Cornwall ON – Parents will soon have more flexible options for the before- and after-school programs for children enrolled in full-day kindergarten.
This year, a third of schools offering full-day kindergarten also offer before- and after-school programs run by third parties, such as the YMCA and Family Day Care Services. This is working well for families and that’s why the government plans to introduce legislation that would, if passed, give school boards the option to deliver before- and after-school programs directly, or to make agreements with third-party providers to offer these programs on an ongoing basis.
These changes would allow these successful partnerships to continue and ensure that families have access to seamless, high-quality programs that are consistent with the full-day kindergarten framework and are offered on school sites.
Before- and after-school programs for full-day kindergarten – whether offered by the school board or a third-party provider – provide continued care for our youngest students and help make life a little easier on working parents.
Helping students reach their full potential is part of the Open Ontario Plan. Students who achieve early success in school are more likely to perform well later in school and go on to postsecondary education. This ensures that Ontario will have a skilled workforce to compete in the global economy.
QUOTES
“Full-day kindergarten is a huge success – students are learning, parents are happy and this will mean school boards have more flexibility to offer before- and after-school care. This makes life easier for parents across Ontario.”
– Leona Dombrowsky
Minister of Education
QUICK FACTS
- The government is also changing how fees are calculated for board-run programs to help school boards more accurately identify local costs and communicate fees to parents. This is expected to increase access to the programs and make them more affordable.
- Full-day kindergarten is offered in almost 600 schools this year and will be available at more than 200 additional sites in the 2011-12 school year.
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