The New Jersey Department of Education is scheduled to cut funding to early childhood centers in Hudson County starting February 1, 2024.

County Commissioner Bill O'Dea has sponsored a resolution calling on the Department of Education to provide short-term funding to early childhood education centers, delay the implementation of new guidelines until the end of the 2023-2024 school year, and phase in any alterations to the preschool funding formula over a multi-year period to mitigate the impact programs across Hudson County.

If these funding guidelines are implemented now, it would cause irreparable harm to an early childhood system that is cited as the gold standard across the country. Many centers would be forced to close classrooms or even entire facilities. After struggling with the unprecedented difficulties and circumstances brought on by the pandemic, our early childhood education system does not need this burden placed upon it. The Abbott Preschool Program is required by law to offer high quality preschool programs to fulfill its obligation per the School Funding Reform Act. This directive by the Department of Education flies in the face of that law.

Please join County Commissioner O'Dea in the fight to stop these cuts by signing this petition and sharing it with your networks!