UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): ~~February~~March 2612, 2026

KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)


Delaware	001-42367	87-1653366
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

5005 Meadows Road
Lake Oswego, Oregon		97035
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

     Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (503) 872-1300

    

     Not applicable

    

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:


Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share	KLC	New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 52.02 DepartureResults of DirectorsOperations orand CertainFinancial Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain OfficersCondition.

On ~~February~~March 2612, 2026, ~~the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of~~ KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. (the “Company”) ~~approved~~issued ~~and~~a ~~adopted~~press ~~the~~release ~~KinderCare~~announcing ~~Learning~~its ~~Companies,~~results ~~Inc. Short Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) effective January 4, 2026 (the “Effective Date”), the beginning~~ of ~~the~~operations ~~Company’s fiscal year 2026. The Compensation Committee intends to use the Plan~~ for the ~~administration~~fourth ofquarter ~~the Company’s annual performance-based cash bonus awards granted on or after the Effective Date. The Plan provides for incentive awards to be granted to officers~~ and ~~other~~fiscal ~~employees~~year ofended ~~the~~January ~~Company selected for participation in the Plan and cash payments on those incentive awards based upon the achievement of financial~~3, ~~operational and/or strategic performance metrics, goals or objectives established by the Compensation Committee~~2026. ~~The~~A ~~Compensation~~copy ~~Committee has the authority to designate the participants in the Plan; determine the applicable performance period; determine the amount~~ of ~~each incentive award; select applicable performance criteria, including to~~ the ~~extent~~press ~~determined~~release byis ~~the~~furnished ~~Compensation~~as ~~Committee,~~Exhibit the minimum, target and maximum level of performance of such performance criteria; identify the weights of applicable performance criteria; determine the relationship between the degree to which performance criteria have been achieved and cash incentive payments; and adjust bonus payments based on unusual or non-recurring events99.1.

The ~~foregoing~~information ~~summary~~furnished under Item 2.02 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, including the ~~Plan~~exhibit, ~~does~~shall not ~~purport~~be todeemed be“filed” ~~complete~~for ~~and~~purposes isof ~~subject~~Section to18 ~~and~~of ~~qualified~~the inSecurities ~~its~~Exchange ~~entirety~~Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference tointo the ~~full~~Company's ~~text~~filings ofwith the ~~Plan,~~Securities aand ~~copy~~Exchange ofCommission ~~which~~under isthe ~~attached~~Securities ~~hereto~~Act of 1933, as ~~Exhibit~~amended, ~~10.1~~or ~~and~~the isExchange ~~incorporated~~Act, ~~herein~~except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit		Description
10.1		KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. Short Term Incentive Plan Effective January 4, 2026
99.1		Press Release dated March 12, 2026
104		Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

			KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc.
Date:	~~February~~March 2712, 2026	By:	/s/ Anthony Amandi
			Anthony Amandi, Chief Financial Officer
		Name:Title:	Anthony AmandiChief Financial Officer

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