What is the grades 11 and 12 challenge process?

The challenge process is an assessment process. Unlike the grades 11 and 12 equivalency process, a student who successfully challenges a credit receives an actual percentage grade recorded on the transcript.

Mature students may challenge for credit for up to 10 grades 11 and 12 courses. However, they may obtain no more than 10 grade 11 and 12 credits through the challenge and equivalency processes combined. There is no maximum on the number of credits that may be obtained in any one discipline.

Mature students may challenge a course for credit if they can provide reasonable evidence to the principal that they are likely to be successful in the challenge process.

Applicants who wish to participate in the grades 11 and 12 challenge process must:

be enrolled in a secondary school course
carefully review the curriculum expectations for each subject which they want to challenge
complete the challenge application form

Each application must be reviewed and approved prior to the student’s participation in the challenge assessment process.

Mature students may include certificates or other records of accomplishment earned outside of school as reasonable evidence that they will likely be successful in a challenge for credit for a related course. However, students with Ministry of Education recognized music certificates that are accepted for credits in Ontario Secondary School (OSS) are not required to challenge for credit for the appropriate music courses. Credits are granted for these certificates.

What courses cannot be challenged?
A student cannot be granted credits through the grades 11 and 12 PLAR challenge process for the following courses:

a course previously failed
a course for which the student has already earned a credit, in order to improve the mark
a course in any subject if a credit has already been granted for a course in that subject in a later grade
a course for which there is significant overlap with a course for which credit has been granted
a transfer course
a locally developed course
a Co-operative Education course
the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) or the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC)
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
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 French

Can students challenge again if not successful the first time?
A student will be permitted to challenge for credit for a specific course a second time after an appropriate interval, if the student can provide reasonable evidence that he or she is likely to be successful after having benefited from additional study and experience.