4. Student records, attendance and transfers

4.1 Student records

4.1.1 Ontario Student Record

The Ontario Student Record (OSR) is the record of a student’s educational progress through schools in Ontario. It is an ongoing record that is transferred along with a student who transfers to another school in Ontario. Principals must collect and record information in the OSR for each student enrolled in the school. They are also responsible for establishing, maintaining, retaining, transferring and disposing appropriately of the OSR.

The OSR guideline sets out the requirements governing:

• establishment of the OSR
• responsibility for the OSR
• components of the OSR
• access to the OSR
• use and maintenance of the OSR
• transfer of the OSR
• retention, storage and destruction of information in the OSR
• correction or removal of information in the OSR

Read more:

• Ontario Student Record (OSR) guideline, 2000 (revised 2020)
• Education Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter E.2, Section 266, “Pupil records”

4.1.2 Ontario Student Transcript

The Ontario Student Transcript (OST) is a comprehensive record of all course work and diploma requirements achieved by a student. An OST must be established for each student enrolled in an Ontario secondary school course, whether or not they are taking the course for credit. All information in the OST must be kept up to date, either in print or electronic form. Upon the student’s graduation or other retirement^{footnote 1[1]}, a current and accurate copy of their OST must be stored in the OSR folder. When a printed copy is required, all information must be copied onto an official OST form.

The OST manual provides information and guidelines on the establishment, maintenance, issue and storage of the OST. It also outlines the procedures that apply to the recording of information in various situations.

Read more:

• The Ontario Student Transcript manual (2013)

4.2 Student attendance

The Education Act sets out school attendance requirements. Under the Act, students are required to attend school from age six until they reach age 18 or graduate. While school boards may offer full-day learning for four- and five-year-olds (see section 2.1), parent(s)/guardian(s) are not required to send their child to school until the child reaches the age of six.

Regular attendance at school is critical for student learning. To encourage regular attendance among students, schools must inform students and their parent(s)/guardian(s) about their attendance policies. If a principal believes a student’s frequent absences from school are jeopardizing the student’s success, school staff should meet with the student and their parent(s)/guardian(s) to explain the potential consequences of the absences and discuss steps to be taken to improve attendance. Students of compulsory school age whose absence is reported to the school board attendance counsellor will have the reason for their absence investigated.

With the principal’s approval, 16- and 17-year-olds may be permitted up to one year of part-time study for compassionate reasons. This policy is outlined in Ontario Regulation 374/10. See also section 3.3.3 on supervised alternative learning.

Read more:

• Enrolment register instructions
• Education Act, R.S.O 1990, Chapter E.2, Section 21, “Compulsory attendance”
• Ontario Regulation 374/10, “Supervised Alternative Learning and Other Excusals from Attendance at School”

4.2.1 Safe-arrival programs for elementary schools

PPM 123: Safe arrivals requires school boards to implement a safe-arrival program in each elementary school.

Read More:

• PPM 123: Safe arrivals

4.2.2 Home schooling

PPM 131: Home Schooling provides direction to school boards and schools concerning home schooling and the excusing of children from school who are receiving home schooling.

See also section 4.3.2 on students transferring from home schooling.

Read more:

• PPM 131: Home Schooling

4.3 Student transfers

4.3.1 Students transferring between schools within Ontario

Elementary school students who transfer from one Ontario elementary school to another will be placed in the appropriate grade by the principal, based on the information in the student’s provincial report card and Ontario Student Record. This decision is also informed by other relevant documentation (such as an Individual Education Plan) or consultation with parent(s)/guardian(s) and the student.

Secondary school students who transfer from one Ontario secondary school to another will have their credits (as recorded on their Ontario Student Transcript) transferred with them. Also transferred is information on their progress toward graduation requirements, including whether they have met the literacy and online learning requirements, as well as their accumulated community involvement hours. The principal of the receiving school may award credit for work started in the previous school and completed in the receiving school. If this work cannot be completed in the receiving school, the receiving principal may, after consulting with the principal of the previous school, award partial credit in recognition of the student’s achievement of some of the course expectations.

If a student transfers from a French-language to an English-language secondary school, they must successfully complete at least one compulsory Grade 12 English course in order to meet graduation requirements. If a student transfers from an English-language to a French-language secondary school, they must successfully complete at least one compulsory Grade 12 French course. A student who transfers before having met the literacy graduation requirement will have to meet the requirement in the language of instruction of the new school (see section 6.1.3.1).

4.3.2 Students transferring from home schooling, a non-inspected private school or a school outside Ontario

Elementary school students who transfer from home schooling, a non-inspected private school or a school outside Ontario will be placed in an age-appropriate grade by the principal of the receiving school. This decision is informed by documentation (including attendance records, report cards and other assessment materials) as well as consultations with the student, their family and school staff.

For secondary students who are transferring from home schooling, a non-inspected private school or a school outside Ontario, the principal of the receiving school will determine the total credit equivalency of the student’s previous learning along with the number of compulsory and optional credits still to be earned. The credit equivalency total and the number of compulsory credits included will be recorded in the student’s Ontario Student Transcript. The student will have to meet the literacy graduation requirement. The principal will also determine the number of hours of community involvement activities the student will have to complete.

The principal will also ensure a determination is made regarding how many online learning credits toward the graduation requirement may be considered completed based on their evaluation of the student’s learning. If the student was previously exempted from the online learning graduation requirement, a new opt-out form will need to be completed.

Final decisions regarding placement are made by the principal in consultation with the student, staff and family. The principal will communicate the final placement decision and rationale to the student and their family. The principal should note the results of the assessment and the reasons for the decision in the student’s Ontario Student Record (see section 4.1.1).

4.3.3 Guide to determining diploma requirements for students transferring into Ontario secondary schools

For regular day school students who are transferring from home schooling, a non-inspected private school including a non-inspected First Nation/federally-operated school or a school outside Ontario, principals will grant equivalency credits for placement purposes through the prior learning assessment and recognition process (see section 7.2.4.1). Equivalency credits will be recorded on the student’s Ontario Student Transcript. (For information about determining equivalency credits for mature students, see section 7.2.4.2.)

In addition to the requirements identified above, principals will ensure the following requirements are met:

• A student who has no previous Ontario credits but who has successfully completed more than three years of secondary school must earn a minimum of four credits in Grade 11 or Grade 12 courses to be eligible for the OSSD.
• A student who has successfully completed more than three years of secondary school education, has previously earned at least three Ontario credits and has returned to the Ontario educational system may qualify for the OSSD by completing a minimum of one Grade 11 or Grade 12 credit.

See also section 7.2.4 on prior learning assessment and recognition.