Almost 10,000 of N.J.’s eligible 3- and 4-year-olds are not enrolled in free preschool, report says

Almost 10,000 of N.J.’s eligible 3- and 4-year-olds are not enrolled in a state-funded full-day preschool program, according to a report from the Education Law Center. In 1990, a series of N.J. Supreme Court rulings ordered the state to increase funding for school districts with high levels of poverty, formerly known as “Abbott” districts. Those funds support a preschool education, facility improvements, and other programming. Preschool programs must meet certain standards, like a maximum classroom size of 15 students with a certified teacher and assistant, and must provide transportation and health services as needed. In Essex County, Irvington, East Orange, Orange, and Newark school districts provide free preschool educations. Irvington is one of five districts statewide that enrolled 90% of eligible preschoolers in 2023-24. Preschool enrollment information is available on district websites.

From New Jersey Monitor.