Note: please note that this issue brief should (a) link back to the issue overview on this topic, (b) be focused either the local, state, national, or global level, and (c) be neutrally presented, based on facts, and include footnotes for each of the items.  See the Research Guide and Information Sources to assist you. 

• Link here to the School Readiness overview page.

Scope of the Problem  factual statements on the extent of the problem in the past, current, or future

• The US Census reports that New Jersey if the wealthiest state in the nation, yet in 2003 there were 250,000 children living under the poverty line^[1]
• The number of children living under the poverty line has increased 29% between 1999 and 2003^[2] 

Past Policy  key legislation and milestones including significant policy and funding shifts, major studies, etc.

• Pre-school enrollment over the last ten years 

• Test scores over the last ten years 

Current Policy  summary of current policies in the form of legislation, programs, and funding

• New Jersey is under court order to implement “whole-school reform” measures, including full-day kindergarten for all five-year-olds and half-day preschool programs for all three- and four-year-olds in the state's poorest school districts (known as “Abbott Districts”). These programs are funded through Early Childhood Program Aid (ECPA), a state funding stream created in response to the Supreme Court ruling. Districts use existing community-based childcare and Head Start organizations, in addition to school districts, to deliver preschool programs. All programs from all providers must meet preschool standards developed by the New Jersey Department of Education. 

• Laws passed to provide full-day kindergarten and half-day prekindergarten in impoverished Early Childhood Program Aid (ECPA) districts

• Study from Abbott Preschool Program Longitudinal Effects Study (APPLES) found that children who attend high-performing Abbott centers do better than classmates in first and second grade. Children who attended two years of Abbott had twice the advantages. 

• The New Jersey Supreme Court case Abbot v. Burke provided early childhood education to three and four years olds in areas with the highest poverty

•      Abbot programs provide child care for up to 10 hrs for 245 days in a year

•      Over the past 2008-2009 school year, 31 abbott districts provided schooling for over 43,000 toddlers

•      Basic standards in the classrooms include a maximum of 15 students, certified teachers, assistant teachers in every room, and a developmentally appropriate curriculum

• “High-quality preschool is a proven success here in New Jersey. The latest APPLES study reconfirms what teachers, parents and advocates have witnessed for years: New Jersey’s high-quality preschool system produces positive results and better prepares children for elementary school,” Governor Corzine said. “Providing a curriculum-based preschool program to at-risk children ignites their curiosity and enthusiasm for learning and sets them on the right educational path from the beginning.” 

• Graph on Achievement Gap Progress

• State Monitoring Efforts in New Jersey  

• Jon Corzine's proposed 2009-2010 budget gives an extra $52.3 million (equalling $596 million in all) to existing New Jersey pre-schools

• New Jersey is using stimulus money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to dedicate $25 million to pre-school expansion 

Key Organizations/Individuals   contacts for public and private organizations and key individuals

• New Jersey Department of Education, Division of Early Childhood Education

• National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) 

Bibliography   web sites, reports, articles, and other reference material 

• New Jersey Division of Early Childhood Education End-of-Year Report: 07-08 

• Measures progress of Abbott School Districts and Head Start Programs in New Jersey. Includes goals for the 08-09 year in order to keep on a cycle of continuous improvements.

• Preschool Education and Its Lasting Policy Implications: Research and Policy Implications

• Examines the effects of various preschool environments and programs. Gives suggestions for future and current policy makers. 

• State Initiatives to Promote Early Learning

• Suggestions on coordinating subsidized childcare, Head Start, and prekindergarten. Shows past policies, challenges, finances, and recommendations on early childhood care.