By The Canadian Press with files from the Alberta Government

Alberta to set standard age for kindergarten entry under School Act changes

Nov 15, 2017 | 4:33 PM

EDMONTON – Alberta is looking to bring in one standardized age for kindergarten students.

Education Minister David Eggen has introduced Bill 28 in the house, which will make a variety of changes to the School Act.

As it stands, school boards set their own entry eligibility cut-offs for when five year-olds can begin kindergarten.

Under Bill 28, a child will have to be five years old when they start kindergarten or by Dec. 31 of the same year and the cut-off will start in the fall of 2020.

Eggen says the goal was to ensure a reasonable start date for education and a level playing field for competing school boards.

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The bill will also lay the groundwork for certification requirements for principals and superintendents, as well as the following:

— Authorizing the minister to establish standards for education service agreements between First Nations and school boards to help close the achievement gap for Indigenous students.
— Revising the process for establishing a separate school district, reducing confusion and building more support for the school district within communities.
— Ensuring the government can provide clear and updated transportation eligibility criteria before the 2018-19 school year.

More information on Bill 28 can be found within the School Amendment Act, 2017 and The School Act