Eggen proposes School Act changes, wants standardized age for kindergarten students

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.

READ MORE: Change to Alberta’s Education Act would move kindergarten cut-off age

Watch below: On Feb. 23, 2016, Laurel Gregory filed this report about current entry guidelines meaning there can be a year-and-a-half gap in kindergarten ages.

3:12 Alberta entry date for 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.

The bill will also lay the groundwork for certification requirements for principals and superintendents.