Hardyston, Lafayette get preschool funds

Four school districts in Sussex County are among 26 districts throughout New Jersey receiving a total of $24.9 million in Preschool Expansion Aid, acting Gov. Tahesha Way said Oct. 18.

Sussex-Wantage Regional School District will begin offering a free all-day pre-kindergarten program in 2024 after it was awarded about $2.2 million awarded by the state.

The Sparta district will receive about $1 million and Hardyston and Lafayette will receive $654,795 and $378,326, respectively.

The money will go to establish or expand access to high-quality preschool programs in the 2023-24 school year. It will add more than 1,715 seats to the state’s expanding preschool system.

“Providing children with access to preschool programs not only sets our students up for success, but also yields both short- and long-term economic benefits for their families and communities,” Way said.

Angelica Allen-McMillan, acting state commissioner of education, said, “Our vision is to create an educational landscape where every child, regardless of their background, can thrive from the very beginning of their academic journey. This investment not only expands preschool seats but also opens doors to greater educational and life opportunities for our state’s future leaders.”

First year of eligibility

Hardyston Superintendent Mike Ryder pointed out that this is the first year that the district has been eligible to apply for the funding.

In the 2022-23 school year, state funds for preschool were available only to school districts with 10 percent or more of student enrollment from low-income families.

“Hardyston is thrilled to receive this new state aid! ... to be given this opportunity to expand preschool for Hardyston families is a true gift,” he said.

The district plans to expand two classrooms of half-day programs to four full-day classrooms, starting Jan. 2. Each classroom will have 15 students.

“Next year, we will expand to five classrooms, and then six, and then finally seven. This year, we are hiring two new preschool teachers, four full-time classroom paraprofessionals, a social worker and another full-time custodian,” Ryder said.

The district has contracted with William Paterson University to provide professional development for the preschool team and to provide a preschool instructional coach and a preschool intervention referral specialist.

Eventually all 3- and 4-year-olds living in Hardyston will be able to attend full-day preschool at no charge.

“This is a win for students as they will begin learning at a young age and become acclimated in our school. It is a win for Hardyston parents because they will not have to pay for it and it allows them to potentially go back to work if they were staying at home. And finally, it is a win for Hardyston School District as this will really set the tone for student achievement in the lower grades in the coming years.”

24 students in Lafayette

The Lafayette district plans to offer free, full-day preschool for about 24 students beginning Jan. 2.

The current preschool program will expand to two preschool classes and the district will add a preschool teacher, support staff and two full-time classroom aides.

During the next five years, Preschool Expansion Aid is expected to allow the district to include all 3- and 4-year-old children in the township in the preschool program.

Board of Education president Josh Aikens said the board welcomes the pre-k program “as it will allow for all families in our town a chance to give their young learners a place to jump start their journey” in Lafayette Township Elementary School.

“This, we hope, will lead to a smoother transition into our K-8 and beyond. We would not have gotten to this point without the hard work of our administrative staff and stakeholders.”

Students reaching age 3 on or before Oct. 1, 2023, are eligible to register. Registration is open through Nov. 21.

If more than nine students register, a lottery will take place at 10 a.m. Nov. 27 at the Lafayette Township School. Only applicants who provide proof of residency and the child’s original birth certificate will be included in the lottery.

For information, call the school office at 973-875-3344.

Budget increase

The 2024 state budget included an increase of nearly $110 million in preschool funding from a year earlier, for a total of $1.1 billion. The increase supports previous preschool expansion districts and includes $40 million to expand high-quality, full-day programs into new districts.

“With the cost of child care reaching a critical point, expanding pre-k adds to the long list of legislative investments in affordability for our working families,” said Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald. “We know the cognitive and social benefits of early childhood education have a profound and lasting impact on the future success and well-being of our children, and with this funding, more families than ever before will have access to these vital programs.”

State Sen. Jim Beach said, “There is no greater investment than investing in our children and the future of our state. Early childhood education is incredibly important but unfortunately can be expensive, especially if you’re already struggling to make ends meet.

“This funding will make a real tangible impact on lives of hundreds of families around New Jersey, giving them access to high quality preschool at no cost to them.”

Karen Bingert, executive director of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association, said, “If breakfast is the most important meal of the day to have the fuel needed for that day, then it only goes to follow that universal pre-kindergarten serves the same purpose in strengthening, energizing and building confidence in our youngest learners so that they have the preparation and stamina needed to access learning for the duration of their academic careers.”