French Class Winds Down at RAHS

RAHS French Program Winding Down Due to Enrollment Dip

By Addison Miller

The French program at Reedsburg Area High School is set to end after the 2026-2027 school year, a development directly caused by low student enrollment in the world language class.

Madame Chris Christensen, the school district's only French teacher, said it is upsetting to see the course go away. "I am very sad because I've worked very hard to build the program," said Christensen, who is in her 32nd year of teaching.

The Program's History and Current Status

Christensen took over the French program in 2011, making her the official French teacher for the past 14 years. This year, Christensen is teaching only two French classes—French III and French IV and V. Next semester, she plans to combine the two levels so that the French 3 students "are provided with the best French experience possible," allowing for more cooperative learning opportunities.

The winding down of the program means no students will be able to sign up for any level of French after next year. Students have not been able to sign up for French I or II for the past two years; next school year, French III will no longer be available.

" I am confused why people don't take French anymore," said Lilly Larson ‘27, a member of the current French III program who plans to finish out with French IV next year as a senior.

Why Enrollment is Down

Christensen pointed to several factors contributing to the low enrollment, primarily tied to a cultural shift and changes in academic requirements.

"I don't think students understand how a world language can benefit them in their life, not just French but any world language," she said.

Christensen noted that the numbers dropped significantly when the University of Wisconsin System removed the world language entrance requirement for most campuses. Christensen believes that decision was a major blow, not only to French but to Spanish enrollment as well.

"We don't have a graduation requirement that requires a world language. And now our UW system doesn't have an entry requirement for a world language," Christensen noted. "The removal of the university entrance requirement has decimated the smaller language offerings."

The only UW campus that still requires at least two years of the same world language for admission is UW-Madison.

" It is sad for the people that want to take it,” but won’t be able to, said Jake Lichte 27, who noted that he felt fortunate to be among the last at RAHS to be able to take French all the way through high school.

A Statewide Trend

Reedsburg is not unique in experiencing a decline in world language programs. According to Christensen, the issue is widespread, especially for languages like French and German.

"The United States does not prioritize studying another language or culture, especially when living in rural areas," she said, noting that Spanish numbers have also declined compared to when she first started teaching. While Spanish is used more frequently in the Reedsburg area, she stressed that French and German are among the top ten languages of business for those pursuing international careers.

Christensen also noted that the problem is compounded by a national teacher shortage, which makes it difficult for specialized programs to be replaced when a teacher retires or leaves.

A Career Shift

Out of her 31 full years of teaching, Christensen has dedicated the last 14 to the French program at both Webb Middle School and RAHS. Her history includes teaching an exploratory French class for 8th graders and also Spanish classes at both the middle and high school levels.

With the French program winding down, Christensen will shift her focus entirely to teaching English Language Learners (ELL) at RAHS. This move is common for world language teachers, who already possess the necessary skill sets for multilingual education.