Alberta budget woes squeeze all-day kindergarten project

Alberta's bleak financial position is puttingpressure on one Red Deer school board to keep anall-day kindergarten programthat focuses on learning through play running.

Alberta schools have been told there will not be any money inthis spring's budgetto pay for all-day kindergarten. Education Minister Jeff Johnsondelivered the message to school councilsin a conference call in January.

Alison Dubray's son is one of 70 children inthe pilot project run by the Red Deer Catholic Regional school board at three local schools.

She saidshe isseeing a difference in her son.

"When he first started, he was a typical little boyonly knew a couple of numbers, a couple coloursand now he's actually reading," she said.

Butwith no funding earmarked,the boardsays it's not going to be easy keeping it afloat.

"It is very difficult when we know that there is a best practice being identified for five-year-olds and the funding is not being allocated directly to support young children and their families with accessing quality early-learning programming," said Rori-Lynn Daniel, co-ordinator of Inclusive Learning for theRed Deer Catholic Regional Schools.

Daniel says the board will do everything in its power to make sure the program survives.