By Adam Clark, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
A new advocacy group aimed at expanding publicly funded pre-kindergarten programs in New Jersey launched Tuesday with the support of influential leaders in both business and politics.
Pre-K Our Way, a non-partisan non-profit, says New Jersey has one of the best pre-K programs in the country but not enough communities are part of it.
The organization hopes to rally communities and school districts to solicit support from elected officials, generating political will among state lawmakers for more publicly funded programs for 3- and 4-years olds, its leaders said.
“If you spend any time around 3- and 4-year olds, they need a lot of stimulation throughout the course of the day,” said Brian Maher, former Chairman of Maher Terminals LLC and the main financial supporter of Pre-K Our Way. “We realize just how important pre-K is and that it really needs to be expanded.”
Former governors Tom Kean and Jim Florio are both among the organization’s leaders.
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