Last week, Governor Phil Murphy announced his plan to bring universal pre-k to New Jersey. As part of that proposal, Governor Murphy plans to expand or start new pre-K programs in 19 districts across 11 counties and outlines a 10-year plan to invest in universal pre-K – a potentially game-changing reform for families everywhere.

Many New Jersey public charter schools, like Great Oaks Legacy Charter School in Newark and Learning Community Charter School in Jersey City, already offer pre-K programs to their communities and have seen positive results for students and their families. Public charter school leaders released the following statements on the Governor’s announcement:

“Universal pre-k will help change the academic trajectory for students across the state. Access to early childhood should be a right for all – not a privilege for a few. As a public charter school that offers pre-K in our schools, we have seen how it has helped our students and their families. It boosts long-term academic performance, delivers child care for families, and culminates in great outcomes. No matter who they are or where they live, every family should have access to pre-K. We commend the Governor’s plan to help ensure every family in New Jersey has access to pre-k,” said Colin Hogan, Head of School at Learning Community Charter School.

“Pre-k is about equity. It’s about delivering access to early learning to those who need it most, closing long-term proficiency gaps, and giving every child a fair shot to succeed. Particularly as schools everywhere are grappling with a pandemic, the importance of starting earlier and getting children into classroom at a younger age has never been greater. Governor Murphy is doing the right thing and this new proposal should be celebrated across New Jersey for its vision,” said Jared Taillefer, Great Oaks Legacy Charter School Executive Director.