Preschool enrollment has increased over the last few years, up to 86,583 in 2022-2023 from 66,759 in 2020-2021, according to data from recent state school performance reports. Gov. Phil Murphy has named universal preschool as a priority for his administration. The governor’s strategic plan defines universal preschool as serving at least 70% of three- and four-year-olds, which is about 138,000 seats.

The governor’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2025 includes an additional $124 million for preschool education, with $20 million for expanding pre-K to new districts. This would create more than 1,000 additional seats.

Murphy has previously said the expansion would be complete by 2030 at the latest. The goal is to build on the existing court-ordered Abbott Preschool Program, which is required in some of the state’s highest-poverty school districts, according to the strategic plan.