SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — The South Brunswick school district is struggling to expand its preschool program due to state-imposed classroom size restrictions, which limit available space for new students.
Despite requests to grow the program, the district is hindered by the lack of classrooms meeting the required 950 square-foot minimum. This issue is expected to worsen as 2,500 new homes are being built, potentially increasing enrollment.
At the most recent Board of Education meeting, District Superintendent Scott Feder provided an update. “With the district running out of 950-square-foot rooms, the growth of the preschool program will have to stop,” he said.
New Jersey law requires that preschool classrooms be at least 950 square feet, even for small groups of 15 students. In contrast, a 600-square-foot room might accommodate 40 high school seniors but cannot be used for preschool classes.
Currently, the district serves over 400 preschoolers and plans to expand to 500 next year. However, there is a waiting list of 150 students.
“We have no more space in our buildings,” Feder explained. “With 2,500 new homes being built, we expect more students, which will take up available seats and potentially eliminate preschool spots unless we can find alternative classrooms. That may take years.”
Assistant Superintendent Suzanne Luck-Born and Megan Plummer, Principal of Dean Crossing and Daytons schools, have been exploring options for expanding preschool space in the community. However, Feder noted that there may be no additional classrooms of the required size unless construction is done.
“We’re still looking for ways to expand. We’ve submitted all the necessary paperwork, including the accurate sizes of the classrooms available to us,” Feder said. “We’re prepared to challenge the state’s requirements, though we’re not sure how that will play out.”
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