District secures preschool expansion grant to add 90 full‑day seats

District administrators announced a preschool expansion award through the New Jersey Department of Education’s PIA program that the board said will add six sections and roughly 90 full‑day seats for 3‑ and 4‑year‑olds.

“Brick Schools is awarded over $9,000,000 in this preschool education expansion aid grant, the PIA grant,” a district presenter told the board, saying the award will support full‑day integrated classrooms at Herbstville and Warren ECDCs and add classes at Osborneville Elementary.

The superintendent and board members framed the grant as a major win that helps expand early‑learning access; board members also thanked staff and grant writers. Administrators said the district will use the funds to create 42 general‑education integrated preschool classrooms and that the award supports programing, staffing and facilities associated with full‑day preschool.

Why it matters: early‑childhood seats are in short supply in many districts; officials said the expansion will enable the district to serve an additional cohort of 3‑ and 4‑year‑olds and could reduce future remedial needs by strengthening early learning.

What’s next: the district will finalize implementation plans for classrooms and staffing and incorporate the expansion in the 2026–27 budget and program calendars.