Réseau des écoles publiques alternatives du Québec

The Réseau des écoles publiques alternatives du Québec (RÉPAQ) is an association of alternative schools in Quebec, Canada. Its website serves as an information resource for school leadership, teachers, educators, parents, and researchers, especially those new to the alternative school environment. The RÉPAQ describes values of respect, sharing, and cooperation, and in 2025-2026 it launched two funding programs: pedagogical tourism, to support meetings and co-development among its schools, and aid for school projects (APNÉ).

The Réseau des écoles publiques alternatives du Québec (RÉPAQ) is an association of alternative schools in Quebec, Canada. According to its history page, the Quebec alternative school movement draws on humanist pedagogical thought from Greco-Roman antiquity, centered on respect for the child's personality and the deep connection between teacher and student. This line of thought continued with Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Sigmund Freud, then with Pestalozzi, Cecil Reddie, Francisco Ferer, and other major 20th-century pedagogues advocating for new education. After the creation of two first 'new' schools in 1955 and 1969, the first public alternative school in Quebec was established in 1974. Born from collaboration between Denise Gaudette and Charles E. Caouette of the Université de Montréal, the Jonathan research school defined the premises of the alternative school: no student selection, no entrance exam; multi-age groups (ages 6 to 12); a democratic system actively involving parents as co-educators and co-managers; and respect for and adaptation to each student's learning rhythms. The history page states that Quebec then had 45 public alternative schools (40 primary, 4 secondary, and 1 primary-secondary) across 21 school boards, in the greater Montreal area as well as in Lanaudière, the Laurentides, Abitibi, Mauricie, Estrie, Montérégie, Centre du Québec, Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, and the Quebec City region. It adds that most alternative schools are created by the collective movement of a community of parents.

An information and support network for Quebec's alternative public schools, emphasizing respect, sharing, and cooperation.

1. 1Accueil || Repaqrepaq.org
2. 2Histoire || Repaqrepaq.org
3. 3Réseau des écoles publiques alternatives du Québecwikidata.org