Final results in Secondary IV and V

At the end of the marking period for Secondary IV and V ministerial examinations, the Ministère de l’Éducation sends each student an achievement record by mail. The results can also be viewed on the student’s Online academic record .

To successfully complete a subject and earn its related credits, the student must obtain a final result of 60% or higher.

The moderation and conversion of marks are processes wherein a mark is compared with a set of marks and adjusted accordingly.

Moderation

The moderation of marks consists in comparing the school marks of a group of students with those obtained by the same group on the ministerial examination. This comparison is made for each group of students in all schools and is used to calculate the final mark.

Moderation is always applied to all students’ school marks. It involves adjusting the school marks upward or downward and cannot result in the failure of any student who has obtained a pass mark on the ministerial examination.

The goal of moderation is to ensure that the marks submitted are valid and comparable from one school to another throughout Québec. This process aims to bring more fairness and equity to the evaluation of student learning in class.

In other words, since the degree of difficulty of the local examinations written by students varies from one educational institution to another, two different school groups can have identical marks on the local examinations while showing a wide variation in marks on the ministerial examination. The ministerial examination is the only exam that can objectively compare the two groups because all students take the same exam.

Calculation

The moderation of marks is calculated using a statistical procedure. The distribution of school marks for each group of students is adjusted in relation to the marks obtained on the ministerial examination, according to the average and the standard deviation (that is, the dispersion of marks around the average). Students’ school marks may increase, remain the same or decrease, but always remain in the same position within the group prior to the alignment of marks.

Conversion

Conversion consists in slightly raising the marks obtained on a ministerial examination, thus making the success rate comparable from one year to the next. Conversion is always applied as an increase.

This conversion is only used in cases where the success rate on a ministerial examination is much lower than in previous years. Based on the analysis of the results, the Minister determines the application of the conversion and its parameters.

For the 2023-2024 school year, Secondary IV and V ministerial examinations will count for 20% of the final result for the competency being evaluated. The school mark will count for 80% of the final result. (Subject to required ministerial approvals.)

To find out what your final result is, consult your Online academic record .

Examples of calculations to determine the final result

For a better understanding of the calculations, see the page “Examples of calculations to determine the final result in Secondary IV and V”.

If you are failing a subject, a few options are available to you to continue your schooling.

First, look at the mark you obtained on the Secondary IV and V ministerial examination by consulting your Online academic record . Also confirm the result recorded as the school mark on your school report card issued by your educational institution.

There are some possible solutions depending on your situation: retaking ministerial examinations, requesting a review of a ministerial examination mark, requesting a review of a school mark, conditional admission to a college-level educational institution.

Retake of ministerial examinations

If you failed a Secondary IV or V ministerial examination or if you are not satisfied with the mark you obtained, you can register to retake the examination. To register, contact your educational institution.

Consult the Schedule for the Examination Session and Retake of Examinations .

For more information or to register to retake examinations, contact your educational institution.

Request for a review of a ministerial examination mark

If you failed a Secondary IV or V ministerial examination, you can also request that your examination mark be reviewed. In light of this review, the ministerial examination mark may be maintained, increased or decreased. To make a request, go to your Online academic record.

Conditional admission to a college-level educational institution

College-level educational institutions can admit students who did not obtain their Secondary School Diploma (SSD). Students who are six credits or less short of obtaining their SSD could enter college on the condition that they obtain the missing credits during their first term.

Contact your college to learn about the terms and conditions that apply to your situation.