Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services

Chapter 6: Elementary and Secondary Education
Similarly, the <strong>Commission</strong> supports continued emphasis on programs that have proven critical
to increasing graduation rates. More students have graduated with the help of the Student
Success Strategy. Unique programming to support higher graduation rates, such as dual
credits, co-operative education and the Specialist High Skills Majors program, has encouraged
a transition to post-secondary education or better employment opportunities. Care should be
taken to increase class sizes in a manner that does not jeopardize programs that have helped
increase graduation rates and benefited Ontario students.
Limits to Funded Secondary School Credits
To obtain a secondary school diploma, Ontario students must complete 30 secondary school
credits, as well as 40 hours of community service and achievement of the provincial literacy
requirement. While only 30 credits are needed to graduate, the <strong>Commission</strong> has observed
that many students are completing more than the required number of credits. As a result,
14 per cent of the province’s Grade 12 students return for a fifth year of secondary
education. 19
The financial pressure placed on school boards by students returning for additional credits has
been observed in other jurisdictions. A recent report to the Nova Scotia Department of
Education notes that, while there are “understandable reasons” for students returning for a fifth
year of high school, this activity increases public expense, and private tutoring may be a
suitable alternative. 20
Recommendation 6-14: The province should cap the funding of high school credits to
32 successful credits per student, and amend the Education Act to give the power to school
boards to charge a modest fee, set by the province, for each additional credit above the
32 successfully completed credit threshold.
Students seeking additional qualifications may seek private alternatives to do so, and school
boards should be given authority to charge a fee set by the province, tied to the cost of
providing additional courses.
19 According to the Ontario Ministry of Education, in 2011 there were a total of 118,360 students who represent two groups of students who
return to secondary school for a fifth year: students who met the graduation requirements but return for a fifth year (50,051 students); and
students who have not met the graduation requirements and have not accumulated sufficient credits by the end of their fourth year and
must return for a fifth year (68,309 students).
20 Ben Levin, “Steps to Affordable and Sustainable Public Education in Nova Scotia,” Report to the Nova Scotia Department of Education,
April 2011, p. 21.
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