Author: Lana Lee

Conference: Providers Explore Solutions as Essential Partners in Making Universal Pre-K Sustainable

New Jersey’s First Community-Based Preschool Private Provider Conference: The Future of Public Preschool: Building a Bold Vision Together convened on October 16, bringing together early childhood leaders, educators, funders, and advocates committed to strengthening community-based public pre-K partnerships across New Jersey. View Photos from Event The conference was created in response to the growing challenges […]

The Impact of Social Media on Adolescents

ACNJ served on New Jersey’s Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescents, which examined how social media impacts young people. The Commission published recommendations aimed at preserving social media’s benefits while reducing potential harms – including banning cellphones at school and delaying social media access until age 16. More in the News: […]

Unpacking the NJ State FY26 Budget on New Jersey’s Kids and Families

Facebook X (Twitter) Linkedin Highlights of FY26 State Budget Spending on Children and Families The State Fiscal Year 2026 Budget was approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Murphy before the June 30th deadline, with total appropriations of $58.8 billion and a projected surplus of $6.7 billion. The budget allocates resources, programs, and services […]

Investing in Positive Youth Development to Address NJ’s Youth Mental Health Crisis

Facebook X (Twitter) Linkedin Will NJ’s Future Governor Address Youth Mental Health? Isaiah Fudge Director of Positive Youth Development For more information on this topic, contact Isaiah at ifudge@acnj.org. Young people are struggling to cope with stress, anxiety and depression, and it’s persistently showing up in their daily lives, especially post-COVID. New Jersey is facing […]