Decline of Enrolment in Quebec's English-language School Sector

The Charter of the French language (1977),1 also known as Bill 101, has had a strong and lasting impact on the English-language public school sector.2 Under this law, kindergarten to secondary school students whose Canadian parents or siblings were educated in Canada in English are entitled to English-language public education. Aside from a few exceptions, all other students must attend French-language schools. These educational clauses limit access to English-language schools3 by routing the children of newly arrived immigrants to French-language public schools,4 as well as restricting the access of Francophone Quebecers with no family history of attending English-language schools.

Parallel title: Education Research Brief no. 1