By Yan Zhou · Last checked September 12, 2026 · Independent parent resource, not an official YCDSB publication.
Ontario generally requires two online learning credits for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma for the applicable entry cohorts, but an opt-out process is available. For YCDSB families, the home school’s Guidance department is the place to discuss course choice and obtain the opt-out form.
There are two decisions here: whether the online-credit graduation requirement will apply to the student, and whether a particular online course is a good choice. Treat them separately. Completing a form is not the same as changing an existing timetable.
In this guide
What counts as an online credit?
Ontario’s Policy/Program Memorandum 167 applies the requirement from the cohort entering Grade 9 in 2020–21, with rules for adult learners and transfers. A qualifying course is delivered online; using a website for homework in an ordinary classroom does not by itself make that course an online credit. Certain in-person activities, including final evaluations and school-based supports, can still occur.
Ask Guidance to check the exact course code and how it is recorded. A course being described casually as “digital,” “remote” or “on Google Classroom” does not establish its graduation status. If a student took a course elsewhere, have the home school verify the credit rather than assuming it has transferred automatically.
The YCDSB parent apps guide explains communication and learning platforms. This article addresses something different: enrolling in and completing a credit-bearing course.
How YCDSB eLearning works
The board’s eLearning page, checked September 12, 2026, describes asynchronous courses that can form part of the day-school timetable, primarily at Grades 11 and 12. Students work online without all being connected simultaneously, but must meet course deadlines and finish within the semester.
The current first-semester notice gives September 14, 2026 at 8 a.m. as the start through D2L Brightspace. It also describes orientation, a mandatory virtual Meet the Teacher session and exams unless a Ministry exemption applies. The board says exam process and structure details are still forthcoming. Recheck this page and the individual course outline; do not rely on an older claim that eLearning has no exams.
Asynchronous does not mean unstructured. A teenager might choose when to read a lesson but still need to participate in discussion, submit work and respond to feedback within set periods. Before enrolling, ask to see how an ordinary week is organized.
Is this particular course a suitable fit?
Instead of asking whether a student is “an online learner,” discuss the course, the available support and the timetable together. A student may work independently in one subject but need frequent live clarification in another.
- Can the student begin a task without waiting for someone nearby to prompt them?
- How will they get an answer when an instruction is unclear?
- Where will the course fit alongside other classes, travel, work or family responsibilities?
- Is there a dependable device, internet connection and suitable workspace?
- What will happen if the student falls behind during illness?
- Does this course keep required prerequisites and future options on track?
These are planning questions, not a test of maturity. An organized student can struggle with an inaccessible platform; a student who needs structure may succeed when routines and school support are clear. Consider the real setup, not a label.
Make a weekly routine before problems build
A simple planning page can have four spaces: this week’s lessons, work to submit, questions for the teacher and feedback to act on. Have the student enter the actual course dates rather than following a generic schedule from another school.
For example, a student could review new tasks on Monday, identify unclear instructions immediately, and leave time before a deadline to ask for help. This is an illustrative routine, not a YCDSB timetable. A last-minute message on the evening work is due may not produce an immediate response.
Parents can agree on one brief check-in rather than repeatedly opening the teenager’s account. Ask, “What is your next deadline, and is anything blocking you?” The answer should lead to a specific action, not daily surveillance. Where access arrangements apply, use the school’s approved parent process.
Check learning supports and exam arrangements
Before the course starts, ask who connects the online teacher with the student’s home-school team. Discuss accessibility tools, language support and any Individual Education Plan arrangements through the school’s secure process. Do not send private records to an unfamiliar tutor or learning website.
Ask how the student can try tools in the actual course environment. A feature that works on a home device may not be available in the same way during an assessment. Also clarify where an exam will take place, what equipment is required and who provides instructions when details are finalized.
If participation declines, identify the first missed step. Was the student unable to log in, unsure which task to start, confused by the content, or reluctant to ask a question? Each problem calls for a different response. The homework-without-stress guide offers broader ways to discuss workload.
How to opt out without leaving loose ends
Under PPM 167, a parent or guardian can opt a student out for any reason. Students aged 18 or older, and those aged 16 or 17 who have withdrawn from parental control, can make the request themselves. The school must acknowledge the form and place it in the Ontario Student Record. Opting out carries no academic penalty and does not remove other graduation requirements.
- Ask your home Guidance department for its current form and any applicable processing date.
- Read the form and discuss which decision it records.
- Submit it through the school’s requested channel.
- Keep the acknowledgement. Follow up if it does not arrive.
- Ask whether any separate course-change request is necessary.
Do not stop attending or submitting work because you sent an opt-out form. A timetable change needs its own confirmation. Likewise, if the student later wants to return to the requirement, ask Guidance about the documented opt-back-in process.
Questions worth taking to Guidance
Bring the student’s timetable and three specific questions: “Which credits already count?”, “Is this course appropriate for the student’s next step?” and “What exactly will change if we opt out?” If the student is transferring or has an unusual course history, request an individual record check.
Use the high-school transition guide for the wider move into secondary school, and the Parent Resource Library for related planning. The best immediate outcome is a suitable timetable and a clear record of the decision—not taking or avoiding online courses simply because another family did.