Category: Child Care

Head Start in New Jersey: What It Is and Why It Matters

Facebook X (Twitter) Linkedin Cindy Shields Senior Policy Analyst for Early Childhood Education More Than 60 Years of Opportunity For more than 60 years, Head Start has made a powerful promise: children from low-income families will receive not only high-quality early education, but also the health, developmental, nutritional, and family supports they need to thrive. […]

Head Start Is Too Important to Weaken: What the Proposed Changes Could Cost New Jersey

Facebook X (Twitter) Linkedin Cindy Shields Senior Policy Analyst for Early Childhood Education The Proposed Changes Could Destabilize New Jersey’s Child Care Ecosystem Head Start is part of New Jersey’s broader early childhood system, working alongside child care centers, family child care providers, school districts, health care providers, social-service organizations, and state-funded preschool programs. Weakening […]

FY2027 NJ Budget Highlights for Children and Families

The FY2027 New Jersey State Budget includes significant investments in programs that support the health, education, and well-being of children and families across New Jersey. These investments strengthen the State’s commitment to improving outcomes for children by supporting early childhood education, child care, maternal and infant health, children’s mental health, nutrition assistance, public education, and […]

Reflecting on the State of Preschool

Winifred Smith-Jenkins Director of Early Learning Policy and Advocacy The State of Preschool 2025 by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) once again recognizes New Jersey as a national leader in public preschool; an achievement worth celebrating. While NJ consistently meets 9 out of 10 of its quality indicators, now is a good […]