Press Room

There are nearly 150 school districts with NJ’s pre-k. Thanks to Governor Murphy and the Legislature, the final FY21 budget included continued funding for existing districts and their ongoing expanding expansion, along with $10 million in funding for new pre-k expansion districts. Throughout the challenges of COVID-19, pre-k expansion remained a New Jersey priority!

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.

Although the documents below are being updated for Fall 2020, download them now for background information; learn why preschool matters, read more about the Pre-K Our Way effort and who is involved and scroll down to see archived info and representative press coverage for 2019 and previous years.

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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About Pre-K Our Way

Learn more about what Pre-K Our Way is, who is involved and how you can join the effort.

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Help Bring Pre-K Our Way

In 2008, NJ law provided pre-k to 35 school districts but promised to expand pre-k to more communities. The first funding for that promise occurred nearly a decade later – in mid-2017 for the 2017-2018 school year. Additional funding was included in the three budgets to date of the Murphy Administration. Although nearly 150 communities now have NJ’s pre-k, there are tens of thousands of 3- and 4-year-olds across hundreds of communities still waiting for access to NJ’s pre-k. Our goal for the next school year – 2021-2022 – is to have more than 200 districts with state-funded, full-day pre-k!

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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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