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BREAKING NEWS – JANUARY 18, 2022

 

“(W)e will continue to grow pre-K with a goal of ensuring universal preschool for every young learner in every community,” said Governor Murphy in his 2nd Inaugural Address (January 18, 2022). Previously (December 17, 2021), Governor Murphy announced the addition of FIVE more schools funded for pre-k expansion! These five – Hammonton, Estell Manor, South Hunterdon Regional, Lower Alloways Creek and Hopatcong – brought the total number of NJ school districts with state-funded, full-day pre-k to 180!!! Classes for the newest five districts began in January 2022. For the names of the already existing 175 districts, please see below on this website.

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Pre-K Our Way, a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization, organized in 2015 with a clear purpose: to make New Jersey’s existing high-quality, state-funded, full-day pre-k a statewide priority. This website provides more information about the importance of pre-k expansion and the strategic effort to make NJ’s Pre-K a funding priority. You’ll also find a list of the districts currently offering state-funded, full-day pre-k, as well as information about NJ’s commitment to universal pre-k as announced September 16, 2021 by Governor Murphy!

Our state has made real progress towards fulfilling the promise of a 2008 law: to provide high-quality, state-funded, full-day pre-k throughout New Jersey. In five years, there has been statewide, bipartisan support for funding pre-k expansion. In addition, the threshold level of a district’s eligibility has expanded to include districts where at least 20% of the families are ‘at-risk’ (receiving free or reduced lunch) rather than the original threshold of 40% of families in the ‘at-risk’ category. Importantly, each of the recent years also has seen ‘expanding expansion’ – enabling a local school district to continue to add more seats – and classrooms – for NJ’s pre-k, according to their already-approved plans. For the 2021-2022 school year, there are now 180 school districts (per above, that number increased by 5 as of January 2022!) – and many tens of thousands of NJ’s 3- and 4-year-olds – with access to state-funded, full-day pre-k!

There’s no doubt: NJ’s pre-k expansion is a recognized statewide priority. Thanks to many people, it has bipartisan support. In addition to thanking Governor Murphy, (now former) Senate President Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Coughlin, we thank the members of the Legislature for their leadership. A special thanks goes to YOU for your support and constant voice in making – and keeping – NJ’s state-funded, full-day pre-k a statewide priority.

As an advocacy effort with a clear, strategic focus, Pre-K Our Way officially sunset at the close of 2021. With the current state budget – the fifth consecutive budget with funding for pre-k expansion! – our final efforts through end of February 2022 are focused solely on monitoring for pre-k expansion communication and early steps taken by NJDOE to prepare for universal pre-k. As announced by Governor Murphy on September 16, 2021, New Jersey is on a path to “commit to providing universal pre-k to all families across the state over the next several years.” The New Jersey Department of Education has been tasked to create a Governor’s Universal Pre-K Strategic Plan, and will focus on prioritizing districts and setting a timeline for expansion. In addition, the plan will ensure students have appropriate facilities and quality programming; involve providers and Head Start in planning to avoid displacing existing high-quality early learning centers; optimize funding streams, including federal funds; and utilize best practices from other states that offer expanded/universal pre-k programs.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Let your local school superintendent and school board members know that you want state-funded, full-day pre-k in your community! The Governor and Legislative Leaders made expanding NJ’s Pre-K a funding priority, and the New Jersey Department of Education is tasked with preparing a Universal Pre-K Strategic Plan. Encourage your local leaders to engage with the New Jersey Department of Education and start thinking about – and planning! – for how state-funded, full-day pre-k can be in your community!

WHAT YOU CAN DO
  • Send letters and emails to your school superintendent and local school board members.
  • Make phone calls to them and speak at the local board of education meetings.
  • Engage your community leaders, business organizations and parent groups!
  • Make sure that YOU encourage the superintendent and school board to plan how they can bring pre-k to your community – and encourage them to engage with the New Jersey Department of Education for state-funded, full-day pre-k in your community!

Pre-K Expansion - A NJ Priority

Our state has made real progress: for the 2021-2022 school year, there are 175 school districts (per above, now 180 as of January 2022!) – and many tens of thousands of NJ’s 3- and 4-year-olds – with access to state-funded, full-day pre-k!

As announced by Governor Murphy on September 16, 2021, New Jersey is on a path to “commit to providing universal pre-k to all families across the state over the next several years.” The New Jersey Department of Education has been tasked to create a Governor’s Universal Pre-K Strategic Plan, and will focus on prioritizing districts and setting a timeline for expansion. In addition, the plan will ensure students have appropriate facilities and quality programming; involve providers and Head Start in planning to avoid displacing existing high-quality early learning centers; optimize funding streams, including federal funds; and utilize best practices from other states that offer expanded/universal pre-k programs.

 

 

Read the Research on Pre-K

Where can you get NJ’s state-funded, full-day pre-k?

Availability for New Jersey’s state-funded, full-day pre-k has grown in each of the past five years from the long-established 35 original districts to 180 school districts as of December 17, 2021! The newest five districts – Hammonton (Atlantic), Estell Manor (Atlantic), South Hunterdon Regional (Hunterdon), Lower Alloways Creek (Salem) and Hopatcong (Sussex) will begin classes later in January 2022 and join the already existing 175 districts as presented on the list found through the link below. FYI, the list of already existing districts (funded prior to the newest five) also are arranged by county. But wait, there’s more: the list also presents a summary of New Jersey’s commitment to universal pre-k over the next several years!

Click Here For More Info

A Recent History: Expand NJ’s Pre-K

Pre-K Our Way, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, was created solely to make our state’s existing high-quality, state-funded, full-day pre-k a statewide priority – – and to have the Governor and Legislature fund the existing law to expand NJ’s pre-k program into more communities. They agreed and acted: new pre-k expansion was funded in each of the five most recent state budgets, and NJ’s pre-k expanded in each of the past five years! The number of districts with state-funded, full-day pre-k grew from a long-standing original 35 school districts to 175 (and per above, now 180 as of January 2022!) for the 2021-2022 school year!

But wait, there’s more: existing districts, and those where new expansion was funded, were also able to expand their pre-k programs, bringing NJ’s state-funded, full-day pre-k to tens of thousands more 3- and 4-year-olds and their working families. NJ’s Pre-K is – and remains – a statewide priority with a commitment for universal pre-k in the next several years!

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