Winnipeg School Division to Restore Full-Time Kindergarten Next Year

The Winnipeg School Division has announced plans to reintroduce full-time kindergarten at six schools starting in the 2026-27 academic year. This decision is aimed at supporting families facing challenges related to employment and childcare. The division, which serves over 33,000 students across 78 schools, previously eliminated all-day kindergarten under different leadership during the 2022-23 school year.

Superintendent Matt Henderson emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating it will help “level the playing field” for families experiencing poverty. He explained that full-time kindergarten would provide essential knowledge and skills for children, stating, “The gap between rich and poor is becoming larger and larger, and I think as public education, we have a role to play in minimizing barriers.”

Henderson noted that the reintroduction would not apply to all schools offering kindergarten. The selected schools for this expansion are Dufferin School, Lord Nelson School, Machray School, Ralph Brown School, Rockwood School, and Weston School. These schools were chosen based on the significant need for full-time kindergarten and the capacity to accommodate the program alongside existing childcare partnerships.

The Winnipeg School Division had previously offered full-time kindergarten at 11 schools starting in 2013. However, it was cut back in 2022 following a study that suggested the program did not meet expectations for enhancing student learning or academic achievement. This study analyzed various data points, including report card statistics, provincial assessments in English and math, school attendance records, and parent surveys.

Despite the previous findings, Henderson argues that the study did not account for the broader benefits of full-time kindergarten. He believes this program is integral to the division’s strategy to assist students and families grappling with childcare and employment issues. He highlighted key attendance challenges, stating, “When we look at our absenteeism, it’s kindergarten and Grade 12, which are the big grades where we see students struggling to come to school.”

Registration for the full-time kindergarten program will open on February 17, 2026. The division has allocated a modest budget of $300,000 to support this expansion. Alan Campbell, president of the Manitoba School Boards Association, remarked on the rarity of full-time kindergarten in the province, noting that 98 percent of schools providing kindergarten operate on a half-time basis. The only other division offering full-time kindergarten is the Louis Riel School Division, which began its program in the 2024-25 academic year after significant community support was indicated through surveys.

Campbell emphasized the need for equitable access to education, stating, “If you want to talk about equitable access to public education in this province, then what should be happening is public schools in every community, regardless of the budget of their local school division, should have access to full-day, full-time kindergarten.”

The provincial government, led by Education Minister Tracy Schmidt, has yet to publicly comment on the Winnipeg School Division’s initiative. Advocacy groups have expressed support for the move. Kate Kehler, executive director of the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, highlighted the difficulties parents face during winter months when transporting children to school for half days. She stated, “As long as it’s funded properly and the staff is there, and it’s a fun experience, that’s what’s going to encourage kids to go to school.”

Kehler also called for an evaluation of the program’s success, suggesting that a successful rollout could pave the way for full-time kindergarten to be implemented across all schools in the division. She concluded, “It will just free up parents so they can pursue what they need to [and] support their families.”