Language of Homeschooling in Quebec

This was originally written as a post, but I wanted to make it easier for people to find. Language of education is a concern for many families in Quebec, so I hope the information here will help other families who want to teach at home in English.

Charter of the French Language

The language law in Quebec has limited access to an education in English since the late 1970’s. For those of you unfamiliar with the issue, yup, we have “language police” here in Quebec. The intent of the law & its associated limitations was to preserve the French language, and to encourage both anglophones and allophones to learn to speak it. I won’t get into the constitutionality or efficacy of the law here. That is a subject for another time, and perhaps another forum.

If you’re concerned about all the schools in Quebec teaching in French, this simply isn’t the case. There are lots of English schools in the province, especially in the Montreal area. The issue, however, is whether you get to send your kids to one of them. One of the measures implemented in the language law was to require that anyone enrolling a child in an English school produce a certificate of eligibility to access English-language education. That little piece of paper is so precious, I know of at least one family who have framed the certificate and hung it on the wall!

Who is Eligible to Go to English School in Quebec?

If you are new to Quebec and you are coming from outside of Canada, in all likelihood you are not eligible to send your kids to school in English. If your family has lived in Quebec for generations, but no one has ever been educated in English, chances are you will have to send them to school in French. There are some exceptions for children with disabilities and for families staying temporarily in Quebec, but basically it’s not easy to get that little paper for your kids unless at least one of the child’s parents or grandparents was educated in English somewhere in Canada.

Can I Homeschool in English?

It is important to note that the language law applies to public institutions, and as such, does not apply to homeschooling. If you are a homeschooler moving into Quebec, or if you are withdrawing your child from a French school, you may have been told that you are not permitted to educate your child at home in English. Rest assured, this is simply not true. You may educate your child at home in the language or languages of your choice.

Here is the official statement of the ministry of education (the MELS):

[L]‘enfant non admissible à recevoir l’enseignement en anglais, en vertu des dispositions de la Chartre de la langue française, peut recevoir, en anglais, son enseignement à la maison puisque ces dispositions sont inapplicables dans ce cas.

My translation:
The child who, due to the provisions of the French Language Charter, is not eligible to attend an English language school, may nevertheless receive instruction at home in English; the provisions of the Charter do not apply to homeschooling.

~ La Scolarisation à Domicile, Orientations, Projet; MELS, Mai 2005

The document continues by saying that parents can register for homeschooling with either the English or French school board in their region, according to the language of instruction. (This registration is, however, a hot issue. Many feel this is not required by law.)

If you have approached an English board about homeschooling & been refused registration for lack of the eligibility certificate, please read this post at the Montreal Homelearners site. Sonya spoke to the folks at AQED for some legal advice, which you may find useful.

Can Homeschooling in English Help My Child Gain Access to English Schools at a Later Time?

No. We are also told that, as is now the case with private education since the legal loopholes have been closed, homeschooling in English cannot be used to establish eligibility for public education later.

Folks Who May Benefit from the Option to Homeschool in English

Many of us who have been living in Quebec for some time and who received our education in English already meet the eligibility requirements. But there are people who do not, and for these people in particular homeschooling in English can be an economical alternative to private school or moving (even temporarily) out of the province to access an English education.

If you fall into one of these groups you may want to consider whether homeschooling is a viable option for your family:

Anglophones and allophones entering Quebec from outside Canada, who would ordinarily have to send their kids to French school, and who are concerned their children will not be able to keep up with their classmates;
Francophones without eligibility certificates, who would like their children to benefit from earlier exposure to English instruction or from a bilingual or English immersion format that is not available through the local public French-language school;
Anyone whose child struggles with French, but who has no specific diagnosis of learning difficulty or other disability that may grant him eligibility, and who would therefore be required to send this child to school in French.

Do I Still Have to Teach French at Home?

It is recommended unless your child has significant learning differences. The Education Act requires homeschooling parents to offer at home an education that is equivalent to that received in public school. The school boards generally interpret “equivalence” as being able to function at grade level, in core subjects like English, French and math. The main rationale behind this is that the child will be easily (re)integrated into the classroom if you ever want/need to register him for public school.

If you don’t feel equipped to teach French there are a number of options, for example group classes or tutoring, and purchasing a boxed curriculum with an audio or interactive component. You might also find that your child can learn a significant amount of French by taking part in sports and recreational activities or in summer camp with a majority of francophone peers and staff. It’s easy to find activities carried out in French, even in the more English speaking areas around Montreal. Take advantage of them!

The bottom line: If you are not ordinarily eligible to send your children to English school you still have a legal right to give them an English education by opting to homeschool.

This work was created by Ruby of Freehold 2, and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License. Excerpts copyright quoted authors. Please visit their sites to read more, and respect the terms of their copyrights. Thanks!

The content of this blog is offered in the spirit of sharing information and ideas, and all factual information is accurate to the best of my knowledge at the time of writing. Please be aware that laws change and new requirements may be imposed on homeschooling parents. I am not an expert. You should consult legal counsel for the best advice on homeschool legalities and your rights as a home educator.