As NJ schools face cuts and closures, Murphy signs $3 billion universal pre-k, kindergarten law

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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…