SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ (KYW Newsradio) — Just as New Jersey has been increasing access and funding for full-day preschool programs, Governor Phil Murphy announced the availability of an additional $120 million in grants for districts to create new pre-K programs or expand on existing ones.
“It is part of our economic development strategy in this state that we have the number one education system in America," Murphy said. "It’s not disconnected from that.”
Murphy says he’s a progressive and also a cold-blooded capitalist, and this initiative meets the standard for both.
“Yes, it’s first and foremost for those precious kids as they learn and as they grow but we want to have the world’s top-flight, best-qualified workforce,” he said.
Applications for this new funding will start being accepted on March 1. Murphy says he encourages districts to apply, whether seeking to start a pre-K program, expand from half day to full day, or build additional space to take more students.
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“We know that increasing the general knowledge and vocabulary of a child before they enter 1st grade is the single highest correlation with later success," he said. "When kids are prepared for kindergarten with the skills they need to succeed, they start school already comfortable in a classroom and ready to learn."
He also highlighted 16 districts where pre-K has recently expanded, including Lawnside, Gibbsboro, and South Harrison Township, which created more than 1,000 additional pre-K seats statewide.
Governor Murphy noted that some schools will be paid retroactively for their expansions.
“Adequate preschool facilities can often be one of the obstacles that school districts face in implementing high-quality programs,” Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan, Acting Commissioner of Education said. “This funding will help more school communities overcome those barriers.”