June 25, 2008

BC Ministry of Education

EdInfo – Electronic Digest

Share Your Feedback on All-Day

Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten

Programs

In the 2008 Throne Speech, the BC government

committed to studying the feasibility of providing

full day kindergarten for five year olds, plus

offering parents the choice of day-long

pre-kindergarten for four year olds by 2010 and

for three year olds by 2012.

As part of the feasibility study the government

commissioned the Early Childhood Learning

Agency (ECLA) to seek views and opinions from

groups and individuals as well as to review

available research and analyze all cost

implications relating to the expansion of early

learning in British Columbia.

This week, the ECLA released its consultation

paper, Expanding Early Learning in British

Columbia For Children Aged Three to Five

available at http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/ecla/topics/consultation_paper08.pdf . The paper

provides a current snapshot of kindergarten and

pre-kindergarten programs in BC and touches

upon research findings from other countries that

have expanded early learning initiatives.

The current consultation process invites input

from individuals as well as groups. The British

Columbia School Trustees Association (BCSTA)

encourages you to provide feedback http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/ecla/ directly to the ECLA prior to

the deadline on July 18, 2008.