In France, including the region of Alsace, German is taught as a foreign language. German is also taught as the regional language in Alsace and is presented in the following two forms in the national education legislation: the Alemannic and Franconian dialects (known as Alsatian), and Standard German. The latter is considered the written form of the regional language, although Alsatian can also be written. German in Alsace therefore has a dual status as both a modern foreign language, like in the rest of France, and as a regional language. Bilingual curricula start at the beginning of compulsory education (age 3) and continue until age 16. Since neither Standard German nor the Alsatian dialects have a legal status in the education system, bilingual programmes are only offered upon parental request. This Regional Dossier begins with an introduction about the Alsatian area in France, followed by six chapters that each deal with a specific level of the education system (e.g. primary education). Chapters 8 and 9 cover the main lines of research on education of German, and the prospects for the language in general and in education in particular, respectively. Chapter 10 provides a summary of statistics. Lists of (legal) references and useful addresses regarding German are given at the end of the Regional Dossier.