During the 2024/2025 academic year, only 40.2% of high school students in Ontario met the government's attendance target of 90%. This statistic highlights a significant decline from nearly 60% in 2018, with Grade 12 students reporting the lowest attendance at just 33.3%. Education Minister Paul Calandra expressed frustration over these numbers, indicating that they complicate classroom management for teachers. He noted that attendance rates were already declining before the COVID-19 pandemic, hitting a low of 36% in the 2022/2023 academic year. In response, the Ford government plans to introduce legislative changes that would make attendance count for 10-15% of students' final grades, aiming to encourage better attendance. While attendance in grades 1-8 has improved, secondary school attendance continues to be a concern.