Early childhood education

Overview

Early Childhood Services (ECS) refers to educational programming for children before they enter Grade 1.

ECS includes both Pre-Kindergarten programming dedicated to children who require additional supports and Kindergarten.

Alberta is the only province in Canada that funds education supports for children as young as 2 years 8 months.

Pre-Kindergarten

Pre-Kindergarten is for children who require additional supports to prepare them for Kindergarten and Grade 1. Children eligible include those:

• learning English as a second language
• requiring Francophone programming
• gifted and talented
• diagnosed with a mild, moderate, severe disability, or a language delay that is moderate or severe

Children with a severe disability or a language delay that is moderate or severe may start pre-Kindergarten at age 2 years 8 months. All other children may begin at age 3 years 8 months.

Contact your local school board or independent ECS operator for more information about available programming and registering your child.

Kindergarten

Kindergarten is the year prior to entry into Grade 1. Children must be at least 5 years old as of December 31 of the year they have started Kindergarten.

Contact your local school board or independent ECS operator for more information about available programming and enrolling your child.

Resources

• Funding Manual
• Special Education Coding Criteria
• Critères relatifs aux codes en adaptation scolaire
• Early Childhood Services Handbook for the Identification and Review of Children with Severe Disabilities
• Manuel de l’identification et de l’évaluation des enfants ayant des incapacités graves dans les programmes de services au préscolaire