During a recent government meeting, advocates for New Jersey's preschool mixed delivery system emphasized the importance of maintaining high-quality early childhood education while addressing the challenges posed by the expansion of public preschool programs. Shadaya Bennett, senior legislative analyst at Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), reiterated the organization's commitment to ensuring that all children have access to safe and enriching educational environments.

Bennett highlighted New Jersey's historical leadership in preschool education, referencing the pivotal role played by ACNJ's former president in advocating for high-quality standards in state-funded programs. As the state moves towards expanding access to free public preschool, she cautioned against unintended consequences that could harm the fragile child care system, particularly the availability of infant and toddler slots.

The meeting underscored the need for a well-structured mixed delivery system that fosters collaboration between school districts and community providers. Bennett proposed several recommendations, including aligning classroom size requirements with existing licensing standards and incentivizing school districts to partner with community providers. These measures aim to mitigate barriers for providers and ensure a more inclusive early education landscape.

Dr. Winifred Smith Jenkins, ACNJ's director of early learning for policy and advocacy, echoed these sentiments, stressing the urgent need for systemic corrections to prevent the collapse of the child care system. She outlined seven recommendations focused on improving collaboration and addressing fractures within the current system. Key proposals included aligning square footage requirements for classrooms, modernizing provider contracts, and establishing protective vendor classifications for child care providers collaborating with public schools.

Jenkins also addressed workforce challenges, advocating for financial support to help non-certified teachers obtain necessary qualifications, and called for a statewide public awareness campaign to promote public preschool enrollment. She emphasized the need for equitable funding and enrollment practices to ensure that community providers are not penalized for under-enrollment while school districts expand their own preschool offerings.

The discussions highlighted a critical moment for New Jersey's early childhood education system, as stakeholders seek to balance the expansion of public preschool with the sustainability of existing child care services. The meeting concluded with a call for collaborative efforts to create a robust framework that supports both preschool expansion and the vital infrastructure of child care providers across the state.