NJ Education Report

Educational experts and public charter school leaders in New Jersey today released statements on President Biden’s proposed American Family Plan which will dramatically overhaul education and childcare. The plan includes hundreds of billions of dollars in funding for universal Pre-K, tuition-free community college, childcare, nutritional assistance, and more. The American Family Plan comes on the heels of a transformative infrastructure plan unveiled earlier this month which included historic investments to close the digital divide and help families and children access reliable internet once and for all.

“This plan will help transform learning for children across our state, as well as change tens of millions of lives across America. Budgets and spending are a statement of our values and not just what, but who we prioritize as a country. These investments – universal Pre-K, support for childcare, and more – represent an unprecedented step in ensuring that early learning and higher education are accessible to all. This is a once-in-a-generation investment that will move families across New Jersey into the future,” said Dr. Gloria Bonilla-Santiago, Ph.D., Board Chair of the LEAP Academy University Charter School.

“When our children succeed, our country succeeds, and when we prioritize equity in policymaking, our nation thrives. For too long, millions of people – particularly those in low-income communities – have struggled to get the support they deserve to access quality childcare, send their children to quality Pre-K programs, or afford college. With this plan, President Biden has sent a message that all our children – not just those from affluent communities – deserve support. This relief is overdue, but its benefits will reverberate across communities, in Trenton and beyond, for generations to come,” said Graig Weiss, CEO of Foundation Academies.

“No one should have to choose between putting food on the table and sending their child to Pre-K or community college. For years, Camden’s Charter School Network has sought to provide Pre-K for local families, contending with long waitlists due to a lack of funding. Now more than ever, as we continue to weather this devastating pandemic, we have a moment to change the trajectory of education in America. The American Families Plan will do just that. With historic investments in childcare, universal Pre-K, tuition-free community college and so much more, parents are finally getting the help they need, children are finally getting the support they deserve, and America is taking an unprecedented step into the future,” said Dr. Joseph Conway, Superintendent of Camden’s Charter School Network.