School Boards to Address Changing Francophone Profile in Ontario

Ministry of Education

School Boards to Address Changing Francophone Profile in Ontario

Symposium Will Highlight Next Steps

    OTTAWA, Oct. 12  - French-language school boards are taking the next
steps to address the needs of a changing francophone population, Minister of
Education Kathleen Wynne announced today.
    "The McGuinty government introduced the Aménagement linguistique policy
in 2004 to help address the problem of assimilation," said Wynne. "Now
French-language boards are moving ahead on the second phase of its
implementation, which recognizes that the francophone community profile in
Ontario is changing - and that French-language boards and schools must evolve
accordingly."
    Wynne was speaking to over 500 French-language education and community
leaders who are gathering this week in Ottawa to discuss the future of
francophone education in Ontario at a symposium on the Aménagement
linguistique policy.
    French-language school boards will now put into action local Aménagement
linguistique policies that have been developed in cooperation with parents and
community organizations. The plans will focus on student recruitment and
retention, on developing students' oral communication skills and cultural
identity, and supporting teachers to deliver quality programs in a minority
setting.
    "The French-language school boards face a number of specific challenges,
including student retention, reducing assimilation and addressing the diverse
needs of our students and families," said Constance Legentil, superintendent
of education and Aménagement linguistic policy leader with the Conseil
scolaire de district des écoles catholiques du Sud-Ouest. "Through these
plans, we are increasing our ability to meet these challenges and to protect
and enhance French language and culture in our schools."
    In recent years, assimilation has become a concern for French-language
speakers in Ontario. More francophone students have a parent that does not
speak French, and so are speaking English at home.
    The province also welcomes 4.1 per cent of Canada's French-speaking
immigrant population, but only about 1.1 per cent of newcomers are entering
the French-language education system.
    "Academic excellence, strong community institutions and effective
government services are all critical elements for a healthy French-speaking
community in Ontario," said Graham Fraser, author of Sorry I Don't Speak
French, Confronting the Canadian Crisis That Won't Go Away. "Those elements
are impossible to achieve without effective language planning policies
developed in collaboration with Ontario's French-speaking communities."
    "We have accomplished a lot together as a community," said Minister
Responsible for Francophone Affairs, Madeleine Meilleur. "The policy on
aménagement linguistique is truly innovative and has infused our education
system with renewed dynamism. I am convinced the plans developed during this
symposium will equip our young francophones to lead the way and to build a
bright and thriving future for our community in Ontario."
    This week's symposium, themed Charting our Course for the Future, enables
leaders to share information and best practices in French-language education
and to hear from guest speakers including author Graham Fraser, Toronto Star
columnist Chantal Hébert, Francophone Affairs Minister Madeleine Meilleur and
Franco-Ontarian senator Marie Poulin.
    "We need to address the unique challenges that our French-language
schools face in order to strengthen French-language education in Ontario,"
said Wynne. "Our Aménagement linguistique policy is recognized as exemplary in
the rest of Canada and in some European countries. It is a unique tool that
enables schools to contribute to the vitality of the francophone community,
and will help us reach every student."

    Disponible en français

    
                              www.edu.gov.on.ca
                           www.ontario.ca/progress



    Backgrounder
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                     POLITIQUE D'AMENAGEMENT LINGUISTIQUE
    
Contact Info

    The Aménagement linguistique policy, or French-language planning policy
was launched in October 2004. It establishes common guidelines for
institutions responsible for French-language elementary and secondary
education in Ontario to ensure the protection, enhancement and transmission of
the French language and culture in minority settings.
    The policy gives all French-language school boards and authorities a
mandate to develop a local policy on French language development in
cooperation with parents and organizations in the community. It also
integrates a results-based accountability and performance measurement
framework to the implementation process.
    In Phase II of the policy implementation, French-language school boards
and authorities will implement local plans with a focus on building students'
oral communications skills and cultural identity, and on recruitment and
retention.
    Over 120,000 Ontario students are entitled to French-language education
pursuant to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but only 90,000 of
them are enrolled in French-language schools. Four out of 10 students
beginning their instruction in French-language schools transfer to
English-language schools by the time they complete Grade 12.
    French-language schools offer high-quality programs that are helping
students to succeed. French-language Grade 6 students have already reached the
McGuinty government's 75 per cent success target for student achievement in
mathematics - two years ahead of time, and girls have already reached the same
target in reading and writing. In addition, for students who remain in the
French-language secondary schools, the graduation rate is about 10 per cent
higher than in English-language secondary schools.

    Aménagement linguistique policy

    
    The objectives of the Aménagement linguistique policy are to:

    -   deliver high-quality instruction in French-language schools adapted
        to the minority setting;
    -   educate young francophones to become competent and responsible
        citizens, empowered by their linguistic and cultural identity;
    -   increase the capacity of learning communities, including school
        staff, students, and parents to support students' linguistic,
        educational and cultural development throughout their lives;
    -   expand and enrich the francophone environment through solid
        partnerships among the school, the family and the community as a
        whole;
    -   increase the vitality of educational institutions by focusing on
        student retention and increased enrolment, thus contributing to the
        sustainable development of the French-language community in Ontario.

    The policy sets out three anticipated provincial outcomes for students,
school staff and school boards:

    -   For students: Increased capacity to acquire oral communications
        skills to maximize learning and identity building
    -   For school staff: Increased capacity to work in a minority setting to
        support the academic learning and identity building of every student
    -   For school boards: Increased capacity to maintain and increase the
        student population and to contribute to the vitality of French-
        language schools and the francophone community.


    Disponible en français

                              www.edu.gov.on.ca
                           www.ontario.ca/progress