U. expert discusses $120 million in state grants for preschool education

Last month, Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.) announced $120 million in grants for the expansion of preschool programs across the state, according to a press release.

He also revealed that an additional total of $2.6 million will be delegated to 33 New Jersey school districts. Such funds will be used to facilitate the implementation of novel early education programs. 

Steven Barnett, director of the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) and Board of Governors professor of Education in Economics and Policy at the Graduate School of Education, said the grants pose a new opportunity for New Jersey schools.

Historically, school districts have not had the opportunity to apply for grants that can specifically be used to expand their preschool facilities, he said.

Now with $120 million in grants available, districts can increase the number of families who can participate in New Jersey's preschool programs.

Early childhood education programs can be beneficial because they can expose children to a conducive learning environment and help develop foundational skills, according to a source from Northshore Christian Academy. 

Preschool education can provide many benefits, such as fostering curiosity among children and building social skills through interactions with peers.

New Jersey Assemblyman Roy Freiman (D-N.J.) said that along with benefiting children, state-funded preschool programs enable parents to invest more time in their careers and retain talented education professionals in the public school system, according to a press conference.

Additionally, the landmark funding from the state will help disadvantaged communities mitigate barriers in early education, such as inclusivity for children with special needs and a lack of vital school infrastructure, said Angelica Allen-McMillan, acting commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE), in the press conference.

"We look forward to supporting more districts across New Jersey in their efforts to bring high-quality preschool to each and every three and four-year-old in the state and continue the state's investment in educational outcomes," she said.

Though with this expansion in funding, Barnett said that one of New Jersey's biggest challenges is maintaining the quality of preschool programs as they grow in coming years.

A robust system for hiring and training high-quality teachers and staff paired with the construction of supplemental school facilities will be essential to early education success in the state, he said.

Barnett also said other states could learn from New Jersey's prioritization of early education and allocation of public finances needed to support these initiatives.

"(States should) shift away from traditional accountability systems to continuous improvement systems that emphasize active engagement to improve practice and outcomes," he said.

The burden to provide preschool education still falls on individual states, he said. Given the federal government's lack of clear commitment to providing universal preschool programs, states like New Jersey have continuously made progress without relying on federal support.

Murphy said the NJDOE will gauge grant eligibility with the following criteria: a projected increase in current preschool seats and existing classroom capacity, a conversion of half-day programs into full-day and the enactment of new programs.

"Expanding access to free, full-day preschool programs represents an investment in the future of New Jersey's children," Murphy said. "A quality preschool education provides students with the foundational skills they need to learn and succeed."