All students who enter Grade 9 in the 1999–2000 school year, or in subsequent years, must successfully complete the provincial secondary school Grade 10 Reading and Writing test in order to earn a secondary school diploma.

Since students will normally take the test when they are in Grade 10, the test will be administered for the first time during the 2000–2001 school year. The test will be based on the Ontario curriculum expectations for language and communication (from all subject areas) – particularly reading and writing – up to and including Grade 9. In rare circumstances, students can defer writing the test only with their principal’s permission.

The test will identify those students who have not demonstrated the required skills, and will identify areas in which these students need remediation. School boards are required to provide remedial assistance for students who do not complete the test successfully. This assistance should be designed to help students improve their skills so that they are better prepared to retake the Reading and Writing test.

Once students have successfully completed the test, they may not retake the test in the same language (i.e. English or French).

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