Special back-to-school issue - A fact book on education in Canada - ARCHIVED

It's that time of year again - back-to-school for thousands of students, from kindergarten to college and university. It's a busy and exciting time for parents as well as they stock up on school supplies, buy new clothing for their growing offspring and prepare for the start of another school year, teachers' meetings, homework and report cards.

In honour of this annual ritual, we have put together a few facts relating to education, including the latest research findings on the very important role that parents play in their children's education, from setting expectations, to playing an active part in their children's learning, to spending on school supplies and extracurricular activities, to saving for the eventual costs of college or university.

Facts and charts are provided for:
Early childhood;
School readiness;
How common are French immersion programs?;
How much homework do 15-year olds do?;
Working while in school;
Trends in high-school drop-out rates;
What influences the decision to pursue a college or university education?;
How many young people go on to postsecondary education?;
Household savings and spending on education;
The costs of attending college or university;
Paying for postsecondary education;
Government student loan debt;
What is the first year of college or university like?
Persistence in postsecondary education;
University enrolment trends;
What is education worth in the labour market?