Sioux Falls Expands Junior Kindergarten to 15 Schools
The Sioux Falls School District will grow its Junior Kindergarten program from three schools to 15, starting in fall 2027.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Primary Education
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The Sioux Falls School District is expanding Junior Kindergarten, a program for 5-year-olds who need extra preparation before traditional kindergarten, from three schools to 15. Existing teachers will move into the program after receiving training, and the expansion requires no additional funding.
Why it matters
The expansion targets declining early reading performance, particularly in phonics and word recognition, with the goal of helping more children read at grade level by third grade. It gives families in Sioux Falls more access to a program that builds foundational skills before kindergarten.
The program will grow from three schools to 15 by fall 2027, with 12 new schools out of the district's 24 elementary schools. Currently about 80 students attend four half-day classes and 16 attend the full-day program, and the district has not said how many students the expanded program will serve.
The players
Sioux Falls School District
The public school district serving Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which operates 24 elementary schools and is directing the program expansion.
The details
Junior Kindergarten has operated for about a decade at Robert Frost and John F. Kennedy elementary schools, and a full-day program was added this school year at Terry Redlin Elementary School. Classes generally should have 15 to 20 students, and classroom aides are assigned when a student's individualized education plan requires additional help.
Timeline
About a decade ago: Junior Kindergarten began at Robert Frost and John F. Kennedy elementary schools.
This school year: A full-day program was added at Terry Redlin Elementary School.
March: Families register kindergarten children and undergo universal screening.
Fall 2027: Junior Kindergarten expands to 15 schools across Sioux Falls.
Season Trajectory
The expansion responds to declining early reading skills by building phonics and word-recognition preparation before kindergarten, aiming to lift the share of students reading at grade level by third grade. It positions Sioux Falls to evaluate whether a targeted pre-kindergarten model can reverse early literacy declines across a full district.
Families with 5-year-olds in Sioux Falls will have Junior Kindergarten available at 15 schools starting fall 2027, rather than three. Parents registering children for kindergarten in March will go through universal screening to determine whether the program is a good fit.
The takeaway
Families with children approaching kindergarten age should ask about screening during March registration to learn whether Junior Kindergarten could give their child extra preparation in phonics and word recognition.
What happens next
The 12 schools joining the program begin in fall 2027, and the district will continue evaluating the program's progress.
Further reading
For more on early learning programs, explore Primary Education coverage across Sioux Falls.
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Should your local public schools offer more early childhood programs like Junior Kindergarten?
