The expansion of universal preschool in West Orange was one of my key priorities when I ran for the Board of Education three years ago.
There are myriad benefits of preschool for students and families, but private preschool is expensive. So when the state of New Jersey began to offer state aid to fully fund universal preschool it seemed like a no-brainer for West Orange.
The West Orange Council of PTAs was a crucial partner in researching the program and making the case for putting in an application. When the district applied for the funding in my first term, we were selected. We then began to the first year of the phase in with the 2022-23 school year, and I am excited that we are now going into the third year of the rollout.
At the August 26 Board Meeting, Kalisha Dorlean gave a brief update to the Board about the expansion process and enrollment for the current year. You can watch her presentation below. It’s approximately five minutes.
This year, the district will be able to enroll 480 students, and we have identified some additional private providers to supplement the program.
This is not cheap. This year’s budget includes $7.4 million in state aid to fund this program and that will increase over the next two years. This is a good example of how we as a district are making effective use of state and federal funding to invest in our district.
The opening of the school year was smooth this year, and things are on pace for a complete phase in for the 2026-27 school year.