Free, full-day kindergarten will soon be mandatory in New Jersey, and school districts have four years to implement their programs, according to new laws signed by Gov. Phil Murphy on July 9. While federal law mandates free and compulsory school from grades 1 to 12, it does not include free kindergarten. Full-day kindergarten in all public schools will be free by the 2029-2030 school year in New Jersey, under the law. Districts that are not able to implement a program by the deadline can enter into send-receive agreements with neighboring districts, the governor’s office said.
