Quebec’s National Assembly hears how New York implemented 4-year-old kindergarten

Pre-kindergarten is one of the Coalition Avenir Québec’s (CAQ) principal campaign promises, but opposition parties argued on Monday the cost of this program has exploded and that could mean it will take away resources from other areas of education.

The move comes as public consultations for province-wide four-year-old kindergarten began Monday afternoon at the National Assembly.

READ MORE: Quebec government pushes on with plan to enroll 4-year-olds in preschool

Representatives from a school district in New York City, who appeared before a National Assembly committee on Monday said that after implementing pre-kindergarten at four years old, kids adapted to the classroom earlier and they had fewer behavioural issues.

“It’s language development at its finest. As the children are playing, the teachers are asking them questions,” explained Carlyn Rahynes, director of early childhood education at NYC Community Board 9.

READ MORE: Quebec education minister heads to New York to learn about 4-year-old kindergarten

Quebec’s Education Minister Jean-François Roberge recently made a trip to the Big Apple. He’s convinced the New York model is what’s needed in Quebec.

“If our children are the most important investment we make as a society, pre-K is essentially critical for ensuring that every child receives an opportunity to be successful in life,” said Rafael Alvarez, a New York school superintendent.

But where’s the proof? opposition parties ask. Where is the study that says pre-kindergarten actually leads to improved student success?

“Is it the best thing for all children in Quebec to go there at four years old? Or wouldn’t it be a good idea to have services for children one year old, two years old and three years old?” said Parti Quebecois MNA Véronique Hivon.

“Quite frankly, I’ve never seen such a thing as a huge promise, about $2 billion of investment and then the minister taking a flight to New York and then to Toronto to see, ‘Oh, how does it work?'” said Liberal MNA Marwah Rizqy.

READ MORE: These are the LBPSB schools that will add preschool for 4-year-olds

Then there’s the question of cost that opposition MNAs say the government has never been clear about. During the campaign, the CAQ said it wouldn’t cost more than $1 billion over five years. However, that will depend on how many new bricks and mortar classrooms have to be built.

“More than 1,200 classrooms won’t necessitate any money to build them,” said Roberge.

The government’s goal is 3000 pre-K classes by 2023.