French immersion numbers hit record high

The number of French immersion students in School District 57 hit a new record, according to the Canadian Parents for French, B.C. and Yukon.

As of the 2018-2019 school year, 1,155 students were registered in the program, an increase of 27 from the previous school year. As well, the proportion of students in French immersion stood at an unprecedented 8.69 per cent of the school district’s total population. Indeed, the growth in the number of French immersion students bucked a trend that had seen an ongoing decline in the total student population before leveling out at 12,915 by 2014-15 and growing marginally each year since then.

The ongoing growth has mirrored a province-wide trend over the last 20 years, Canadian Parents for French executive director Glyn Lewis said in an interview.

He attributed part of the growth to a “historical legacy.” French immersion has been offered in B.C. for 50 years now, he noted, long enough for two or three generations of students to have gone through the program.

“And now they want their children to have those same opportunities that they did,” Lewis said.

It has also developed a reputation strong enough to draw the attention of other parents looking for a way to “challenge their kids” and develop a benefit that lasts a lifetime.

Citing Statstics Canada, CPF said Canadians who speak both French and English earn, on average, 10 per cent more, and have a lower unemployment rate, compared to Canadians who only speak one of the two official languages.

“As well, there are cognitive developmental benefits of learning an additional language, such as stronger listening skills, improved focus and concentration, increased ability to understand complex problems and higher tolerance, insight and understanding of other cultures,” CPF said in a press release.

As of 2018-19, there were 53,995 French immersion students in B.C., an increase of 4,544 since 2013-14, when they represented 9.2 per cent of the total student population. The proportion has more or less leveled off at 9.5 per cent in the past few years.

Within School District 57, the recent rebound in student total population combined with the ongoing growth in French immersion has created a juggling act for school board trustees.

With the schools nearing their capacities, school board chair Tim Bennett said enrollment at the kindergarten level at Ecole Lac des Bois and College Heights Elementary School has been capped while there is still some room left at Heather Park Elementary School. As for the high school program at Duchess Park Secondary School, Bennett said the trustees and staff are continuing to “monitor very closely as capacity is an issue at all of our high schools but in particular at Duchess Park.”

Last year, the board began consultations on whether Spruceland Traditional School and Edgewood Elementary School should continue to be feeder schools for Duchess Park or transferred to the catchment area for D.P. Todd Secondary. A decision will be made this fall, Bennett said.

Trustees are also continuing to work to draw provincial government funding to expand D.P. Todd by 300 seats by the 2023-24 school year, he said.

As of 2018-19, there were 13,291 students in School District 57 and Bennett expects to see modest growth over that when a count is conducted on Sept. 30.