Policy Information

OCDSB students have a wide range of educational journeys. By the end of secondary school, our grade 12 cohorts reflect a variety of learning and achievements. Most students will receive their Ontario Secondary School Diplomas (OSSD), and some will receive other provincially recognized school-leaving certificates. These cohorts also include students who have been engaged in the school and are expected to meet their OSSD requirements very soon; students who face barriers to graduation; and students who have demonstrated significant growth. The reasons these students may not be receiving their OSSD at the time of the ceremony vary, and may include students with special needs, individuals who faced long-term illness or injury, or youths overcoming personal struggles.

The end of high school is a major milestone, and we know it’s important for students to celebrate with their peers, teachers, families, and supporters present. The shift from graduation ceremonies to commencement ceremonies gives students with diverse educational journeys an opportunity to celebrate receiving an OSSD and other non-OSSD-related achievements.

Revised Policy

When revising this policy, we looked at current practices in OCDSB schools as well as those of other boards in Ontario. At many OCDSB schools, students are leaving with a range of accomplishments, and all are included in graduation ceremonies. The updated policy reflects these current practices and our commitment to inclusivity and accessibility.

Staff presented Report No. 24-069 to the Ad Hoc Policy Committee on June 6th and to the Board of Trustees on June 24th, where they discussed the draft policy.

You can view the approved policy at the following link:

Here are a few important things to know about the revised policy:

  • Only students who have completed all of the requirements will obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
  • In Ontario, students who are leaving high school without an OSSD may receive an Ontario Secondary School Certificate (OSSC) or a Certificate of Accomplishment. The new commencement format includes these students in the celebrations.
  • Schools will continue to distribute awards, either as part of the commencement ceremony or at a separate ceremony.
  • These changes do not lower the standards for graduation; they reflect practices which are more inclusive of the secondary school pathways in place in schools today.

Consultation Results

We held an online consultation on Engage OCDSB from February 2nd to March 29th, and invited families, students, staff, and community members to share their feedback. We received over 1,400 online contributions (this included 546 individuals who identified themselves as parents/caregivers, 453 community members, 187 former students, 70 staff, 34 current students, and 148 other participants). We also gathered feedback from trustees, system leaders, and committee members during the meetings where the policies were discussed.

Much of the feedback received was from parents and community members who were critical of the proposed change to inclusive ceremonies and expressed their concern that the proposed language in the draft policy would diminish the celebration of students who had completed their OSSDs and lower student incentive for academic excellence.

Conversely, student and teacher engagement was positive. Students, in particular, welcomed the celebration of a wider breadth of achievements that reflect the diverse educational experiences of students within the District. The Student Senate declared support of the policy changes and parents of special needs students shared that the proposed changes help ensure that alternative achievements and educational journeys are celebrated also.

This feedback was implemented into current revisions of the policy to reflect the diversity of opinions on this shift. We would like to thank all who participated in the consultation process.

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