Topic: Immigration is a global phenomenon and shapes societies worldwide. For families who immigrate with school-aged children, school quickly becomes part of the family's migration journey (Charette, 2016). While schools should play a decisive role in ensuring equal opportunities for all (Kanouté & al., 2023), research shows that, on the contrary, they can also be the scene of discrimination and the reproduction of inequalities (Dhume, 2019; Suárez-Orozco & al., 2015). For example, a growing number of studies denounce the erroneous placement of immigrant students in special classes rather than regular classes (Collins & Borri-Anadon, 2021; Cotán et al., 2023), or the difficulty for some parents to challenge school decisions and assert their rights due to a lack of knowledge about the school environment (Borri-Anadon & al., 2023).

Immigrant families' first steps into the school system of their host society are seen as a strategic moment to counteract situations of inequality that are likely to persist throughout their path in the school system (Conus & Ogay, 2018). In Quebec, the only predominantly French-speaking province in Canada, in response to a growing number of immigrant students and recognizing the importance of initial contact with parents, several schools have developed welcoming protocols. Welcoming protocols are defined as an official document that detail, structure, systematize, and guide the actions to be taken to welcome students and their families into the school environment (Charette, 2016). They generally encompass various dimensions, such as administrative (e.g. student ranking) and social (e.g. assessment of psychosocial needs) (Valdés & al., 2022). It may also include : steps for supporting parents when enrolling their children in school, an initial meeting with the student and their family, language and math assessments, and referrals to community resources (Charette, 2016). The implementation of welcoming protocols could potentially contribute to reduce inequalities for immigrant families, at the very beginning of their path through the school system.

Research question: How do welcoming protocols help reduce inequalities that immigrant families may encounter when they first enter the school system of the host society?

Conceptual framework: While it initially concerned the field of special education, inclusive education now encompasses all types of diversit Magnan, & al., 2021). Unlike other perspectives that preceded it (e.g., segregation, integration), it aims to identify in advance the inequalities that may be (re)produced by the system itself and seeks structural transformations at all levels of the school system (Magnan et al., 2021). The literature review highlights three fundamental goals of inclusive education: equity, inclusion, and social transformation (Gosselin-Gagné, 2018; Magnan, & al., 2021). Potvin (2020) defines inclusive education goals as follows: “a goal of differentiation, equity, and non-discrimination, centered on the student [...] and a goal of participation, empowerment, and social, relational, and collective transformation” (p.12, free translation). To operationalize these goals, an analytical framework was created during a previous research project (Charette & Audet, 2025). Equity is thus considered through two criteria: a) considering the diversity of backgrounds, realities, and needs of students and their families, and b) providing resources, conditions, and means adapted to their needs. Inclusion is considered through the following two criteria: c) enable genuine participation of immigrant students and families, and d) combating discrimination. Social transformation is considered through e) basing actions on collective responsibility, and f) stimulating collective reflection on structural issues.

Objectives: This paper aims to: 1) Document the content of welcoming protocol implementing in Quebec’ elementary and secondary schools. 2) Analyze how welcoming protocols promotes or hinders the achievement of the goals of inclusive education for immigrant families (equity, inclusion, social transformation).

Methodology : Our research approach is qualitative and interpretative (Miles et Huberman, 2003). Data collection was carried out in four school board in the province of Quebec (Canada), two of them were in urban settings, one in a peri-urban setting, and one in a rural setting. School board in Quebec organize educational services in a specific geographical area. They also ensure that “human, financial, and material resources are distributed equitably across their schools, taking into account needs and social and economic inequalities, in order to promote the success of all students’’ (CSSDM, 2025, free translation). 64 welcoming protocols, including 5 elementary schools and 8 secondary schools were collected. First, the data collected from the welcoming protocols has been subjected to thematic content analysis, using mixed coding in NVivo software, based on our reference framework (administrative and social dimensions, assistance offered to parents, etc.) and emerging data (Blanchet & Gotman, 2013). Next, the data highlighted from the protocols were compared with the six dimensions of our conceptual framework on inclusive education (considering background, offering adapted resources, enable genuine participation, basing on collective responsibility, etc.). This allowed us to identify the strengths and blind spots of the protocols collected relating to equity, inclusion, and social transformation.

Analysis of the protocols revealed significant variation in their content. Some protocols begin with an introduction explaining the purpose of the protocol, its objectives, or the values that underpin it. Many do not mention it, generally going straight to the practical steps to be taken, such as helping parents complete the registration paperwork for their child. The following dimensions are addressed, sometimes several of them, sometimes all of them: administrative, educational, informational, or collaborative. Some welcoming protocols focus on the first few days of the family's arrival in the Quebec school system. Others take place over weeks or months. Regarding the achievement of the goals of inclusive education for immigrant families (equity, inclusion, social transformation), our analyses have highlighted a greater investment by welcoming protocols in the dimension of equity, particularly in relation to considering the context experienced by families. However, when it comes to offering them tailored resources, many welcoming protocols tend to be one size fits all, without adjusting the steps according to the family's immigration status, for example. The dimension of inclusion is addressed unevenly, with some protocols emphasizing the importance of using interpreters when meeting with parents to ensure their full participation in the meeting, some not addressing it at all. However, none clearly recognizes the need to pay attention to the possible reproduction of inequalities during this initial contact with families. Furthermore, very few of the protocols analyzed mention sharing with parents their rights regarding their child's schooling. Finally, while many welcoming protocols are based on collective responsibility involving numerous members of school staff, none explicitly mention encouraging their review to identify structural inequalities that could result from their application.

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