New Jersey

Overview

During the 2022-2023 school year, New Jersey preschool enrolled 58,387 children, an increase of 5,094 from the prior year. State spending totaled $951,831,781, up $600,409 (0.1%), adjusted for inflation, since last year. State spending per child equaled $16,302 in 2022-2023, down $1,547 from 2021-2022, adjusted for inflation. New Jersey met 9 of 10 quality standards benchmarks.

What's New

For the first time, New Jersey is reporting only one state-funded preschool program. In an effort to move towards a universal program with common standards, the state is actively phasing out two long-standing programs (the Early Launch to Learning Initiative (ELLI) and Early Childhood Program Aid (ECPA)) and converting those seats to the higher standards required under the state’s largest program, which is now referred to as the Preschool Expansion Program.

For the 2022-2023 school year, Governor Murphy and the legislature approved a $40 million increase (in nominal dollars) to expand preschool, marking the seventh year in a row of increased funding for state preschool. Most of the increased funding went to support new seats for preschoolers, but some was also earmarked to provide a cost of living increase for all other existing preschool seats. The state is working on an Implementation Plan to reach universal access to public preschool throughout the state.

New Jersey also met a 9th benchmark this year, after adding a policy to require written, annual, individualized professional development plans for teacher assistants as well as for teachers.

Background

New Jersey’s largest and most intensive program, formerly known as the Abbott Preschool Program, was originally established under a 1998 New Jersey Supreme Court mandate to serve all 3- and 4-year-olds in 31 of the state’s lowest income school districts. Since 2018, the state has expanded the program to include over 260 school districts that are approved to expand their preschool programs to meet Abbott standards. The NJ Department of Education funds eligible districts to provide a full-day program to all 3- and 4-year- olds who live in those districts and choose to enroll. The original 31 Abbott districts are required to contract with licensed private child care centers or Head Start programs that meet state standards. All other districts are encouraged to contract with private child care.

As noted above, the state is in the process of phasing out the ECPA and ELLI programs, which operate in just 14 school districts.

New Jersey State Overview

Access

Total state pre-K enrollment	58,387
School districts that offer state program	40%
Income requirement	No income requirement
Minimum hours of operation	6 hours/day (Abbott/Expansion), 2.5 hours/day (ECPA & ELLI); 5 days/week
Operating schedule	School or academic year
Special education enrollment, ages 3 and 4	14,688
Federally funded Head Start enrollment, ages 3 and 4	10,240
State-funded Head Start enrollment, ages 3 and 4	0

Resources

*Pre-K programs may receive additional funds from federal or local sources that are not included in this figure. †Head Start per-child spending includes funding only for 3- and 4-year-olds. ‡K–12 expenditures include capital spending as well as current operating expenditures.