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Poll Shows New Jersey Voters' Support for Pre-K Strong Statewide

Garden State voters maintain national polling trend showing public support for pre-k for all children

(Washington, DC) - Pre-K Now and the Association for Children of New Jersey released a statewide poll on New Jersey voters' support for pre-k education at the State Capitol today in Trenton. The poll was conducted April 12-17 among likely voters. The strong support for pre-k among a majority of voters buoys poll findings in five other states.

"The number one question policymakers and legislators ask advocates is how do the voters feel about pre-k programs and are they willing to support early education?," said Libby Doggett, executive director of Pre-K Now. "This poll shows that not only do New Jersey voters support expanding pre-k, they also want to know where their candidates stand on the issue."

Pre-K Now has commissioned statewide polls on voters' support for pre-k in Michigan, Kansas, North Carolina and California, all of which showed tremendous awareness of the value of high-quality early learning programs and the belief that some or all of the states’ children should have access to them.

The New Jersey poll shows that 69 percent of likely voters believe getting kids ready for kindergarten is an important goal, the same proportion who say this of reducing taxes and improving K-12 education.

Additionally, the report found that:

• Nearly nine out of ten New Jersey voters said four year olds should attend pre-k;
• 66 percent agreed that all children, regardless of background, benefit from quality pre-k;
• 68 percent favored expanding state funding so all four year olds could attend pre-k.

"Pre-K Now is building a nationwide movement that demands high-quality, voluntary pre-k for all three and four year olds," Doggett said. "We are proud of the work our partners at the Association for Children of New Jersey are doing to improve the lives of young children in New Jersey. We hope this polling information will encourage more public policymakers to support increased access to high-quality, pre-k programs for every family who wants it."

**The poll presentation can be accessed online at:
http://www.makekidscountnj.org

Pre-K Now collaborates with state advocates and policymakers to lead a movement for high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten for all three and four year olds. We gratefully acknowledge past and present funders: The Pew Charitable Trusts, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Schumann Fund for New Jersey, the Foundation for Child Development, the Kellogg Foundation, the Joyce Foundation and the McCormick Tribune Foundation.

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