Toronto to begin all-day kindergarten in September 2010

Toronto - Starting in September 2010, 71 Toronto schools will offer all-day kindergarten. The 2010 school budget is far short of the needs of the schools in Toronto, with several areas facing heavy cuts.

According to the Toronto Ward 7 briefing the class size for KG-Grade 3 is 20 students. That size will increase, though, as new students are enrolled after the cut-off date in the fall. It is perceivable that classes in these grade levels could run from 22 to 30 students. Classes for the all-day kindergartens will have a teacher and an ECE. The 71 schools that will offer all day KG were selected using the Ministry of Education's criteria. These schools had no existing daycare on site, no French Immersion program, no portable classrooms and would need minimal capital investment. The investment is stated as just needing coat hooks. The schools selected were from all segments of the Learning Opportunities Index so that the all day program is not focused solely on less advantaged schools. At this time the all day program is on an one year run without plans for a second year in the Agenda books. Parkdale PS is being used as a pilot on how to deliver a French Immersion KG as a full day kindergarten program. The class cap size for Grades 4-8 is 24-28 students. Toronto will be working with a basic grant shortfall of $85 million. That total is expected to increase after a preliminary analysis. In order for salaries to be paid and basic costs such as utilities and Special Education programs to continue the School Board has had to "rob" from other funding categories. The hardest hit is classroom funding, ESL funding and maintenance of school operation costs. While the Provincial Government's response to concerns is that they have added more money to education the School Board's Budget Committee has had to cut $20 million to existing programs and services.