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Board Procedure #NP324.0, French Immersion

1. Procedure Statement

This procedure outlines processes and requirements for the York Region District School Board elementary and secondary French Immersion (FI) programs.

2. Application

The French Immersion program is inclusive and welcomes all learners. Programming in YRDSB is dedicated to the inclusion of all students.

French Immersion is an optional program in which students receive their instruction in French for a variety of subjects from a teacher who speaks the language. The program is designed for children whose first language is not French. 

Parent(s)/guardian(s) do not need to have knowledge of the French language. Communication with parent(s)/guardian(s) is in English including, but not limited to, report cards, newsletters, and parent-teacher interviews. Schools will also access translation services as required to support communication with families as required. 

In York Region public schools, the FI program begins in Grade 1, is based on the Ontario Curriculum and operates similarly to the program in English classrooms with instruction provided in French.

Appropriate accommodations/modifications are made for students with special education needs, as outlined in the Board SpecialEducation Plan as it relates to FI.
 

3. Responsibilities

3.1 The Director of Education shall:

1. allocate staff and resources to support the French Immersion procedure.

3.2 Superintendents of Schools shall:

1. review French Immersion attendance areas and determine program locations in accordance with Policy and Procedure #108.0, Student Accommodation – Attendance Areas and Student Transfers; and
2. provide leadership and support principals, as required, in implementing the French Immersion procedure.

3.3 Corporate Communications shall:

1. select and communicate the dates of information sessions and the French Immersion registration period, in consultation with other service departments, as appropriate.

3.4 Planning and Property Development Services shall:

1. support superintendents of schools in reviewing and determining French Immersion program locations and boundaries.

3.5 Curriculum and Instructional Services shall

1. provide leadership and support the implementation of Ontario Elementary and Secondary French Immersion Curriculum.

3.6 Student Services shall:

1. provide leadership and support to schools in implementing appropriate supports for students with special education needs.

3.7 Human Resource Services shall:

1. ensure that selection processes for French Immersion teaching staff are aligned with legislation and all applicable Board policies and procedures;
2. ensure that FI teachers hold additional qualifications to teach in French as a Second Language programs in English schools, and where teachers do not have additional qualifications in French, apply to the Ministry of Education for a Temporary Letter of Approval; and
3. administer language assessments for FI teacher candidates.

3.8 Principals shall:

1. adhere to the Board’s French Immersion Procedure ensuring all students are welcome and have access to French Immersion programs;
2. promote the use of French as the language of instruction in all subjects taught in French;
3. ensure that YRDSB equitable assessment practices are implemented to support student learning; 
4. ensure academic supports are implemented to meet the needs (e.g., pathways, special education, MLL, etc.) of all FI learners; 
5. adhere to the Board’s protocol for hiring FI teaching staff;
6. in elementary schools;
   • support the FI registration process,
   • host an information night for parent(s)/guardian(s) interested in enrolling their child(ren) in the FI program and share the following,
     • upcoming space accommodations if applicable, and
     • the registration process,
   • for late registrations,
     • advise parent(s)/guardian(s) that students may be required to attend the overflow school due to staffing or accommodation considerations, and
     • consider admission to the program on a first-come, first-serve basis,
   • determine for Grades 4 to 8 which of Health and Physical Education and/or the Arts subjects will be taught in French and which in English, meeting program requirements and ensuring consistency within the school including, but not limited to,
     • avoid changing the language of instruction for a subject language mid-year, and 
     • avoid offering one subject in both languages,
   • endeavor to assign FI-qualified staff teach all French subjects,
   • avoid having one teacher teach both French and English to the same class,
   • for Delayed Entry students, (e.g., students entering the Board from a different Board’s FI program, students entering from a different Board’s Extended French program, etc.), or students returning to FI after an extended absence, consider each request on a case-by-case basis considering the following factors;
     • the total number of hours of French instruction the student has received to date.
     • previous achievement,
     • lived experiences including but not limited to: languages spoken at home, time spent in French-speaking areas, family members who speak French,
     • any other relevant factors,
     • recommending a curriculum-based assessment, as appropriate,
     • consulting with the superintendent of schools as required and communicating the final decision about student’s participation in FI to parent(s)/guardian(s).
   • for Multilingual Language Learners (MLLs) entering Grade 1, update the English as a Second Language (ESL) information in the Student Information System (SIS), as outlined in the Entering English as a Second Language/English Literacy Development Data document,
   • for Multilingual Language Learners (MLLs) in Grades 4 to 8,
     • for subjects taught in English, ensure teachers determine the students’ level of English language proficiency and communicate this information to the principal,
     • ensure that the student’s level of English language proficiency is noted in MLLNet, and 
     • support the implementation of Board and Ministry policies and procedures for programming, and for tracking of MLLs' language proficiency.
7. in secondary schools;
   • ensure the most appropriate Core French placement for students who graduate from the Grade 8 FI program but do not continue with FI in secondary school,
   • ensure that all required courses and a variety of other courses are available to students enrolled in the FI program to satisfy the requirements of the French Immersion Certificate, and
   • ensure that students who have obtained at least 10 FI credits receive the French Immersion Certificate upon graduation.

3.9 Teachers shall:

1. recognize that the French Immersion program operates similarly to the program offered in English, and that all curriculum expectations and relevant Board policies and procedures apply;
2. adhere to the Board Special Education Plan as it relates to FI;
3. endeavor to use French as the language of instruction for subjects taught in French;
4. encourage students to use French in subjects taught in French;
5. ensure that YRDSB equitable assessment practices are implemented to support student learning; 
6. foster, model, and encourage the use of French outside the classroom;
7. for Multilingual Language Learners (MLLs) in Grades 4 to 8 for subjects taught in English;
   • determine the level of English language proficiency and communicate this information to the principal,
   • provide the necessary program adaptations for MLLs as they acquire English proficiency, and
   • monitor the MLLs’ level of English proficiency on an ongoing basis.

3.10 Parent(s)/guardian(s) shall:

1. recognize register their children for French Immersion according to the following processes;
   • for Kindergarten students in the Board, call or email the home school to declare intent to register for FI,
   • for students new to the Board, providing completed registration package as outlined in Policy and Procedure #163.0, School Admission, and
   • present the appropriate documentation at the FI school to register;
2. be aware that students who register late may be overflowed to another site due to staffing or accommodation needs
3. be aware that learning materials will be in French including, but not limited to, homework assignments, assessment criteria and learning goals; and  

3.11 Students shall:

1. endeavor to use French in subjects taught in French; and
2. endeavor to use French outside the classroom.

4. Definitions

4.1 Late Registration

A late registration applies only to students entering Grade 1 and refers to registrations submitted after the registration closing date and before the first day of school in September. Late registrations will be treated on a first-come, first-serve basis and will be considered after registrations received during the registration period. Late registrants may be required to attend the French Immersion program at an overflow site if necessary.

4.2 Delayed Entry Student

The entry point for FI in YRDSB is Grade 1. 

A delayed entry student is any student who enters the French Immersion program after the first day of school in September of Grade 1. 

Students seeking delayed entry into the FI program will be considered on a case-by-case basis. (further details can be found under the Responsibilities of Principals section).

4.3 Elementary French Immersion Program

The elementary French Immersion program is available to students beginning in Grade 1. French is the language of instruction in Grades 1, 2 and 3 for all subjects.

In Grades 4-8, the 1,500 minutes of instructional time are shared between French and English as outlined below:

4.3.1 Subject – Language of Instruction – Minutes per Week

1. French – French – 300
2. Science and Social Studies – French – 300
3. Math – English – 300
4. English – English – 300

The remaining 300 minutes will be allocated to Health, Physical Education and the Arts. Of these, a minimum of 150 minutes per week will be taught in French.

The expectation is that each student will receive the following number of hours of instruction in the French language by the end of each grade:

• Grade 1 – 930 hours
• Grade 2 – 930 hours
• Grade 3 – 930 hours
• Grade 4 – 465 hours
• Grade 5 – 465 hours
• Grade 6 – 465 hours
• Grade 7 – 465 hours
• Grade 8 – 465 hours

By the end of Grade 8, students should receive a total of 5,115 hours of instruction in the French language.

4.4 Registration Processes

Grade 1 FI registration begins on the PA Day following the French Immersion Information meeting for families in January and closes in mid-February.

Students must register to attend the French Immersion school within their attendance area. The following registration requirements apply to the following groups.

1. for Kindergarten students currently attending their home school in the YRDSB, families can email or call their home school to declare their intention to register in FI;
2. for other students who may qualify as resident pupils, non-resident students or other students, including those who have moved into a different attendance area within York Region, the full registration process applies, as outlined in Student Registrations (Policy #163.0); and
3. students wishing to attend a French Immersion school outside of their attendance area must apply for a transfer as outlined in Student Accommodation – Attendance Areas and Student Transfers (Policy and Procedure #108.0).

4.5 Late Registration

In alignment with the YRDSB Accommodation Plan, all students who wish to attend FI will be able to do so. 

A late registration, applicable only to students in Grade 1, is one submitted after the registration closing date. Late registrations will be treated on a first-come, first-serve basis and will be considered after registrations received during the registration period. Late registrants may be required to attend the French Immersion program at an overflow site if necessary.

4.6 Secondary French Immersion Program

Each secondary school must offer the following courses in French:

• four required language courses (FIF);
• Grade 9 Geography;
• Grade 10 History;
• Grade 10 Civics and Careers; and
• At least three other courses taught in the French language (it is recommended that students enroll in at least one of these other courses in each of their grade 11 and 12 years).

Note: third language courses are excluded from this list since the language of instruction in those courses should be the third language.

Secondary school students must accumulate at least 10 French Immersion credits to qualify for the French Immersion Certificate upon graduation. The principal may approve a change to this requirement for individual students in extenuating circumstances.

5. Contact

Curriculum and Instructional Services

6. History

Replaces Standing Memo S63, Late Entry of Students into French Immersion Programs

Replaces Standing Memo S64, Placement of Grade 8 French Immersion Graduates in Secondary Core French Courses

Approved: May 2007

Working Document: October 1, 2013

Revised: May 2014, November 2024