French Second Language Programs in British Columbia and Yukon: Trends, Challenges, and Best Practices

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1 French Second Language Programs in British Columbia and Yukon: Trends, Challenges, and Best Practices Xiaoyang Luo Research Assistant & Policy Analyst - Summer Student Canadian Parents for French, British Columbia & Yukon Branch August 2013

2 Introduction Canadian Parents for French BC & Yukon has collected information about French second language programs in school districts across the province to better support its advocacy efforts. Through an analysis of and attrition trends, supplemented by a survey of district language coordinators, CPF BC & Yukon is able to offer some insight into the current state of FSL programs, common obstacles to French second language program delivery, and the creative solutions that school districts use to overcome these obstacles. Methodology Enrolment statistics were collected from the British Columbia Ministry of Education and the Yukon Department of Education, with support from the CPF National office. Attrition statistics were calculated based on numbers. In June 2013, CPF BC & Yukon conducted a survey to examine the challenges that school districts face and to identify the best practices that they have developed regarding student and retention and teacher recruitment and retention in French second language programs. A link to the online survey was sent to the representatives responsible for French programs at each BC school district that offers French immersion and to a representative at the Yukon Department of Education. 1 Eighteen school districts responded to the survey. Due to the relatively small sample size, the results are not generalizable to all school districts; however, the survey findings do offer some insight about common obstacles to French second language program delivery and the creative solutions that school boards use to overcome these obstacles. CPF BC & Yukon would like to thank the school district representatives for their participation in our survey. 1 The list of survey questions is provided in Appendix A. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 2

3 British Columbia French Second Language Programs In the school year, 564,530 students were enrolled in public schools. A total of 47,857 public school students were enrolled in French immersion programs last year, accounting for approximately 8.5% of the total public school student population. In , 187,964 students were enrolled in Core French, making up almost one third (32.5%) of the public school student population in that year. 2 The three main program delivery models for French second language education in British Columbia are Core French, Intensive French, and French immersion. Students in Core French are taught basic language skills and are introduced to French culture. Core French typically begins in Grades 4 or 5 and is often limited to one or two classes per week. Intensive French is a Core French program for Grades 6 and 7. For the first half of Grade 6, the main language of instruction is French and the focus is on learning to communicate. The second half of the year returns to the regular curriculum. In Grade 7, the regular curriculum is taught in English with 60 minutes of advanced French instruction per day. French immersion programs aim to make students bilingual, and the main language of instruction is French until the upper secondary grades. Early French immersion begins in Kindergarten or Grade 1, and English is not introduced into the curriculum until Grade 3. Late French immersion begins in Grade 5 or 6 and is taught almost solely in French until English re- enters the curriculum in Grade 7 by no more than 20%. Table 1. Proportion of French to English Instruction in French immersion Grade % of French instruction % of English instruction K to % 0% 3-4 to 7 80% 20% % - 75% 25% - 50% No less than 25 No more than 75 Source: BC Ministry of Education 2 Core French data after 2011 for public schools only was not available at the time this report was written. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 3

4 58 of 60 BC school districts offered Core French in public schools, and 46 of those school districts also offered French immersion. French immersion student has been steadily increasing despite a decline in total ; however, Core French has been declining at a faster rate than total since The rationale for the decline in Core French is not yet fully understood; anecdotal evidence points to a general concern about the quality of Core French instruction as well as increased demand for other language programs such as Spanish, Mandarin, and Japanese. French Immersion Of the 46 school districts that offered French immersion, 28 districts offered a late immersion program, and 40 offered an early immersion program. Nineteen school districts offered both programs. Thirteen school districts, excluding SD 93 Conseil scolaire francophone, did not offer any French immersion programs. 3 A total of 47,857 public school students were enrolled in French immersion programs last year, accounting for approximately 8.5% of the total public school student population. 3 Appendix B provides a full list of school districts that do not currently offer any French immersion programs. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 4

5 Student Enrolment Provincial Enrolment Despite a declining student population, in French immersion has seen a steady increase over the last decade. Since 2003, student in French immersion has increased by 42.8%, while public school has fallen by 8.2%. 4 In the last year, French immersion has increased by 3.2%. Table 2. BC Public Schools French Immersion Enrolment ( ) Total FI in public schools % Change in FI Total public school % Change in total ,516 35,636 38,008 39,510 41,000 42,474 43,964 44,851 46,394 47, % 6.66% 3.95% 3.77% 3.60% 3.51% 2.02% 3.44% 3.15% 615, , , , , , , , , , % % % % % 0.17% % % % % of students in FI 5.45% 5.88% 6.34% 6.72% 7.03% 7.33% 7.57% 7.74% 8.14% 8.48% Source: Author s calculations using British Columbia Ministry of Education data. 4 % Change in Enrolment (2003 to 2013) = (Enrolment 2013 Enrolment 2003) / Enrolment 2003 Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 5

6 Regional Enrolment School districts were divided into seven regions: Kootenay, Cariboo- Prince George, Skeena- North Coast, Northeast, Lower Mainland, Thompson Okanagan, and Vancouver Island- Coast. At the regional level, French immersion students as a proportion of the total student population ranged from 6.0% in Kootenay to 11.8% in the Vancouver Island Coast region. Please see Appendix C for the regional breakdown of school districts. Table 3. BC Regional French Immersion Enrolment (2012/2013) Region Total FI % Change in FI Total district (for districts with FI) % Change in total from previous year % of students in FI Kootenay 1, % 17, % 6.00% Cariboo - Prince George Skeena - North Coast 1, % 22, % 6.08% % 14, % 6.62% Northeast % 9, % 7.42% Lower Mainland Thompson Okanagan 26, % 328, % 8.20% 5, % 58, % 9.85% Vancouver Island - Coast 10, % 93, % 11.78% Source: Author s calculations using British Columbia Ministry of Education data. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 6

7 Enrolment by District Size The proportion of students in French immersion by district size ranged from 7.4% to 11.5% in There appears to be some correlation between district size and the proportion of students in French immersion for school districts with 0 to 4,999 students; however, above this threshold, the correlation weakens. Table 4 below shows that a district of 20,000 or more students had on average approximately 7.8% of students in French immersion, while a smaller district of 5,000 to 9,999 students had 10.4% of students in French immersion. The smallest district size range (0 to 4,999 students) had the lowest proportion of French immersion students, though the data suggests that there may be factors other than district size that limit numbers in districts with 5,000 or more students. Table 4. BC French Immersion Enrolment by District Size (2012/2013) 5 District Size Total FI Average % change in FI Total district (for districts with FI) Average % change in total % of students in FI 0 to 4,999 3, % 47, % 7.43% 5,000 to 9,999 9, % 95, % 10.35% 10,000 to 14,999 15,000 to 19,999 6, % 80, % 7.55% 10, % 91, % 11.52% 20, , % 230, % 7.75% Source: Author s calculations using British Columbia Ministry of Education data. 5 Please see Appendix D for the breakdown of school districts by size. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 7

8 District Enrolment At the district level, French immersion students comprised between 2.6% and 17.5% of the total student population in each district. SD 47 Powell River had the lowest student, and SD 61 Greater Victoria had the highest. Among the five school districts with the lowest, two school districts had introduced French immersion programs within the last six years, and another two districts did not offer Early French immersion programs. Three of the five districts had total district populations of less than 4,000 students. Only one district, SD 36 Surrey, had a French immersion program that was over ten years old and included Early and Late program entry through to Grade 12. Table 5. BC School Districts with Five Lowest Proportions of Students in French Immersion (2012/2013) District 47 - Powell River 50 - Haida Gwaii Total FI % Change in FI Total district % Change in total % of students in FI % 2, % 2.55% % % 2.72% Chilliwack % 12, % 3.60% Surrey 3, % 71, % 4.40% 20 - Kootenay- Columbia % 3, % 4.42% 9 Source: Author s calculations using British Columbia Ministry of Education data. 6 SD 47 Powell River s French immersion program began in 2010, which may explain the low proportion of students in the program. 7 SD 50 Haida Gwaii s French immersion program began in 2007, which may explain the low proportion of students in the program. 8 SD 33 Chilliwack does not currently have an Early French immersion program. 9 SD 20 Kootenay- Columbia does not currently have an Early French immersion program. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 8

9 All five school districts with the highest had Early and Late program entry through to Grade 12 as of SD 40 New Westminster introduced their Early French immersion program in 2003, while the other four school districts had both Early and Late programs for over ten years. Table 6. BC School Districts with Five Highest Proportions of Students in French Immersion (2012/2013) District 61 - Greater Victoria 72 - Campbell River 44 - North Vancouver 40 - New Westminster Total FI % Change in FI Total district % Change in total % of students in FI 3, % 19, % 17.51% % 5, % 15.80% 2, % 15, % 15.17% % 7, % 12.88% 45 - West Vancouver % 7, % 12.75% Source: Author s calculations using British Columbia Ministry of Education data. All but one school district with the highest numbers of students in French immersion are located in the Lower Mainland. Two school districts also have among the five highest proportions of students in French immersion, while one school district has among the five lowest proportions. Table 7. BC School Districts with Five Highest Numbers of Students in French Immersion (2012/2013) District Total FI % Change in FI Total district % Change in total % of students in FI 39 - Vancouver 61 - Greater Victoria 43 - Coquitlam 4, % 56, % 8.76% 3, % 19, % 17.51% 3, % 33, % 9.74% 36 - Surrey 3, % 71, % 4.40% 44 - North Vancouver 2, % 15, % 15.17% Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 9

10 Survey Results: Student Enrolment Challenges 64.7% of the surveyed BC school districts identified a lack of physical space and a lack of qualified teaching staff as a challenge to increasing student in French immersion programs. One of the school districts that had among the five lowest proportions of students in French immersion cited a lack of interest among students and parents, and the small local population from which they could attract potential students. Best Practices Almost all of the surveyed BC school districts (94.1%) reported using parent information meetings and school or district websites to promote their French immersion programs to new students. An additional 87.5% sent information letters, and 81.3% used traditional media to advertise the programs. Some school districts, including one that had among the five highest proportions of students in French immersion, also noted visiting elementary schools and giving presentations about the French immersion program as an effective program promotion strategy. Student Attrition Provincial Attrition Despite an increase in, attrition in French immersion programs has seen little improvement in the past five years. The attrition rate between Grade 1 to 5 has dropped by less than 3% since 2008 (17.3% to 14.6%), while the Grade 7 to 12 attrition rate has remained constant (42.1% to 42.0%). 10 Attrition is highest between Grades 7 and 8, resulting in both the highest number of students who leave the program as well as the highest attrition rate. In , 15% of students (648 students) who were in Grade 7 in the previous school year did not continue on to Grade 8. One difficulty in calculating attrition at the secondary level is the fact that some students choose to complete the French immersion diploma in Grade 11 rather than in Grade 12. As a result, these students may not be accurately accounted for in the data below. 10 Grade 1 to 5 attrition rate (2008) = (Grade 1 (2003) Grade 5 (2008))/Grade 1 (2003) Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 10

11 Additionally, since program entry generally occurs in Kindergarten and Grade 6, with some entry in Grades 1 and 7, attrition rates could not be calculated from Kindergarten through to Grade 12. These limitations resulted in two grade ranges: 1 to 5 and 7 to 12. Table 8. BC Public Schools French Immersion Enrolment by Grade ( ) Grade K 3,645 3,802 4,004 4,100 4,048 4,094 4,145 4,040 4,559 4, ,558 3,818 4,106 4,030 4,174 4,108 4,241 4,274 4,297 4, ,181 3,322 3,650 3,796 3,762 3,877 3,898 3,950 4,046 4, ,766 2,999 3,166 3,419 3,551 3,600 3,726 3,701 3,788 3, ,565 2,575 2,825 2,892 3,226 3,358 3,469 3,549 3,554 3, ,313 2,591 2,643 2,779 2,869 3,158 3,284 3,390 3,513 3, ,280 3,705 3,987 3,988 4,281 4,226 4,444 4,442 4,670 4, ,046 3,085 3,476 3,679 3,816 3,913 4,042 4,199 4,313 4, ,492 2,708 2,741 3,050 3,061 3,228 3,351 3,467 3,484 3, ,099 2,179 2,389 2,486 2,632 2,795 2,896 3,006 3,076 3, ,802 1,874 1,909 2,125 2,123 2,389 2,424 2,594 2,651 2, ,552 1,617 1,641 1,687 1,892 1,964 2,221 2,223 2,387 2, ,217 1,361 1,469 1,479 1,564 1,764 1,823 2,016 2,056 2,212 Source: British Columbia Ministry of Education. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 11

12 Table 9. BC Public Schools French Immersion Attrition ( ) Grade Average per grade Attrition 7-12 Attrition Source: Author s calculations using British Columbia Ministry of Education data. Legend A negative attrition number means that there are more students in the current year than in the previous year. Negative attrition could indicate a program entry year, repeated grades, or students skipping grades. Current year has over 400 students less than previous year. Current year has over 600 students less than previous year. 11 Negative attrition means that there are more students in the current year than in the previous year. Negative attrition could indicate a program entry year, repeated grades, or students skipping grades. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 12

13 Table 10. BC Public Schools French Immersion Attrition Rates ( ) Grade Average per grade % % % % % % % % % % % 4.40% 7.55% 6.65% 7.12% 5.11% 6.86% 5.33% 6.40% 6.23% % 4.70% 6.33% 6.45% 4.31% 3.89% 5.05% 4.10% 6.50% 5.23% % 5.80% 8.65% 5.64% 5.44% 3.64% 4.75% 3.97% 3.67% 5.39% % % 1.63% 0.80% 2.11% 2.20% 2.28% 1.01% 1.24% 0.85% % % % % % % % % % % % 6.18% 7.73% 4.31% 8.60% 4.35% 5.51% 2.90% 4.24% 5.53% % 11.15% 12.26% 16.80% 15.41% 14.36% 14.23% 17.03% 15.02% 14.15% % 11.78% 9.30% 13.70% 8.69% 10.29% 10.30% 11.28% 9.62% 10.83% % 12.39% 11.05% 14.60% 9.23% 13.27% 10.43% 11.81% 9.01% 11.39% % 12.43% 11.63% 10.96% 7.49% 7.03% 8.29% 7.98% 6.53% 9.18% % 9.15% 9.87% 7.29% 6.77% 7.18% 9.23% 7.51% 7.33% 8.52% 1-5 attrition 7-12 attrition % 17.29% 20.02% 15.88% 15.84% 14.56% 17.16% % 40.91% 42.00% 44.12% 42.03% 42.23% Source: Author s calculations using British Columbia Ministry of Education data. Legend A negative attrition rate means that there are more students in the current year than in the previous year. Could indicate a program entry year, repeated grades, or students skipping grades. Current year has an attrition rate of over 10%. Current year has an attrition rate of over 15% Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 13

14 Regional Attrition Average Grade 1 to 5 regional attrition rates ranged from 2.8% in Thompson Okanagan to 39.9% in the Northeast region. Grade 7 to 12 attrition ranged from 28.0% in Skeena- North Coast to 60.4% in the Northeast region. 12 Table 11. BC Regional French Immersion Attrition Rates (2012/2013) Region Total FI % Change in FI % of students in FI Average 1-5 attrition* 13 Average 7-12 attrition* Kootenay 1, % 6.00% % % Thompson Okanagan Lower Mainland Vancouver Island - Coast Skeena - North Coast Cariboo - Prince George 5, % 9.85% 2.81% 40.79% 26, % 8.20% 17.85% 43.51% 10, % 11.78% 19.65% 41.54% % 6.62% 27.36% 28.03% 1, % 6.08% 35.83% 40.90% Northeast % 7.42% 39.86% 60.35% Source: Author s calculations using British Columbia Ministry of Education data. 12 The Kootenay region is excluded from the ranking because the SD 5 Southeast Kootenay French immersion program has Grade 4 program entry, which resulted in a negative regional attrition rate. 13 Average attrition rates are calculated by taking the average of the attrition rates of the school districts in each region, and do not give greater weight to larger school districts. For this reason, they are not directly comparable to the provincial rate, which does give greater weight to larger school districts. 14 The negative attrition rate is due to the Grade 4 program entry in SD 5 Southeast Kootenay. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 14

15 Attrition by District Size Attrition rates by district size do not show very much variation; however, the smallest districts had the lowest proportion of students in French immersion and the highest attrition rates within both grade ranges (24.3% for Gr 1 to 5 and 46.1% for Gr 7 to 12). The attrition rates for the other size categories with 5,000 or more students were comparable. Table 12. BC French Immersion Attrition Rates by District Size (2012/2013) District Size Total FI Average % change in FI * % of students in FI Average Gr 1-5 attrition %* 15 Average Gr 7-12 attrition %* 0 to 4,999 3, % 7.43% 24.32% 46.12% 5,000 to 9,999 9, % 10.35% 17.56% 39.31% 10,000 to 14,999 15,000 to 19,999 6, % 7.55% 16.05% 42.10% 10, % 11.52% 15.66% 39.61% 20, , % 7.75% 17.41% 39.10% Source: Author s calculations using British Columbia Ministry of Education data. 15 Average attrition rates are calculated by taking the average of the attrition rates of the school districts in each size range, and do not give greater weight to larger school districts. For this reason, they are not directly comparable to the provincial rate, which does give greater weight to larger school districts. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 15

16 District Attrition Attrition rates at the district level ranged widely, largely due to the smallest school districts whose attrition rates are highly sensitive to small changes in the student population. For example, SD 83 North Okanagan- Shuswap had a negative Grade 1 to 5 attrition rate due to six additional students entering the program in Grade 3. The five school districts with the lowest Grade 1 to 5 attrition rates are located in the Thompson Okanagan and Lower Mainland regions. All five districts except for SD 73 Kamloops/Thompson have a proportion of students in French immersion that is higher than the provincial average of 8.5%. Table 13. BC School Districts with Five Lowest Grade 1 to 5 French Immersion Attrition Rates (2012/2013) 16 District Total FI % Change in FI % of students in FI Gr 1-5 attrition % 83 - North Okanagan- Shuswap % 11.28% % 22 - Vernon 1, % 12.63% 3.53% 40 - New Westminster % 12.88% 4.76% 73 - Kamloops/Thompson 1, % 7.39% 5.41% 44 - North Vancouver 2, % 15.17% 7.55% Source: Author s calculations using British Columbia Ministry of Education data. 16 This ranking excludes SD 5 Southeast Kootenay due to its Grade 4 program entry. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 16

17 The five districts with the lowest Grade 7 to 12 French immersion attrition rates are located in the Kootenay, Thompson Okanagan, and Vancouver Island- Coast regions. Their attrition rates were less than half of the provincial average of 42.0%. One school district, SD 73 Kamloops/Thompson, also had one of the lowest Grade 1 to 5 attrition rates. Table 14. BC School Districts with Five Lowest Grade 7 to 12 French Immersion Attrition Rates (2012/2013) District Total FI % Change in FI % of students in FI Gr 7-12 attrition % 6 - Rocky Mountain % 5.70% % Comox Valley 1, % 11.31% 10.00% 62 - Sooke % 9.97% 14.00% 73 - Kamloops/Thompson 1, % 7.39% 16.13% 23 - Central Okanagan 2, % 10.11% 20.15% Source: Author s calculations using British Columbia Ministry of Education data. 17 The negative attrition rate is due to one additional student entering the program in Grade 9. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 17

18 The five school districts with the highest Grade 1 to 5 French immersion attrition rates had attrition rates that were more than double the provincial average of 14.6%. Two of these school districts, SD 59 and SD 60, comprise two of the three school districts in the Northeast region; the third district in that region does not have a French immersion program. All districts had relatively small district sizes, with total ranging from 3,734 to 6,031. All but one of these districts had an rate that was below the provincial average of 3.2%. Four of five districts also had a proportion of French immersion students below the provincial average of 8.5%. All five school districts had French immersion programs that were over ten years old. Table 15. BC School Districts with Five Highest Grade 1 to 5 French Immersion Attrition Rates (2012/2013) District Total FI % Change in FI % of students in FI Gr 1-5 attrition % 27 - Cariboo- Chilcotin % 5.95% 51.28% 60 - Peace River North % 5.60% 40.82% 59 - Peace River South % 10.28% 38.89% 91 - Nechako Lake % 4.69% 37.50% 75 - Mission % 7.76% 35.29% Source: Author s calculations using British Columbia Ministry of Education data. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 18

19 The five school districts with the highest Grade 7 to 12 French immersion attrition rates all had declining French immersion rates. Each of the five school districts is located in a different region. One school district, SD 60 Peace River North, also had one of the highest Grade 1 to 5 attrition rates. SD 64 Gulf Islands and SD 58 Nicola- Similkameen had low and stable attrition rates prior to Grade 12. They also have very small school district sizes. For this reason, it is possible that the majority of French immersion students in these districts chose to complete the program in Grade 11 rather than in Grade 12, and as a result these students were not recorded as French immersion students in Grade 12. Table 16. BC School Districts with Five Highest Grade 7 to 12 French Immersion Attrition Rates (2012/2013) District Total FI % Change in FI % of students in FI Gr 7-12 attrition % 58 - Nicola- Similkameen % 6.67% % 64 - Gulf Islands % 10.36% 93.55% 42 - Maple Ridge- Pitt Meadows 1, % 9.70% 67.70% 60 - Peace River North % 5.60% 67.57% 8 - Kootenay Lake % 5.08% 65.38% Source: Author s calculations using British Columbia Ministry of Education data. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 19

20 Survey Results: Student Attrition Challenges Eleven school districts (64.7%) identified a lack of French immersion electives in higher grades and a lack of flexibility in high school timetables as challenges to retaining existing students. One district with high attrition rates also stated that a lack of interest among students and a lack of qualified teaching staff also negatively impacted student attrition. Another district with high Gr 7 to 12 attrition mentioned difficulty in providing academic support as well as competition with other district programs as challenges to retaining French immersion students. Best Practices 88.2% of school districts stated that consultations with parents and students were an effective way to tackle attrition. 82.4% also identified field trips and extra- curricular activities as a best practice for increasing student retention. Thirteen school districts highlighted the importance of academic and educational support for students, and eleven school districts stated that student exchanges helped increase retention. One best practice that the majority of school districts with low attrition identified was behavioural support for students. Two of these school districts also cited parent information meetings as a best practice for increasing retention. Survey Results: French immersion Teacher Recruitment Given that the majority of surveyed school districts identified a lack of qualified teaching staff as a challenge to increasing student, CPF BC & Yukon was interested in learning more about challenges and best practices in teacher recruitment and retention. Challenges A small majority of school districts (58.8%) identified a lack of qualified applicants as a challenge to recruiting French immersion teachers. Five school districts (29.4%) also mentioned the inability to offer continuing contracts to candidates. Other challenges that school districts have cited include the cost of living in BC, poor salaries, the remote location of the school district, and competition with larger, urban school districts in recruiting recent graduates. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 20

21 Best Practices Six school districts (35.3%) selected proactively providing classrooms to teacher candidates on practicums as a best practice for recruiting French immersion teachers. 29.4% of school districts indicated that a partnership with a university was an effective way to recruit candidates. Other best practices included recruiting teachers from Eastern Canada, visits or career fairs at universities, and advertising in teacher magazines. One school district representative discussed the importance of a full- time French coordinator position, whose role involved maintaining close relationships with universities and organizing a student teacher visit to district schools followed by a debrief at the school board. Interested candidates had the opportunity to ask questions, receive feedback, and submit an application immediately. Many candidates were hired in this manner. However, after the French coordinator s hours were reduced, this recruitment program ended. Survey Results: French immersion Teacher Retention Challenges A common challenge to teacher retention is a lack of job protection for new French immersion teachers, who are sometimes temporarily laid off and hired back for the next school year. However, some of these teachers found jobs in other school districts while they are laid off. Other challenges include teachers deciding to transfer to the English program, the cost of living in BC and particularly Metro Vancouver, the district s remote location, and competition with larger school districts. Best Practices Many school districts identified best practices related to professional development, networking, and mentorship opportunities. Additionally, given the lack of job security for French immersion teachers in some districts, many districts identified the ability to offer continuing contracts or protect teachers from lay- offs as best practices in teacher retention. Other best practices include creating a coordinator position to support French immersion teachers, and fostering a supportive and collaborative working environment and sense of community. One district representative gave an example of offering additional support to teachers who were relocating to the community, such as helping them find accommodations or picking them up from the airport. Other district representatives mentioned organizing social events in addition to professional events, and creating opportunities to celebrate Francophone culture. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 21

22 Core French Only two out of 60 BC school districts, SD 92 Nisga a and SD 93 Conseil scolaire francophone, did not offer a Core French program in the preceding school year. Four of the 58 districts that offered Core French also offered Intensive French. In , 187,964 students were enrolled in Core French, making up almost one third (32.5%) of the public school student population. In , 191 students in four districts were enrolled in Grade 7, 8, and 9 Intensive French. 18 The four school districts that offer Intensive French are: SD 6 Rocky Mountain SD 36 Surrey SD 39 Vancouver SD 75 Mission Student Enrolment Core French has been declining at a faster rate than total public school since Between 2003 and 2011, Core French has declined by 16.3%, while total has declined by 5.8%. Because Core French classes are not mandatory, a possible explanation for this decline could be that more students are enrolling in other language programs. 18 Grade 6 Intensive French was not provided in the BC Ministry of Education data set listing Grade 7 to 9. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 22

23 Table 17. BC Public Schools Core French Enrolment ( ) Total CF in public schools % Change in CF 224, , , , , , , , % % % % % % % - - Total public school 615, , , , , , , , , ,530 % Change in total % % % % % 0.17% % % % % of students in CF 36.52% 36.79% 36.12% 35.90% 35.60% 34.50% 33.44% 32.46% 0.00% 0.00% Source: Author s calculations using Canadian Parents for French National data. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 23

24 Student Attrition The highest attrition for Core French occurs between Grades 8 and 9, and 11 and 12. In , just under half (45.5%) of all Grade 8 Core French students did not continue on to Grade 9. The Grade 8 to 9 transition is where the program loses the majority of its students, as 14,755 Grade 8 students did not continue on to Grade 9 French in Grade 9 is typically when students in the English program are able to select other language courses; therefore, it is likely that the majority of students who did not continue with Core French have chosen to enroll in another language class. The highest attrition rate in Core French occurs between Grade 11 and 12, where 63.1% of Grade 11 Core French students do not go on to finish Grade 12 French. One explanation is that most high school graduation requirements only require a second language up to Grade 11, so it is likely that the majority of student do not complete Grade 12 French because it is not mandatory for graduation. Table 18. BC Public Schools Core French Enrolment by Grade ( ) Grade K 1,532 1,308 1,159 1,363 1,273 1, ,723 1,590 1,445 1,484 1,370 1, , ,930 1,623 1,763 1,783 1,385 1, ,218 1,901 1,780 1,899 1,721 1, , ,644 9,769 8,629 8,580 8,440 7,313 6,975 6, ,185 37,367 35,957 34,917 33,798 33,020 33,243 32, ,230 37,712 37,167 36,307 35,227 34,259 33,321 32, ,986 39,505 37,757 37,700 37,112 36,058 34,923 33, ,131 36,013 35,332 34,154 34,364 32,752 32,443 31, ,353 22,302 20,361 19,654 19,505 18,823 18,471 17, ,773 15,886 17,059 15,409 15,383 14,774 14,721 13, ,365 12,841 12,689 13,009 12,642 12,533 11,668 11, ,390 5,043 5,306 4,737 5,452 5,381 4,761 4,308 Ungraded Source: Canadian Parents for French National Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 24

25 Grade Table 19. BC Public Schools Core French Attrition ( ) Average per grade Attrition Source: Author s calculations using Canadian Parents for French National data. Legend A negative attrition number means that there are more students in the current year than in the previous year. Negative attrition could indicate a program entry year, repeated grades, or students skipping grades. Current year has over 4,000 students less than previous year. Current year has over 6,000 students less than previous year. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 25

26 Table 20. BC Public Schools Core French Attrition Rates ( ) Grade Average per grade % % % % 5.66% 25.61% % % % % % 6.67% 5.55% 25.31% % % % % % 3.48% 4.55% 23.34% % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % 0.54% % % % % 2.33% 0.00% % % % % % % % % % 10.56% 9.54% 8.85% 11.75% 10.03% 11.10% 10.25% % 43.46% 44.37% 42.89% 45.22% 43.60% 45.48% 43.33% % 23.51% 24.32% 21.73% 24.26% 21.79% 24.30% 23.12% % 20.12% 23.74% 17.96% 18.53% 21.02% 21.93% 20.27% % 58.68% 62.67% 58.09% 57.44% 62.01% 63.08% 60.17% 7-12 attrition % 69.06% 69.08% % Source: Author s calculations using Canadian Parents for French National data. Legend A negative attrition number means that there are more students in the current year than in the previous year. Negative attrition could indicate a program entry year, repeated grades, or students skipping grades. Current year has an attrition rate of over 20%. Current year has attrition rate of over 30%. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 26

27 Survey Results: Student Attrition Challenges 64.7% of school districts indicated a lack of interest among students as a challenge to retention. The majority (58.8%) of school districts also identified a lack of qualified teaching staff. This finding mirrors a 2007 study in which only 22% of the surveyed elementary school Core French teachers and 29% of middle school teachers reported ease in conversing in French (Carr, 2007). One district representative specified that the lack of French language proficiency was concentrated within staff at the intermediate level, and if students do not have a good experience with early levels of Core French, then they are not likely to continue to the secondary level. Other district representatives listed conflicting schedules at the secondary level, and competition with other language courses. Best Practices Ten school districts (58.8%) reported using French extra- curricular activities to enhance their Core French program. Some school districts also offer student exchanges to Core French students. Other school districts mentioned using teaching methods such as the Accelerative Integrated Methodology (AIM), or having French immersion teachers help teach Core French classes. Survey Results: Core French Teacher Recruitment Challenges Ten school districts indicated that a lack of qualified applicants was a challenge to recruiting Core French teachers. Two district representatives also mentioned the same contractual issues as with French immersion teachers. One finding that may explain the lack of language proficiency among Core French teachers is that most Core French teachers are not specialized at the elementary or middle school levels. Since they are expected to teach multiple subjects, many school districts do not consider these teachers to be Core French teachers, and many of these teachers do not consider themselves to be Core French teachers. This lack of specialization may result in lower expectations of language proficiency from both the school districts and the applicants. Course requirements for non- specialist teachers vary between universities. For example, Thompson Rivers University requires all Bachelor of Education (Elementary) students to take a Second Language with Focus on French course in the second year of the program. Other universities, such as the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and Trinity Western University, require students who know they want to teach Core French to take a French specialization. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 27

28 However, considering the low proportion of Core French teachers who reported ease in conversing in French, it appears unlikely that the majority of non- specialist Core French teachers took a French specialization. 19 Best Practices 35.3% of school districts identified proactively providing classrooms to teacher candidates on practicums as a best practice in recruiting Core French teachers. Three school districts also cited partnerships with universities as a best practice. Survey Results: Core French Teacher Retention Challenges The challenges surrounding Core French teacher retention varied across school districts. Challenges include the small size and cold climate of the community, the fact that Core French specialist positions were limited to the high school level, declining, and contractual issues. Best Practices In order to alleviate the problem of low language proficiency among Core French teachers, some school districts organized language classes, workshops, and study groups for specialist and non- specialist teachers. Other best practices include professional development, mentoring, and continuing contracts. 19 Appendix E contains a list of BC universities and their second language course requirements for non- specialist teachers. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 28

29 Yukon French Second Language Programs In the school year, 5,023 students were enrolled in Yukon public schools. 579 French immersion students comprised 11.5% of all public school students that year. In , 1,961 public school students were enrolled in Core French, accounting for 38.4% of public school students that year. 20 The Yukon public school system offers Core French, French immersion (both Early and Late program entry), Intensive French, and Extensive French (Social Studies). French immersion has been slightly decreasing since its peak in 2010, though French immersion students as a proportion of the total student population has remained stable despite this decline. French Immersion The proportion of students in French immersion has grown from 6.9% in 2003 to 11.5% in At its peak in 2010, French immersion students comprised 11.8% of the entire public school student population. As of , one elementary school and one high school offered the French immersion program. 579 French immersion students attended these two schools in Student Enrolment French immersion peaked in the school year and has been slightly declining ever since. However, has increased by 53.6% between 2003 and 2012, while total public school has fallen by 8.5% in the same period. Between the and school years, French immersion fell by 1.7%. 20 The most recent Core French data available from the Yukon Department of Education is for the school year. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 29

30 Table 21. Yukon Public Schools French Immersion Enrolment ( ) Total FI in public schools % Change in FI Total public school % Change in total % of students in FI % 12.02% 5.71% 25.27% % 4.70% % % 5,491 5,416 5,335 5,131 5,104 5,137 5,100 5,100 5, % % % % 0.65% % 0.00% % 6.87% 7.22% 8.21% 9.02% 11.36% 11.19% 11.80% 11.55% 11.53% Source: Author s calculations using Yukon Department of Education data. Survey Results: Student Enrolment Challenges The representative for the Department of Education (DOE) responded that the supply and demand for French immersion in the Yukon is balanced. Given that the number of French immersion students peaked in 2010 and that total is declining, it is possible that the French immersion program in its current capacity will be able to accommodate future students should trends remain stable. Best Practices The DOE representative indicated that they use parent information meetings, traditional media, school and district websites, and their relationships with French organizations to promote the French immersion program to new students student statistics were not available at the time this report was written. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 30

31 Student Attrition Due to changes in reporting style in the Yukon Department of Education Annual Reports, French immersion by grade was not available for the school year. As a result, attrition could not be calculated for the or school years. The gaps in the data paired with the small student population in the Yukon make it more difficult to interpret any trends in attrition. In , the highest attrition in terms of the number of students who left the program occurred between Grades 7 and 8, with nine students not continuing onto Grade 8. Additionally, eight students did not move onto the following year after Grades 1, 3, and 10. The highest attrition rates were for students entering Grades 11 and 12, at 28.6% and 18.8% respectively, representing eight and six students. As with BC French immersion attrition at the secondary level, some of this attrition could be attributable to students choosing to finish the program early rather than leaving the program entirely. Given the Yukon s small student population, not accounting for these students may make a more significant difference when calculating attrition. Table 22. Yukon Public Schools French Immersion Enrolment by Grade ( ) Grade K Source: Yukon Department of Education student statistics were not available at the time this report was written. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 31

32 Table 23. Yukon Public Schools French Immersion Attrition ( ) Grade Average per grade attrition 7-12 attrition Source: Author s calculations using Yukon Department of Education data. Legend A negative attrition number means that there are more students in the current year than in the previous year. Negative attrition could indicate a program entry year, repeated grades, or students skipping grades. Current year has over 5 students less than previous year. Current year has over 8 students less than previous year. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 32

33 Table 24. Yukon Public Schools French Immersion Attrition Rates ( ) Grade Average per grade % % 4.00% 3.85% % 0.00% % % 13.11% 10.53% 10.42% 5.36% 13.33% % % 8.33% 9.43% 3.92% 0.00% 9.43% % % 9.09% 9.09% 2.08% 10.87% 13.56% % % 6.45% 0.00% % 0.00% 4.88% % % 16.67% % % % % % % 13.33% % % 3.03% 3.92% % % % 11.54% % 11.32% 14.06% % % % % % 16.67% 12.77% % % 0.00% 22.73% % 26.32% 0.00% % % 5.00% 11.11% % 25.58% 28.57% % % 13.64% 26.32% % 18.52% 18.75% % 1-5 attrition 7-12 attrition 20.37% 28.07% 14.58% 22.00% % 15.38% 33.33% Source: Author s calculations using Yukon Department of Education data. Legend A negative attrition number means that there are more students in the current year than in the previous year. Negative attrition could indicate a program entry year, repeated grades, or students skipping grades. Current year has an attrition rate of over 10%. Current year has attrition rate of over 15%. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 33

34 Survey Results: Student Attrition Challenges The representative listed a lack of interest among students, a lack of flexibility in high school timetables, limited senior course availability, and different priorities in senior grades as challenges to student retention. Best Practices Strategies to increase student retention included parent information meetings, consultations with parents and students, academic and educational support, extra- curricular activities, student exchanges, counseling with regard to course selection and students challenges, and French experiential courses. Survey Results: French immersion Teacher Recruitment Challenges Contractual obligations for term- based and temporary assignments created a challenge to recruiting French immersion teachers. Best Practices Effective teacher recruitment strategies included advertising and offering a competitive salary and good working conditions. Survey Results: French immersion Teacher Retention Challenges The contractual obligations described above also posed a challenge to teacher retention. Best Practices The representative indicated that professional development, training, and pedagogical resources and support were best practices in teacher retention. Canadian Parents for French British Columbia & Yukon 34