This is part of the most comprehensive reform of Ontario's education system that has ever taken place. This Update provides information about the new high school program, which gives students the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed academically, on the job and as productive citizens. Here is a more detailed picture of how students will progress through the new high school program. Applied and academic courses emphasize essential knowledge and skills. The new curriculum includes rigorous compulsory courses, including such subjects as math, English, French, science, geography and history.
Applied courses focus on practical applications of theoretical concepts.
Academic courses focus on theoretical concepts and have additional requirements. When moving from Grades 9 to 10, students can switch from applied to academic courses or from academic to applied. Students take a compulsory Grade 10 literacy test. Passing this Grade 10 test will become a graduation requirement starting in the 2001-02 school year. Most students will begin to meet the new requirement that they take part in 40 hours of community service prior to graduation.