The bill seeks to enhance preschool education in New Jersey by establishing universal access to free full-day preschool for all three- and four-year-old children. It introduces the concept of "preschool expansion aid," which will be allocated by the Commissioner of Education to improve access to preschool programs. School districts are required to submit a detailed plan by July 1, 2025, outlining how they will provide this access, including a timeline for implementation. The bill also mandates that districts without full-day kindergarten include plans for that in their submissions.

Significantly, the bill removes previous eligibility restrictions for preschool education aid that were based on the concentration of at-risk pupils in certain districts, thereby creating a more inclusive framework. It allows for the possibility of charging tuition based on a family's financial situation while ensuring that aid calculations reflect the actual costs of providing preschool education. Additionally, the bill emphasizes a mixed delivery method for preschool education, encouraging partnerships with licensed child care providers and Head Start programs, and requires the Department of Education to report on the effectiveness of these initiatives to the Legislature.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:7F-45, 18A:7F-54