawa school administrators have been exploring their own internal strategies, including early outreach to families, flexible timetabling, and increased access to mental health supports in schools. Any provincial legislation would add a new layer to those efforts.
What Comes Next
The Ford government hasn't finalized the legislation, and consultations are expected to continue. Education stakeholders — including teacher unions, parent councils, and student advocates — are expected to weigh in before any changes become law.
For Ottawa parents and students heading into spring semester and looking ahead to next school year, the message is clear: how Ontario defines and enforces attendance is about to change. Whether tying grades to showing up will reverse the slide remains to be seen — but the province has made clear it's not willing to let the status quo continue.
Local school boards are expected to receive more guidance from the Ministry of Education as the legislation takes shape over the coming weeks.
Source: Global News Ottawa
