Ontario: Launching the Politi que d'am énagement linguistique

[Harold Schiffman]

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McGuinty Government Investments In French-Language Education Produce Results


    Francophone Achievement Shows Students Getting The Support They Need

    OTTAWA, May 24 /CNW/ - French-language students in Ontario are
achieving higher provincial test scores thanks to the McGuinty
government's investments in the province's French-language schools,
Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs Madeleine Meilleur
announced today.
    "Our government has recognized the unique challenges the
French-language boards face in helping our francophone students
succeed," said Meilleur. We are increasing funding to Ontario's
French-language schools to make them even better places to learn and
succeed."
    Next year, the province will invest an additional $73.5 million in
Ontario's French-language schools. Since this government came to
office, per pupil funding for French-language school boards has grown
by 42.5 per cent - or $316.7 million - reaching $1.09 billion for the
2007-08 school year.

    This year's funding boost for French-language school boards will
help ensure the quality of French-language education and combat the
assimilation of French-speaking students. The investment includes $10
million for additional targeted supports to provide a wider range of
programs and courses, particularly in French-language secondary
schools.


    "We're proud of our track record to make Ontario's French-language
schools great places to learn," said Education Minister Kathleen
Wynne. "Our government has recognized the unique challenges these
boards face in helping our francophone students succeed. During the
last four years, we've seen a significant improvement in student
outcomes, and we want to go further still."

   "I am proud to be part of a government that recognizes the
fundamental role education plays in the ongoing development of
Ontario's francophone community," said Ottawa-Orléans MPP Phil
McNeely.


 Francophone student enrolment is on the rise for a second consecutive
school year, despite declining enrolment provincially, assimilation
and a low proportion of francophone immigration.

       Success by French-language students includes:

    -   An increase in provincial test scores of between five and 15
        percentage points
    -   A rise of five per cent in graduation rates to 81 per cent -
      just four points short of the 2010 provincial target -  over
the past two
        years
    -   Grade 6 French-language students reaching the 75 per cent target in
        math two years early
    -   Grade 6 French-language girls reaching the target in reading, writing
        and math.

    "Close collaboration with our education partners is at the forefront of
our strategy to help our francophone students reach their potential,"
concluded Meilleur.

    Disponible en français

                              www.ofa.gov.on.ca

             ONTARIO'S INVESTMENTS IN FRENCH-LANGUAGE EDUCATION

    This year, the province will invest an additional $73.5 million in
Ontario's French-language school boards.
    This year's funding boost will help ensure the quality of French-language
education and combat the assimilation of French-speaking students. The
investment includes $10 million for additional targeted supports to provide a
wider range of programs and courses, particularly in French-language secondary
schools.
    The investments are part of the McGuinty government's overall strategy to
provide francophone students with the support they need to succeed:

    -   Launching the Politique d'aménagement linguistique which aims to
        improve retention in French-language schools, enhance students' oral
        communication skills and build capacity among school staff working in
        a linguistic minority setting.
    -   Creating the Elementary and Secondary French-language Education Task
        Force, chaired by Education Minister Kathleen Wynne, to help ensure
        that francophones play a greater role in the overall development of a
        high quality education system in Ontario. In fact, some of this
        year's targeted investments in the Grants for Student Needs stem from
        advice from the task force.
    -   Providing $70 million in cumulative enhancements in the Language
        Grant for French-language boards, a significant portion of which has
        been allocated to increase unique course offerings in French-language
        secondary schools. This initiative is helping to promote French
        language and culture, improve student achievement and help keep
        students in French-language schools.
    -   Introducing an innovative multi-year $220-million capital investment
        strategy that will help improve access for children of rights holders
        to French-language education, the the single biggest investment in
        the history of the French-language community in Ontario.
    -   Delivering on our commitment to create an independent TfO network
        that will meet the specific cultural and educational needs of the
        Francophone community. In addition to a $15.3 million start-up
        investment, the newly independent TfO will have an annual operating
        budget of up to $21 million, $15 million of which will be provided by
        the province.

    Disponible en français

                              www.ofa.gov.on.ca
    >>



For further information: Marc Despatie, Senior Strategic Communications
Advisor, Office of the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, (416)
433-8584; Charles Jean Sucsan, Senior Manager, Strategic Communications Office
of Francophone Affairs, (416) 325-4968

   http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2007/24/c4440.html
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