French school elections take place in autumn
Parents to elect representatives focused on child safety, school improvement and equal treatment
Parent reps have a number of tasks at a school, aiming to ensure a smooth running of the facility
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Elections take place in French schools nationwide in autumn, allowing parents interested in playing a more active role in their children's education to take part in school life.
Parents whose children are enrolled at a school are allowed to stand for election as parent representatives, who sit in on school councils, and boards of governors.
This is because France's Code de l’éducation classes parents as 'full members of the educational community' and are expected to take part in their children's educational affairs.
The elections, held annually always take place on a set date notified in advance.
In 2025 they will be held on October 10 or 11 depending on the school, or October 3 or 4 in some overseas departments.
The roles vary but generally include ensuring the safety of children in schools, guaranteeing equal treatment of all children, bringing premises up to standard and making school meals accessible to all pupils.
Other tasks can include keeping parents informed about the activities and life of the school, choosing school insurance and offering other services to help pupils, such as extra tutoring or homework help sessions.
Reps are elected after they stand for election.
Voting process
The voting process usually sees parents go to their children's school to hand over their ballot in-person.
They may also vote by post, if they have applied in advance and have been given the correct ballot papers.
They should also be given a leaflet explaining how to vote by post, including statements of support, and numbered envelopes to guarantee the anonymity of the vote.
The vote must reach the electoral office before the end of the voting period, but can be handed in by the parent’s child, if needs be.
The number of parent representatives depends on the number of classes in the school, and how large the school is overall.
Across all primary schools in France, there were 246,756 reps in 2024.
In collèges and lycées (middle and high schools), the number varies depending on the type of school and its size.
Generally, each school has between five and seven reps. In collèges and lycées, there were 44,514 reps nationwide in 2024.
Parent associations
There are two main parent associations in public education, the FCPE (Fédération des Conseils de Parents d'élèves, federation of parent-pupil councils) and the PEEP (Parents d'Elèves de l'Enseignement Public, parents of pupils in public education).
These federations share and advocate for a number of values, including a commitment to public and secular schools, the educational rights of parents, the healthy development of pupils' personalities and personal independence, and a commitment to diversity and respect.
