Ontario schools adopt new curriculum for 2026–27: literacy focus in kindergarten, mandatory exams in secondary
Ontario schools are implementing significant curriculum changes starting September 2026, including a new "back-to-basics" kindergarten program with explicit literacy instruction and mandatory final exams for most high school courses.
What's Changing
The new "back-to-basics" curriculum will go into effect in the 2026-2027 school year and contains changes to learning expectations including new requirements in math, science and language skills.
For kindergarten, the shift is significant. Where the 2016 curriculum took a broader approach to language development, the 2026 document introduces specific expectations for phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, and early decoding. It marks a clear philosophical shift: evidence-based, systematic, and explicit instruction in foundational skills now sits at the centre of JK and SK learning, alongside the play-based framework.
Secondary School Assessment Changes
Changes include required final exams for most secondary school courses, with most secondary courses requiring written exams as a percentage of the final course mark beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.
History Curriculum Updates
The Minister of Education has issued updates to the Grades 7, 8 and 10 History curriculum for implementation in the 2026-27 school year, with students learning about significant contributions of Black individuals and communities to Canada, plus new learning on extreme political and social ideologies, the Holocaust and rising antisemitism, and the Holodomor famine in Ukraine.
For newcomer families, these changes mean your child's Ontario education will emphasize foundational literacy and numeracy skills early on. If your kindergartener is new to English, watch for ESL support alongside the structured phonics instruction. Secondary students should prepare for more rigorous exam-based assessment. Review your child's school board website for specific implementation details and support programs for English Language Learners.
Sources
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