High School Requirements
To earn their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), high school students must complete a total of 30 credits (including 18 compulsory credits), pass the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) and do 40 hours of community service activities.
A credit is earned upon the successful completion of a course that includes 110 hours of instruction. The course must contain class materials and assessments (including assignments, exams, etc.) that meet the curriculum expectations of the Ontario Ministry of Education.
For information about required courses, please refer to the chart below. Please note that out-of-province and international students, as well as homeschoolers, might be eligible for prerequisite waivers and/or equivalency credit assessments.
Community Service Hours
Ontario students are required to complete 40 hours of community service in order to earn their OSSD. Students who are planning to earn their OSSD through Matrix Academy will be given a form to record their hours. This form is called the Student Community Involvement Activity Notification and Completion Form. In addition, we will be happy to provide more information about eligible activities.
Literacy Requirements
To graduate with an OSSD, students are required to take either an Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) or a secondary school literacy course known as OLC4O. The OSSLT is designed to test students’ mastery of essential English literacy skills (primarily reading, writing, and basic grammar). On the other hand, the purpose of the OLC4O course is to help students acquire these literary skills. Usually, students who fail the OSSLT are eligible to take the OLC4O course.
Also, the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) recently launched a new OSSLT version that requires students to take the exam onsite. As a result, all remote students are required to take the OLC4O instead of the OSSLT. That is why every Matrix Academy student planning on earning an OSSD through our school must enroll in the OLC4O course.
Online Learning Graduation Requirements
Recently, the Ontario Ministry of Education introduced a new online learning graduation requirement. It requires students to complete at least two asynchronous courses to earn their OSSD.
Matrix Academy has opted out of providing online learning graduation requirements. However, if students would like to take asynchronous courses they can do so through our partner school, ILC TVO.