SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — Demand for South Brunswick's free public preschool program far outpaced available seats this year.
Roughly 400 families submitted interest for approximately 260 spots — a gap that Superintendent Bernard Bragen said signals a clear need for further expansion.
Bragen disclosed the lottery results at a recent Board of Education meeting, noting that the district is adding three new preschool classes for the 2026-27 school year through the state's Preschool Expansion Aid program.
Even with those additions, the district received more than 140 more applications than it had room to accommodate.
Families who were not selected will be placed on a waiting list. By June 1, all families — including those who secured spots — will receive additional information about their assigned school and registration details, Bragen said.
"The need definitely exists, and we want to get as many of our children into our preschool programs as possible," Bragen said.
The district is already looking ahead to further growth. Bragen said South Brunswick must apply to the state by November if it wants to expand the program again for the following school year, and officials plan to pursue that option.
South Brunswick's preschool program uses a tiered lottery system to select students due to the limited number of seats. Students must be 3 or 4 years old before Oct. 31 and must live in the township to be eligible. The district does not accept anticipated residency.
The expansion comes as South Brunswick has faced consecutive cuts in state education aid. The district is set to receive $13,432,200 in state aid for 2026-27 — a reduction of $415,429, or 3%, from the prior year — even as Gov. Mikie Sherrill's broader proposed budget includes $1.4 billion statewide for preschool expansion.
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