Literacy and Early Years

Recognizing that literacy is a human right, YRDSB educators ensure students have the right and ability to thrive through literacy; that literacy learning occurs across all grades, subjects and disciplines; and students’ identities, home languages and experiences are honoured.

Professional learning is offered to educators in every school to support implementation of the Kindergarten program, the revised Language curriculum, disciplinary literacy and the new YRDSB Comprehensive Literacy Framework.

Comprehensive Literacy Framework

To support the teaching and learning of language and literacy, YRDSB launched a Comprehensive Literacy Framework grounded in five principles, ensuring programming:

  • Builds and nurtures relationships
  • Affirms identities while building critical consciousness
  • Holds high expectations for all learners
  • Promotes agency and choice
  • Centres equitable and differentiated assessment and instruction

To support literacy learning at home, YRDSB’s literacy webpage provides families with resources and support.

Early Reading Screening

As per Policy/Program Memorandum 168, all students in Year 2 Kindergarten to Grade 2 will participate in Early Reading Screening annually in the fall. YRDSB uses Acadience Reading (Acadience Learning Online) for administration in English and Acadience Reading Français (for Grade 2 students receiving French instruction only). Educators received training on administration of the screener and each elementary school has received additional professional learning and resources to support effective next steps in literacy instruction and assessment to improve literacy achievement. 

Early Years 

YRDSB’s vision for the early years is to place “each child at the centre of responsive decision-making.” We build responsive and developmentally appropriate pedagogy and practices in the early years as described in the Ministry of Education’s How Does Learning Happen?: Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years. To accomplish this, YRDSB provides professional learning and resources, and is committed to strengthening trusting, reciprocal partnerships with early learning and childcare programs. Together, we continue to build integrated programs that honour children’s strengths and identities, fostering strong relationships with families that honour diverse backgrounds and perspectives. 

Discover Kindergarten

Beginning Kindergarten is an important milestone for families. In YRDSB, we want to ensure that every child and family begins Kindergarten feeling that they matter and belong in their new school community. YRDSB schools partner with families and communities through a variety of events in the spring to collaboratively create a positive and welcoming start to school for every child. A key event hosted by schools is Discover Kindergarten, which provides children and families with an opportunity to explore a play-based Kindergarten learning environment; to form relationships with school staff, childcare and community partners; and to share their knowledge and perspectives.

Discover Kindergarten helps to build responsive and trusting relationships between schools and families to ensure a smooth and supportive transition into the Kindergarten program.

Performance Plus

Performance Plus recognizes that schools in neighbourhoods affected by poverty can be exemplary places to learn. Twenty elementary schools across York Region are identified as Performance Plus (P+) schools. These schools are located in neighbourhoods where a greater number of children and families are living in poverty.

Additional staffing resources are provided to Performance Plus schools, including a Performance Plus teacher and a Child and Youth Worker. The addition of Performance Plus staff supports student academic achievement and promotes a positive sense of mental health and well-being. In addition, Community and Partnership Developers work to identify barriers and help close opportunity gaps for students. They liaise with school personnel, community agencies and families to coordinate and facilitate the deployment of community resources to schools while promoting parent, family and community engagement initiatives through various community development strategies and community partnerships.

To help mitigate the impacts of poverty, staff supporting Performance Plus schools work together to create safe and positive environments for students and their families. Both innovative school based programs and ongoing relationships with community partners ensure Performance Plus schools have access to:

  • nutrition, breakfast and snack programs;
  •  enhancement programs for students such as art, STEM, recreation, wellbeing and mentoring, a focus on preschool and early years programing; and
  • opportunities for family learning and sharing, public health connections and additional supports, transition supports for newcomer families, cultural awareness events and school community celebrations

Parents, caregivers and staff at Performance Plus schools can expect:

  • collaboration with community partners to collectively focus on the strengths and needs of students and families before they reach schools;
  • strong support for transition to school; and
  • culturally inclusive practices for all children (particularly in those neighbourhoods where a large number of immigrant families have chosen to settle) including outreach and engagement with parents in different languages and in ways that are inclusive of different cultures.​

Building Bridges for Kindergarten 

In addition, all Performance Plus schools offer a half-day, four-week transition to school program during July. Building Bridges for Kindergarten is designed for Junior Kindergarten students entering school in September who may have had little or no preschool experience. The Building Bridges for Kindergarten program is facilitated by a Kindergarten teacher and an Designated Early Childhood Educator (DECE). Performance Plus Community and Partnership Developers ensure family engagement and learning components are provided and facilitated by community partner agencies and groups.

Summer Institute

Summer Institute, a summer learning program for JK-Grade 8 students, takes place for six weeks in nine neighbourhoods across York Region. The goal of the Summer Institute program is to provide extended learning opportunities for children and enhance student achievement and well-being. A combination of academic, art, technology, physical and health education and recreation is included in the program. Partnerships with community groups, such as Public Health, Regional Conservation Authorities and the Region of York, support and enhance this summer learning program. Many sites incorporate activities that provide alternative approaches to the skills outlined in the Ontario curriculum.


Updated December 2024