NEW JERSEY — New Jersey will invest $120 million in grants to expand preschool facilities and highlighted funding 16 school districts recently received to establish or expand their preschool programming.
Governor Phil Murphy also announced an additional $2.6 million to help 33 school districts with additional start-up funds.
Providing free early childhood education to all three- and four-year-olds in New Jersey remains an important goal for the state. Since Governor Murphy took office, high-quality preschool programs have been introduced in more than 160 school districts, opening places for more than 12,000 additional children.
“Expanding access to free, full-day preschool programs is an investment in the future of New Jersey’s children,” Governor Murphy said. “Each year, more families benefit from our increased support for early childhood education. A quality preschool education provides students with the foundational skills they need to learn and succeed as they move forward in life, which is why we must and will continue to work toward universal pre-kindergarten throughout New Jersey. .
Subsidies for preschool establishments
The $120 million in grant funding, made possible by an allocation of federal Bailout America Act dollars in the fiscal year 2023 (FY23) budget, marks the first time that preschool facility expansion grants will be available for regular operating districts (ROD).
The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) will accept ROD grant applications from March 1 through May 31, 2023.
Preschool expansion and seed funding
The more than $11.4 million recently allocated to 16 school districts to create or expand their preschool programming in the 2022-2023 school year added 1,081 high-quality full-time preschool spaces.
The following school districts received a portion of the total funding of $11,412,493:
- Atlantic County – Folsom School District – $165,322
- Bergen County – Little Ferry School District – $1,245,045
- Burlington County – Washington Township School District – $82,260
- Burlington County – Westampton Township School District – $456,765
- Camden County – Gibbsboro School District – $582,793
- Camden County – Lawnside School District – $382,840
- Cumberland County – Downe Township School District – $445
- Gloucester County – South Harrison Township School District – $621,414
- Middlesex County – Township of South Brunswick School District – $2,041.95
- Middlesex County – South Plainfield School District – $1,765,380
- Monmouth County – Allenhurst School District – $13,857
- Morris County – Jefferson Township School District – $1,034,483
- Ocean County – Island Heights School District – $188,636
- Salem County – Andover Regional School District – $522,310
- Sussex County – Elsinboro Township School District – $108,072
- Union County – Linden City School District – $2,200,915
Además de los $11.4 million para la second round de ayuda para la expansion preschool este año escolar, se pusieron a disposición $2:6 million adicionales en fondos iniciales par seis de los 16 escolares que habían estado operando preescolar parcimente financiado por el estado al comienzo de el año escolar (Folsom, Little Ferry, Lawnside, Downe, South Plainfield y Linden), así como los 27 districts de la premiera ronda de premios FY23 anunciados a principios de este año escolar, que comenzaron a operar sus programs de día completo en october.