Quebec Unifies Schools, Ends Selection and Fees

Summary#

• This bill would create one common school network in Quebec. It aims to give every child the same chances, no matter their family income or background.

• Public schools and some private schools could be part of this network. Private schools that join would follow the same rules as public schools and be funded the same way.

• Key changes:

  • Ends selection at the door: schools in the network could not pick students by tests, grades, interviews, or behavior.
  • Makes schooling free in the network, with no tuition or extra fees beyond what the law allows.
  • Redraws school catchment maps so each address is linked to one nearby school (or a paired school), and so schools are more balanced by socio‑economic mix.
  • Requires high schools to offer special programs (sports, arts, science, etc.) that are open to all without entrance tests or extra fees.
  • Lets private schools choose: join the network as “conventionné” (by agreement) and follow the same rules, or stay outside and lose public funding for new students over time.

What it means for you#

• Families and students

  • Your child would be assigned to a nearby neighborhood school. Exceptions could be allowed by regulation (for example, safety, special needs, or other defined reasons).
  • No entrance exams or interviews at schools in the network. Admissions would not look at grades or discipline records.
  • High school special programs would still exist but would be open to everyone and free.
  • If your child already attends a public school or a private school that joins, they can stay until they finish their current level (preschool, elementary, or secondary).
  • Siblings could attend the same school even if it is not the home school; the younger child could remain there while a sibling is enrolled.
  • Specialized schools for students with disabilities or major learning/adaptation needs could keep wider admission areas and set admission criteria to meet those needs.
  • Transportation for students at schools that join the network would follow the same free rules as in public schools.

• Parents considering private schools

  • Private schools that join the network must be non‑profit, become secular and co‑ed, stop student selection, and stop charging tuition and extra fees beyond what the law allows. They would be funded like public schools and face public reporting and audits.
  • Private schools that do not join would gradually lose subsidies for new students after the network begins. Current students could keep subsidies until they finish their level. These schools could still charge tuition and fees.
  • Religious or single‑sex private schools could not join unless they change to meet the network’s secular and co‑ed rules.

• Teachers and school staff

  • Student groups would be more mixed by socio‑economic background. Schools would need to offer open‑access special programs.
  • School service centers (or school boards) would handle admissions to respect new catchment maps and manage entries to newly “conventionné” schools.

• Public schools and school service centers

  • You would enforce the new school maps and enroll students to their assigned school.
  • You would manage admissions for newly “conventionné” private schools.
  • Expect annual reviews of catchment maps to keep balance and proximity.

• Communities

  • More students would attend their local school, which could strengthen neighborhood ties and reduce daily travel.
  • School maps would aim to shorten trips for young children and make routes safer.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• It reduces inequality by ending competition and screening at the door, so wealth and test scores no longer sort children into separate schools.
• It makes access truly free and local, which helps families and cuts travel time, especially for younger kids.
• Mixed classrooms by income and background can boost social cohesion, respect for differences, and peer support.
• Equal funding and transparency for all network schools improve fairness and oversight.
• Special programs remain, but without barriers or extra fees, so more students can benefit.
• Public funds would no longer support selective private schools that stay outside the common network.

Opponents' View#

• Families would lose selective options (entrance‑exam programs, interviews), which some value for academic fit or excellence.
• Religious or single‑sex private schools would have to change to join; if they do not, they lose subsidies for new students, which could raise tuition and limit access.
• Rapid redrawing of school maps and new admissions rules could strain capacity, staffing, and transportation in some areas.
• Open‑access special programs may be harder to deliver at the same intensity without selection, potentially affecting program quality.
• Central control by the minister over school maps and rules could reduce local flexibility and parental choice.