A 4842 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Requires certain school districts to partner with licensed child care providers and Head Start programs to provide free preschool opportunities.

This New Jersey bill requires school districts receiving specific preschool grants to partner with licensed child care providers and Head Start programs to offer free preschool services. The law limits the number of preschool classrooms a district can operate in a single building to two, with any additional spots provided through these community partnerships. Districts must use a competitive bidding process to select partners and must meet high-quality standards set by the Department of Education. The bill also directs the state to provide technical assistance and funding to help these providers meet quality requirements, with priority given to those in underserved areas.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
May 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced May 4, 2026 Last action May 4, 2026
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May 4, 2026
Introduced
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee
lower
2 primary · 1 co-sponsor

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