Factors that influence the decision of parents to enroll their children in a French immersion program in Prince George

French Immersion in Canada started more than 40 years ago in the small town of St-Lambert, Quèbec. It was initiated by a small group of English parents who wanted to allow their children, whose first language was not French, to learn French. Today, French Immersion is offered in all ten Canadian provinces and each of the territories, totaling 300,000 students attending 2,100 schools across the country. By attending French Immersion programs throughout elementary and secondary school, students will have acquired a level of competency in French and English as well as a level of bilingualism high enough to be able to live and work in a French community. This project proposes to investigate reasons why school children in Prince George, British Columbia are registered in a French Immersion program and the influence parents' socioeconomic status variables have on their decision to register them in French Immersion. A survey method will be used to collect data from parents who have registered their children in one of three French Immersion schools located in the Prince George School District.