Red River Valley School Division (RRVSD) is one of the many school divisions across the province that no longer has to cap K-to-3 class sizes to twenty students.

An announcement was made by the province last week ending what was called the '20 K-3 Initiative or the Smaller Class Size Initiative.' 20 K-3 was introduced by the former NDP government in 2011, with all divisions expected to be in full compliance by fall of 2017.

"We will still get the grant money, so this gives us more flexibility to do different things with the funds," explained Darren Skog Assistant Division Superintendent.  "Our class sizes generally were around the twenty mark anyway, even before the initiative. I guess we have been fortunate in that regard over the years.  It will give us a better opportunity to address literacy and numeracy in the earlier years."

Skog went on to say in 2011 the province wanted to see a hard cap in 2011, and Red River Valley was around that number anyway.

"We will continue to keep class sizes to a reasonable number. Our board realizes how important one on one contact is, especially in the earlier years when dealing with numeracy and literacy. Now is twenty the number or is twenty one? I don't think there is a lot of definite research into what that number is but is obviously smaller class sizes have benefits," said Skog.

A new Early Years Education Initiative, announced last Tuesday, will replace the smaller classes initiative, including the funding that supported it.