Murphy budget proposes $22.2B for education, formula changes to cap aid drops and expand preschool and tutoring

Commissioner, speaking to the New Jersey Assembly Budget Committee, outlined the education elements of Governor Murphy’s proposed fiscal 2026 budget and described formula changes intended to limit year-to-year volatility in state aid.

"Thank you for the opportunity to be here and discuss the preschool and k to 12 education components of governor Murphy's proposed budget for fiscal year '20 '20 '6," the Commissioner told the committee, then summarized spending and formula adjustments.

The department described a proposed total education appropriation of $22.2 billion, including about $12.1 billion in direct formula aid to school districts. Under the proposal the department said it would smooth the formula’s local share calculation by using multiple years of income and property valuation data and would change how special education aid is calculated — moving from a census-based method to a measure tied to each district’s special-education enrollment.

The department also told lawmakers the budget would include $1.3 billion for preschool (with $10 million specifically for expansion to new districts), a $7.5 million grant program for high-impact tutoring, and a $3.0 million grant program to support local efforts…