February 13th, 2026

Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) will introduce attendance area boundaries for the Grades 7 and 8 French Immersion (FI) program.

Establishing Intermediate French Immersion Attendance Area Boundaries

These boundaries will establish designated schools for intermediate French Immersion programming. and will create more sustainable academic pathways for students enrolled in French Immersion.

Under this model:

  • Students will be assigned to a designated school for their Grade 7 and 8 French Immersion program.
  • Some students may become eligible for transportation to their designated school as a result of this change.
    • Parents, families and caregivers may choose for their child to attend a different Grade 7 and 8 French Immersion school using the out-of-boundary request process; however, transportation will not be provided in these instances.
  • Transportation for French Immersion programs at the secondary school level will continue to be provided based on address eligibility.

Parents, families and caregivers can check their child’s designated French Immersion school and transportation eligibility by visiting: bpweb.stswr.ca

Our Commitment to French Immersion

The WRDSB continues to plan and review French Immersion programming to support students as they move through elementary and secondary. Decisions related to program delivery consider a range of factors, including enrolment trends, staffing availability, and operational resources.

The introduction of attendance area boundaries is one way we are working to create more sustainable pathways for students, while continuing to explore additional opportunities to support French Immersion programming over time.

Thank you for your ongoing support as we work to make French Immersion more accessible and sustainable for students across the system.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is transportation eligibility determined?

Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR) determines who is eligible for transportation.

To be eligible, a student must:

  • Live within the transportation boundary of their designated French Immersion school
  • Be enrolled in French Immersion, and
  • Be enrolled in Grade 7 or Grade 8

Parents, families and caregivers can check if their address qualifies by using the “Can I Ride a Bus?” tool on the STSWR website.

Why does this only apply to Intermediate French Immersion students?

Transportation rules are set by the Ministry of Education and apply across Ontario. In recent years, these rules have changed, including how a student’s designated school is determined.

A designated school is the school a student is assigned to based on where they live and the program they are enrolled in.

For French Immersion students, a designated school may be:

  • A regular school that serves the students’ home area, or
  • A program school that offers French Immersion and serves the students’ addresses

The Grade 7 and 8 French Immersion program is the focus of this change because it helps create clearer pathways for students as they move through the program.