The Superintendent for Border Land School Division isn't surprised that the Manitoba Tory government ditched the provincial Smaller Classes Initiative. Known as 20K3, the legislation was introduced by the previous NDP government and required all Manitoba school divisions to limit kindergarten to grade 3 class sizes to twenty students by 2017/18, with very few exceptions.

"I wasn't sure if it (20K3) was going to be amended or completely removed, so I guess that's a little bit of a surprise but (I'm) not shocked to see it changed," explained Krista Curry. She added that, for many school divisions in Manitoba, it wasn't possible to be fully compliant with the legislation because the infrastructure needs were significant.

Curry notes however, the decision to repeal 20K3 won't change how officials approach class sizes within the division. She explains that Border Land would have met the goal for this coming fall, and in fact, has been compliant since the Smaller Classes Initiative began. "Our schools, they are not busting metropolises where we have classes that are bursting at the seams."

Over the years, Curry says the Board has added almost five teachers in order to be compliant with the legislation. "In some schools that meant changing from a class of twenty-three students and (forming) multi-age classrooms. Going forward, if we had a class size of twenty-three we wouldn't be looking to make a shift."

The province will be replacing the Smaller Classes Initiative with a campaign of it's own. The Early Years Education Initiative is designed to enhance kindergarten to Grade 3 education and work toward achieving better results in numeracy and literacy in the early years. It will be supported by previous funding that was designated for 20K3.

While that doesn't translate to a lot of money for Border Land, Curry says administrators are looking forward to the flexibility that comes with the funding.

"We've added almost five teachers but the funding that came in from the province is nowhere close to covering almost two teachers."

That being said, she notes Border Land shares the province's goal of improving numeracy and literacy.

"So we'll make decisions as we go and if there's needs that need to be met and some dollars are needed for that, well this is an area we know we have some flexibility now."