TRENTON, N.J. — Governor Phil Murphy has signed a sweeping $3 billion early childhood education bill into law, mandating universal access to state-funded preschool and full-day kindergarten across New Jersey by the 2029–2030 school year.
The New Jersey Universal Preschool and Kindergarten Act, passed by the Senate Education Committee in May, establishes new grant programs, aid formulas, and oversight structures to expand early learning statewide. The bill requires all elementary-serving districts to provide free full-day kindergarten and creates annual preschool expansion grants for districts that currently lack high-quality, free preschool options.
At the same time, some K-12 public schools across New Jersey continue to report underfunding, with several districts announcing staff reductions, program cuts, or facility closures.
Under the new law, the Department of Education must revise how preschool education aid is allocated, ending the use of District Factor Groups and instead relying on projected full-time enrollment. Districts receiving aid must meet strict standards, including collaboration with licensed child care providers and Head Start programs.
A new Preschool Cost-Sharing Pilot Program will launch in select districts starting with the 2025–2026 school year to test shared state-local funding models. For these districts, state aid will be calculated using an adjusted formula tied to the district’s aid percentage or a minimum 40% threshold.
The legislation also establishes a Universal Preschool Implementation Steering Committee to coordinate efforts across multiple state agencies and monitor the rollout of programs.
Murphy’s administration will now oversee annual reporting requirements and the publication of preschool access data by the DOE, Department of Children and Families, and Department of Human Services.
While many lawmakers have praised the bill as a landmark investment in early education, critics have questioned its timing amid ongoing struggles in traditional K-12 school funding.