Press Room

There are 150+ school districts with NJ’s pre-k. Thanks to Governor Murphy and the Legislature, the 2020-2021 school year continued funding for existing districts and their ongoing expanding expansion, – and $10 million for new districts – to reach the total of 150+ districts. The result? Throughout the challenges of COVID-19, pre-k expansion remained a New Jersey priority! The FY2022 budget – for the 2021-2022 school year – proposes $50 million for pre-k expansion! Let’s continue substantial pre-k expansion THIS YEAR!

The commitment to NJ’s pre-k is evident: the Governor and Legislature prioritize state-funded, full-day pre-k for our state and for its working families. This commitment continued throughout the financial challenges of COVID-19. That support was evident earlier in the same year when the NJ Legislature applauded – twice – when the topic of pre-k expansion was included in Governor Murphy’s Annual Budget Address back in February 2020. Governor Murphy’s proposed FY2022 budget includes $50 million for pre-k expansion funding.

The documents below have been updated to reflect the 2020-2021 school year’s 150+ funded pre-k expansion districts and Governor Murphy’s proposed FY2022 budget funding of $50 million for pre-k expansion.

For press inquiries, please use the contact information included below.

Expand NJ's Pre-K

From inception, Pre-K Our Way has had a single focus: expansion of New Jersey’s existing high-quality, state-funded, full-day pre-k program. Despite a law passed in 2008, the first funding in nearly a decade occurred in June 2017. Thanks to Governor Murphy and the Legislature, there are now nearly 150 communities with state-funded, full-day pre-k, BUT, approximately 125 eligible school districts still wait…

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Local Community Choice

New Jersey has one of the best, most successful and high-quality public preschool programs in the country. It’s successful because the communities that have it are allowed to adapt the program to their individual local community needs by incorporating both public and private providers.

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Research and Results

Research from educators, child developmental experts and economists supports what parents know intuitively—quality early learning opportunities are an essential foundation for success in school and life. Results from New Jersey’s existing preschool programs demonstrate improved success for children in school.

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