The New Jersey Universal Preschool and Kindergarten Act aims to improve access to high-quality preschool education and full-day kindergarten, particularly for economically disadvantaged children and multilingual learners. The bill highlights the significance of preschool in enhancing educational outcomes and lifetime earnings, while also recognizing New Jersey's commitment to substantial financial investment and quality standards in early childhood education. It seeks to establish sustainable funding for preschool expansion, prioritize access for disadvantaged families, and foster partnerships between state-funded preschool programs and local childcare providers.

Additionally, the bill amends existing laws related to preschool education aid, specifying that school districts that received aid in the 2007-2008 school year will continue to receive support while awaiting readiness assessments for high-quality preschool programs. It introduces provisions for calculating preschool education aid based on student enrollment in various programs and establishes a Universal Preschool Implementation Steering Committee to recommend funding methodologies. The bill also sets minimum area allowances for students based on grade levels and mandates the Commissioner of Education to adopt necessary regulations for implementation. The act is set to take effect immediately upon approval, which occurred on July 9, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:7F-45, 18A:7F-54
Advance Law: 18A:7F-38, 18A:7F-45, 18A:7F-54, 18A:7G-8
Pamphlet Law: 18A:7F-38, 18A:7F-45, 18A:7F-54, 18A:7G-8