Every weekday Ayana Reed walks her preschooler to the bus stop, happy to listen to him chat about his friends and what he is excited about learning that day.
She says the free preschool he attends, which is run through Lawrence Township Public Schools (LTPS), has been a game changer.
“I think I was paying $1,300 a month [for daycare] and it didn’t include diapers or anything. Lunch? That was an additional $80 a month. That doesn’t include the registration fee, and there’s also a summer camp fee,” Reed says.
Lawrence Township Public Schools (LTPS) introduced a free preschool program in the 2024-2025 academic year, available at all four elementary schools and Lawrence High School. To be eligible for the lottery-based enrollment system, children must be at least three years old by October 1 and fully potty-trained. Each class is capped at 15 students to maintain a high standard of instruction.
Jeneya Nelson, a former preschool director with 42 years of early childhood education says, “Lawrence preschool is a good idea. It helps children better adjust to the Kindergarten program, gives them a head start to what’s being taught.” She says the program focuses on the kinds of key elements that it should, such as: “caring, dedicated teachers that care about the children…a variety of activities, instruction, and…additional resources” for families.
LTPS officials, including Superintendent Dr. Robyn Klim, Communications Manager Jenn Baldassari, and Supervisor of Early Childhood Education Egnita Pardo, are working to expand awareness of the preschool program, particularly among families in need. Currently, one-third of enrolled families qualify as socioeconomically disadvantaged, based on free/reduced lunch eligibility.
“We don’t want to deter families from applying. That’s the Board and my goal: to get families in to close the divide,” Klim said. She also emphasized the long-term impact of early education, saying, “Research shows that high-quality preschool sets the foundation for lifelong learning. That’s what I want parents to understand.”
Not all families find themselves drawn to the program, however, some parents in the district choose alternatives based on their family’s needs.
Local resident and mother Danielle Thomas said the free program wasn’t a factor for her family since they rely on relatives for childcare.
“If we had to enroll him in school, it would have been a draw,” she said, but she opted for a half-day program to ease her son’s transition.
While she sees the program as good for the community, she questions whether mixing three- and four-year-olds might limit its appeal, saying maybe the administrators should consider “breaking up the ages because I think that more people would utilize it if the ages weren’t mixed.”
Although not everyone is interested in participating, the LTPS preschool program is expected to expand for now. It is funded through the Preschool Expansion Grant/State Aid Program, with funding increasing alongside enrollment. In the 2025-2026 academic year, four new classes will be added at Lawrence Day School, expanding the program to six locations, nine classes, and 135 students. However, this growth is dependent on continued state funding.
While Gov. Chris Murphy has championed preschool expansion, the November 2025 gubernatorial election could bring policy shifts that impact future funding. In particular, the March 11 LTPS referendum will play a crucial role in determining local financial support.
Supervisor of Early Childhood Education Pardo says, “I am constantly in contact with various community members who are reaching out expressing how grateful they are and wanting to share with me the opportunity that this is going to give their children or even their grandchildren. The community has been very welcoming, accepting, and very supportive of this initiative.”
Reed says, “At some point, somebody you know is going to have a child that’s going to go through this and [a program like this] is going to help them.”
NOTE: The 2025-2026 LTPS preschool lottery application process will end on April 11, 2025. More information can be found at ltps.org/preschool. All Lawrence residents with children who are eligible are encouraged to apply.
This article was produced as part of MCCC’s Community Reporting “J Lab” certificate program made possible by grant funding from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities and The New School: Journalism + Design.
