Public preschool advocates worry about N.J. Gov. Christie's task force on privatization recomm
THE RECORD
STAFF WRITER
Advocates for quality public preschools expressed grave concern and confusion Friday about the governor's new task force recommendations for New Jersey's youngest students.
Preschool advocates are worried that the recommendations, if enacted, would undermine an early childhood education system the state has spent more than a decade building in the wake of a court mandate to help at-risk children get ready for school.
Governor Christie's "privatization task force" released a report Friday urging him to stop building new pre-kindergarten facilities at public expense, allow more students in smaller classrooms, and require public preschools to charge fees that reflect the full cost of running their programs. Now, state-funded preschools don't charge tuition to low-income families.
Cecilia Zalkind, executive director of the Association for Children of New Jersey, said the report was "somewhat confusing" and that "there are some inaccuracies in the assumptions," such as its assertion that publicly funded preschools had no
Preschool advocates are worried that the recommendations, if enacted, would undermine an early childhood education system the state has spent more than a decade building in the wake of a court mandate to help at-risk children get ready for school.
Governor Christie's "privatization task force" released a report Friday urging him to stop building new pre-kindergarten facilities at public expense, allow more students in smaller classrooms, and require public preschools to charge fees that reflect the full cost of running their programs. Now, state-funded preschools don't charge tuition to low-income families.
Cecilia Zalkind, executive director of the Association for Children of New Jersey, said the report was "somewhat confusing" and that "there are some inaccuracies in the assumptions," such as its assertion that publicly funded preschools had no