Signed by Governor Phil Murphy

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires all New Jersey school districts to offer full-day kindergarten by 2029--2030 and expands access to preschool through funding updates, local planning, and community partnerships.

Highlights:

• Authorizes school districts to raise a general fund tax levy for the local share of preschool education costs based on the program established by this Act, as long as the taxes raised are equal to the actual increase in cost required by the program (Sec. 2).

• Defines “preschool expansion grant” as any grant funded by a portion of preschool education aid allocated by the Commissioner of Education or any other state funds appropriated to expand preschool access (Sec. 4).

• Requires education aid to be calculated based on a formula which adds the number of projected pupils in all forms of preschool programs plus the per-pupil aid amounts for each type of program (Sec. 5).

• Extends preschool education aid to schools that have not received it prior to the 2025-2026 school year, and specifies that those schools will receive the education aid by the 2027-2028 school year (Sec. 2-5).

• Requires the Department of Education to provide at least one annual preschool expansion grant to a district or districts which provide full-day kindergarten at the time of application (Sec. 6).

• Establishes a Universal Preschool Implementation Steering Committee in the Department of Education to recommend a funding methodology for preschool costs to be implemented for all school districts beginning in the 2028-2029 school year (Sec. 9).

• Requires the Department of Education to develop a Mixed Delivery Model Preschool Handbook to compile all state requirements and associated documents for school districts to implement full day preschool and kindergarten (Sec. 10).

• Requires the Secretary of Higher Education to develop guidance encouraging public colleges and universities to enter into dual degree admission agreements for transference of credits toward Early Childhood Associate of Arts degrees (Sec. 11).

• Requires all kindergarten schools or kindergarten departments established by the Board of Education to provide full-day kindergarten by the 2029-2030 school year (Sec. 12).

• Specifies that this Act takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 16).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires all New Jersey school districts to offer full-day kindergarten by 2029--2030 and expands access to preschool through funding updates, local planning, and community partnerships.

Highlights:

• Authorizes school districts to raise a general fund tax levy for the local share of preschool education costs based on the program established by this Act, as long as the taxes raised are equal to the actual increase in cost required by the program (Sec. 2).

• Defines “preschool expansion grant” as any grant funded by a portion of preschool education aid allocated by the Commissioner of Education or any other state funds appropriated to expand preschool access (Sec. 4).

• Requires education aid to be calculated based on a formula which adds the number of projected pupils in all forms of preschool programs plus the per-pupil aid amounts for each type of program (Sec. 5).

• Extends preschool education aid to schools that have not received it prior to the 2025-2026 school year, and specifies that those schools will receive the education aid by the 2027-2028 school year (Sec. 2-5).

• Requires the Department of Education to provide at least one annual preschool expansion grant to a district or districts which provide full-day kindergarten at the time of application (Sec. 6).

• Establishes a Universal Preschool Implementation Steering Committee in the Department of Education to recommend a funding methodology for preschool costs to be implemented for all school districts beginning in the 2028-2029 school year (Sec. 9).

• Requires the Department of Education to develop a Mixed Delivery Model Preschool Handbook to compile all state requirements and associated documents for school districts to implement full day preschool and kindergarten (Sec. 10).

• Requires the Secretary of Higher Education to develop guidance encouraging public colleges and universities to enter into dual degree admission agreements for transference of credits toward Early Childhood Associate of Arts degrees (Sec. 11).

• Requires all kindergarten schools or kindergarten departments established by the Board of Education to provide full-day kindergarten by the 2029-2030 school year (Sec. 12).

• Specifies that this Act takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 16).

Full Bill Text