Quebec Education Minister Jean-François Roberge is going to New York to learn more about kindergarten for four-year-old children.
He is visiting the area to specifically look at three elementary schools where kindergarten classes for children aged four are offered.
As the province moves forward with Bill 5 to implement kindergarten for four-year-olds in elementary schools, New York has been identified by Quebec’s education ministry as an example of success.
In Quebec, the option to send four-year-olds to kindergarten is expected to expand in the 2020-2021 school year. The government’s long-term goal is to make four-year-old preschool accessible to all parents within the next five years.
New York has already introduced four-year-old kindergarten and has plans to extend it to three-year-old children.
The trip comes after a rough week for Roberge and his project.
Last week, he admitted the average cost of each kindergarten class will be $800,000 — which is six times higher than estimated. The Coalition Avenir Québec originally estimated it would cost $122,400 during the provincial election campaign.
— With files from Global News’ Olivia O’Malley
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