Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

In order to apply to challenge a course, students must complete the online application form (requires students to log in with their OCDSB email and password), and must provide evidence in advance that they will likely be successful in meeting Ministry curriculum course expectations. This intent to demonstrate learning needs to be communicated in advance to their principal with a commitment for completion in order to be successful in earning credit for a course.

Students may use certificates or other records of accomplishment as reasonable evidence of eligibility to challenge a course for credit.

Applications can be submitted at any point during the school year. Applications will be reviewed starting on the dates below:

October 7, 2024
November 25, 2024
March 3, 2025

Applications received on or before the review dates above will be reviewed starting on that date.  (For example, an application received on or before October 7th will start to be assessed on October 7th.)

Applications received after each of the review dates above will be assessed starting on the following date. (For example, an application received October 7th will be reviewed starting November 25th.)

Students who are enrolled in an OCDSB high school, starting in their Grade 10 year. Students under 18 years of age require permission from a parent/guardian in order to challenge a course for credit.

Mature Students may apply to challenge eligible Grade 11 and 12 high school courses listed in current provincial curriculum policy documents that are offered by the OCDSB for credit.

All other students may apply to challenge eligible Grade 10, 11 and 12 high school courses listed in current provincial curriculum policy documents that are offered by the OCDSB for credit.

Students cannot be granted high school credits through the challenge process for any of the following courses:

• The challenge process may not be used as a way for students to improve their mark in a course for which they have already earned a credit, nor as a way to obtain a credit for a course they have previously failed;
• A course that is currently in progress;
• A course in any subject if a credit has already been earned for a course in that subject in a later grade either as a single credit or as part of a block equivalency (e.g., a student cannot challenge for a Grade 10 business studies course credit if they have already earned a Grade 11 business studies course credit);
• A course for which credit has already been granted or for which there is significant overlap with a course for which credit has been granted (e.g., a student cannot challenge for credit for a university level course in a subject if they have already earned a credit for the college level course in the same subject at the same grade level, and vice versa);
• An Advanced Placement (AP) course;
• A cooperative education course;
• An International Baccalaureate (IB) course;
• A locally developed course;
• A transfer course;
• A course in English as a Second Language (ESL), English Literacy Development (ELD), or Anglais Pour Débutants (APD), if the student has one or more credits in English from the curriculum policy documents for English for Grades 9 to 12 (i.e., the documents for English-language schools or the documents for French-language schools) or from the curriculum guidelines for English or Anglais/English for Grades 9 to 12/OACs;
• A course in French as a Second Language (FSL), Actualisation Linguistique en Français (ALF), or Perfectionnement Du Français (PDF), if the student has one or more credits in Français from the curriculum policy documents for Français for Grades 9 to 12 or the curriculum guideline for Français for Grades 9 to 12/OACs.
• The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course

It may not be possible to accommodate requests to challenge courses that are not currently offered by the OCDSB.

Students with music certificates that are accepted for credits in Ontario Schools: Kindergarten to Grade 12, Appendix 4, Music Certificates Accepted for Credits, are not required to undergo the challenge for credit process for the appropriate music courses, and can contact their school’s Student Services Office for more information on how to have those high school credits recognized.

Mature Students can earn up to ten eligible high school credits through the challenge process. There is no maximum on the number of credits that may be obtained in any one discipline for Mature Students.

All other students can earn up to four full eligible high school credits through the challenge process, including a maximum of two credits in any one discipline (e.g., no more than two credits in health and physical education).

A challenge must be for an entire course.

Credit will be granted only for the specific course for which the student has successfully challenged for credit (i.e., if a student were to be unsuccessful in their challenge, they may not request to be considered for a different course instead).

The PLAR challenge process supports students so they may demonstrate their prior learning, knowledge and skills that they already possess. The PLAR Department directs the challenge process, but there is no instruction or delivery of course content. The onus is on the student to demonstrate their evidence of prior learning for the full course content they are challenging.

The challenge process must include formal assessments (70% of the final course mark) and a variety of other assessment strategies appropriate for the particular course (30% of the final mark). The formal assessments must have a balance between written work and practical demonstration that is appropriate for the subject/discipline. Other assessment strategies may include evaluation of written assignments, demonstrations/performances, laboratory work, quizzes, conversations, and observation of student work. The PLAR Department will determine which assessments and strategies are most appropriate for each course for which a student is challenging for credit, and how the assessments will occur. Upon completion, students will receive a final mark as a percentage for the course(s) they have challenged.

There is no official report card for high school credits earned through the challenge process.  Final results are sent to students (and parents/caregivers if under 18 years of age) and schools by email upon completion of the challenge process.  High school credits earned through the challenge process are tracked on each student's PLAR Challenge Cumulative Tracking Record and stored in their Ontario Student Record at school.  Schools record the results on each student's Ontario Student Transcript.

High school credits earned through the challenge process are held to the same standard as those earned by taking the course. Students will receive a final mark as a percentage on their Ontario Student Transcript. There is no additional notation on the Ontario Student Transcript to differentiate a challenged credit from one earned by taking the course.

Students may withdraw from their challenge before its completion with no academic penalty by emailing  plar@ocdsb.ca prior to the established deadline.  Students under 18 years of age require permission from a parent/caregiver in order to withdraw from their challenge.

For challenges for credit for Grade 10 courses: Only passing percentage grades will be entered on the student’s Ontario Student Transcript. If the student subsequently takes the Grade 10 course, only the higher percentage grade will be recorded on the transcript. No notation will be entered on the student's transcript if the student withdraws from or receives a failing grade in the challenge process.

For challenges for credit for Grade 11 and 12 courses: Both passing and failing percentage grades will be entered on the student's Ontario Student Transcript. No notation will be entered on the transcript if the student withdraws from the challenge process prior to completion.

Should a student's challenge be unsuccessful, they will be permitted to attempt the same credit a second time after 12 months, if the student can provide reasonable evidence to the principal in advance that they would likely be successful after having benefited from additional study and experience during this time.

Applicants (and their parents/caregivers if under 18 years of age) will be contacted within 5-10 business days of each review date to arrange a virtual meeting and establish next steps.  Applicants will receive information about the challenge process, and timelines for completion will be established.