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Part of French-language education

Francophone education

General information on French first-language (francophone) education for eligible students in Alberta.

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French-language education

Overview

Francophone education is French first-language education for children whose parent is a rights holder under Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as implemented in Alberta through Section 14 of the Education Act.

Together, these provisions support a francophone education system that aims to preserve and promote the French language and the francophone cultures, while providing students with a high-quality francophone education aligned with the Alberta curriculum.

Delivered by the province’s four francophone regional authorities, francophone education offers instruction in French from Kindergarten to Grade 12, with English Language Arts and Literature/English Language Arts courses taught in English.

Students develop strong skills in both official languages within an environment that reflects and supports francophone community life in Alberta.

Eligibility

While French first-language (francophone) schools typically begin in Kindergarten or Grade 1, eligible students may enter at any grade level.

  • Francophone education rights

    Canadian citizens belonging to the francophone minority in Alberta have the right to have their children educated in francophone schools according to Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Section 14 of the Education Act sets out how this right is implemented in practice in Alberta.

  • Francophone rights holders

    Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms provides that Canadian citizens have the right to have their children receive primary and secondary instruction in French if one or more of the following conditions are met:

    • either parent’s first language learned and still understood is French
    • either parent has received their own primary school instruction in Canada in French first-language
    • any child in the same family has received or is receiving primary and secondary school instruction in French first-language in Canada

    In Alberta, parents exercise this right by enrolling their child in a francophone school operated by a francophone regional authority

    Section 23 of the does not apply to French immersion programs where French is taught as a second language.

  • Francophone eligibility declaration

    Section 2 (1)(s) of the Student Record Regulation requires all Alberta public and separate school divisions to include questions on their student registration forms indicating whether a parent is a rights holder under Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and whether the parent wishes to exercise that right.

    Information is provided to Alberta Education and Childcare, as required by the Student Record Regulation, and is handled in accordance with Protection of Privacy Act. It may also be shared with a francophone regional authority.
     

Learning environment

  • Education is provided in French from Kindergarten through Grade 12, except for English Language Arts and Literature/English Language Arts courses, which are offered in English.
  • As an extension of family and community life, the school environment, programming and extracurricular activities provide a solid and dynamic basis for sustaining the use of the French language and fostering participation in the Francophonie.
  • The English Language Arts and Literature course is introduced in the early years of schooling. Students learning English as an additional language will receive support as needed.
  • The language of communication among homes, francophone schools and francophone regional authorities is French. Assistance is provided to help parents who do not speak French support their child's learning and school experience.
  • Eligible children and students can access Francisation programming to support ongoing development of their French-language skills and help them achieve grade-level expectations.
     

Benefits for students

Students in francophone education:

  • develop strong proficiency in French as a first language
  • strengthen connection to the Francophonie within their community
  • achieve English-language proficiency equivalent to that of students in English-language programs
  • gain access to post-secondary and career opportunities in French, English or both languages
  • cultivate an appreciation for other languages, cultures and communities in Canada and around the world
  • build a solid foundation for lifelong language learning and adaptability

Francophone schools in Alberta

Francophone schools offer high-quality education grounded in the pillars of francophone education:

  • language
  • culture
  • identity
  • sense of belonging to the francophone community

Students develop advanced proficiency in both French and English while learning in an environment that affirms their linguistic and cultural identity.

In Alberta, the francophone regional authorities operate francophone schools across the province. The Fédération des conseils scolaires de l’Alberta provides information about francophone schools and francophone education in Alberta.

Francophone schools also offer:

Parents are encouraged to contact their local francophone school or the francophone regional authority for information about registering their child in a francophone school.

Alberta’s francophone regional authorities and schools map shows school authority boundaries and school locations in each region.

Find a school in your region:

Keep in mind

  • Students enrolled in francophone schools follow the K to 12 curriculum and programs of study and the same English Language Arts and Literature/English Language Arts courses as all Alberta students.
  • Reading and writing skills develop similarly in both languages, and once learned, they transfer easily from one language to the other.
  • Learning additional languages builds skills that support the acquisition of other languages in the future.

Resources

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