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Long Hill Board outlines preschool registration, lottery and a third section to balance inclusion
Summary
The Long Hill Township Board of Education heard a preschool update: registration will run Jan. 9–16 with a lottery, the tuition-based program is $950/month, 21 tuition-funded spots are available this year and the district is opening a third class to improve the balance between general-education and IEP students.
The Long Hill Township Board of Education on Monday heard a detailed presentation on the district preschool program and upcoming registration timeline. Dr. Jones and Miss Colon told the board an interest form and parent information session will be held Jan. 8; registration opens Jan. 9 and closes at 3:00 p.m. on Jan. 16, with a lottery to allocate tuition-funded spots and Genesis opening Jan. 17 for required paperwork.
“Students have to be 3 years old by October 1 and are Long Hill residents,” Dr. Jones said. “Our tuition, it is a tuition based program, and the monthly tuition fee is $950.” The program offers a full-day, five-day schedule with drop-off beginning at 8:30–8:45 a.m. and dismissal at about 3:10 p.m.
The presenters said the district will run a lottery for both three- and four-year-olds and will not give preferential placement to current or former preschool students; families who are not selected may opt onto a wait list. Dr. Jones said the district will automatically reserve a spot for currently enrolled preschool students for the following year unless parents notify the school otherwise.
To avoid an imbalanced classroom that would be dominated by students with individualized education programs (IEPs), the district is opening a third section for the coming year. “By opening the 3rd class, we were actually able to start each of the classes with 10 general ed students, and then we would have up to 8 spots in each class for students with IEPs,” Dr. Jones said, while noting current projections are for about three to four students with IEPs in each class.
Board members asked whether students who live outside a two-mile radius receive busing; the presenters said they do not. On special-education placement and early-intervention referrals, the presenters said early-intervention students are not automatically enrolled in preschool: the district evaluates referrals and many, but not all, meet eligibility for preschool services.
The board was also told the district will subscribe to Marco Polo Learning to supplement the creative curriculum; Miss Colon said the district identified funding through preschool IDEA funds and planned to share the program with families via classroom subscriptions.
The district said there are 21 tuition-funded spots available this year; Dr. Jones explained the extra section was opened in response to increased early-intervention referrals. Parents who want more detail can attend the Jan. 8 information session and complete the interest form when it opens; lottery draws and parent notifications are scheduled the morning after the lottery closes.
