Enrolment in French Immersion in Peel will soon be left to chance

The decision of the Peel District School Board (PDSB) on Tuesday evening (September 25th, 2012) to place a cap on all Grade 1 French Immersion programs, at 25% of total Grade 1 enrolment, and to reduce the amount of French instructional time to 50%, comes as a tremendous blow to parents and students. Effective September 2013, parents will be subjected to a lottery system to determine if their child will be among the lucky ones to hold a coveted French Immersion spot. The PDSB agreed to a “grandfather” clause that ensures siblings of existing French Immersion students will be among those selected but all others will have to hope their names gets pulled.

Rima Koleilat, a representative of the CPF Mississauga West Chapter and first generation Canadian, stated “the ability to communicate in the two official languages of our country is a source of pride, part of our identity and heritage as Canadians”. Add to this very real sentiment, the undisputed cognitive benefits of learning another language and the advantages this brings to children in today’s global community, and it is no surprise that program enrolment has grown. “It is reasonable to expect that all students should have access to the French Immersion program. Becoming bilingual should be a right not a fight!" says Heather Stauble, President of CPF Ontario.

Citing staffing, the introduction of full‐day kindergarten and accommodation challenges as the contributing factors, the PDSB’s final decision also includes a reduction in the daily amount of French language instruction from 85% to 50% in Grade 1.

“School boards receive funding for these programs through Federal‐Provincial agreements that call for an increase in enrolment.” added Stauble. “They need to find ways to maintain the intensity and integrity of the program and address the staffing issues without cutting instructional time or capping. It can be done. Other school boards are facing the same challenges and they are doing it.”

The strength and success of early immersion programs lies in children acquiring a competent level of comprehension of the French language in the early years through “immersing” them in high intensity, front‐end loaded programs, prior to the introduction of more complex subjects that will be taught in French. Its own environmental scan comparing the PDSB’s French Immersion program against nine other school boards revealed that six of them offer 100% French from SK or Grade 1; one offers 90% in Grade 1; with all of those programs continuing with at least 70% French language instruction to Grade 3. “As of September 2013, the PDSB will be offering the weakest French Immersion model in the province, in terms of program intensity” says Stauble.

CPF Ontario is calling on all French Second Language stakeholders to work together at the school board, provincial and federal levels toward more creative and strategic solutions that will ensure access to quality French Immersion programs throughout the province to meet the growing demand.

Canadian Parents for French (CPF) is the national network of 25,000 members that values French as an integral part of Canada and is dedicated to the promotion and creation of French Second Language learning opportunities for young Canadians.

Information:
Heather Stauble, President Betty Gormley, Executive Director (en Français)
Canadian Parents for French (Ontario) Canadian Parents for French (Ontario)
Tel.: 703‐277‐3402 Tel.: 905‐601‐2957
E‐mail: hstauble@cpfont.on.ca; E‐mail: bgormley@cpfont.on.ca
Website: www.cpfont.on.ca