The Evesham Township Board of Education presented a preschool expansion aid application at its recent meeting that, if approved by the state, would fund free preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds.
Superintendent Dr. Justin Smith noted that the presentation was based on the current 2023-’24 state application, since the New Jersey Department of Education has yet to release the 2024-’25 version. Smith also explained the timing of the board’s submission.
“Our district did not have the opportunity to apply for preschool expansion until we were able to achieve tuition-free, full-day kindergarten,” Smith said. “So this moment really isn’t possible without the work of everyone, including the community, in voting for tuition-free full-day kindergarten.”
The board’s PowerPoint presentation cited the state for making tuition-free preschool expansion its main goal for districts and also noted that most of the school systems surrounding Evesham have been approved and are already receiving funding to implement their programs.
For the current school year, participating Burlington County school districts got $14,514 per preschool child (general education) educated in the district. According to a webinar hosted by the education department in April, 2024-’25 funding is expected to grow to more than $16,000.
But the cost of educating preschoolers who are classified (special ed) is already the district’s responsibility, required by the state, so it is not covered by this year’s preschool funding.
According to the district, the preschool plan will add two years of school at no additional cost to taxpayers. If its application is approved, then by year one of the expansion, the district should receive $2,080,000 in additional state aid to take preschool from half day to full day.
The board estimates expansion will increase costs by $1.5 million to hire nine teachers, nine paraprofessionals, one district preschool instructional coach, one preschool intervention and referral specialist, four bus drivers and four bus aides. The costs are contingent on when the application is approved and new staffers are hired.
Department of education approval requires that districts outline how they would serve 90% of the general education 3- and 4-year-olds by the end of the five-year implementation period. For Evesham, that will mean partnering with private providers. Approved districts have been using a lottery system to select eligible preschoolers until they are able to provide a seat for every family seeking one. No student would be moved out of a school as a result of the plan.
The full five-year plan is available to view on the district website’s May 30 board meeting agenda. The next board meeting session is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, at Marlton Middle School.
