From Pre-K rollouts to school reconfiguration, Chatham and New Providence face the growing pains of a changing New Jersey – with Berkeley Heights as a cautionary tale.

NJ schools are undergoing some makeovers, but not the infrastructure upgrades so many public schools desperately need. While some districts are rolling out phased approaches to manage the inevitable influx of students, many will have to find solutions as Governor Murphy recently signed three bills to have NJ public schools offer free preschool.

S3910/A5717 contains details and information about funding for schools with a deadline of 2030 that will also include all NJ public schools offering full-day kindergarten.

S4475/A5780 is a bill that designates the service contracts for preschool education to three years, with the ability to offer the expansion of operations to include more families.

A5908/S4695 covers the language revisions to the Preschool Education Aid for fiscal year 2026.

In short, the Governor has mandated that all NJ public schools offer full-day kindergarten by 2029–30. Additionally, the state will provide funding, during this same timeline, for preschool program expansions and new programs.

Public schools that haven’t been focusing on how to accommodate not only these programs but the inevitable influx of students from housing developments had better come up with a plan, because time is ticking!

Neighboring towns have wasted no time in planning ahead and for the future of our schools and students. Unlike Berkeley Heights, most communities have been formalizing plans for years and are all working on a phased approach. Not a single district has used recycling maps as a guideline or demoralized “the folks behind the hardware store.”

Back in 2022, Superintendent LaSusa (Chatham Public Schools) announced a plan to reconfigure schools based on projections of future student enrollment. You may recall Dr. LaSusa for infamously attending one of the BHPS reconfiguration meetings as Dr. Varley’s expert on reconfiguration. Turns out Dr. LaSusa managed his district properly; his plan was presented in 2022, with discussions spanning nearly three years, ensuring students, staff, families, and communities were informed and provided with an opportunity to be involved. Side note: Dr. LaSusa has left Chatham Public Schools after 24 years of service to act as the Superintendent of Schools in Princeton.

Ironically—and if you’re paying close attention—when Dr. LaSusa was present during the Berkeley Heights reconfiguration disaster, he had not implemented anything (nor did he pretend to be an expert). He had a plan and spent three whole years ensuring it was the best and right plan.

On July 14, Chatham’s new Superintendent, Emily Sortino, reported that the district was in good shape to have a full roll-out of the reconfiguration with schools opening this August. Schools will feature K–2, moving 3rd graders with 4th graders. The transition will also move 5th graders to the middle school, which also houses students in grades 6, 7, and 8.

The high school will remain unchanged with grades 9–12. Like BHPS, Chatham Township also offers a fee-based, lottery Pre-K program for (potty-trained—BHPS does not require students to be potty trained) 3- and 4-year-olds who can attend a morning or afternoon session. Chatham charges a tuition fee of $3,000 for the 10-month program, while BHPS charges a monthly fee of $450 (annually $4,500).

A recent demographic study in New Providence has residents up in arms about the proposed plan to manage a projected increase in enrollment. It was reported that of the two elementary schools, Roberts is near capacity and Salt Brook has a surplus of space available. The current boundaries designating schools have been proposed to move, greatly affecting several families.

The roll-out will be phased, allowing currently enrolled students to remain at their current schools. Several parents requested the district be mindful and open to requests from families to keep siblings at the same school, essentially allowing new students to follow the current boundary.

New Providence Public Schools also offer a lottery-based preschool program, like BHPS, which includes four sections of Pre-K five days per week and, like BHPS, is only offered at one (Roberts) of the two elementary schools. Tuition is a monthly fee of $345.

Trends in enrollment coupled with mandates and bills being signed at the state level should not result in haphazard plans but rather a process that involves all stakeholders.

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