The preschool program in the Delran Township School District will remain in half-day sessions for the 2026-’27 school year.
Holly Corsanico, director of student services, and Jennifer Lowe, director of accountability and special projects, sent a letter updating the community on its efforts to expand early childhood opportunities. The district applied for the State of New Jersey’s Preschool Expansion Grant, a competitive funding opportunity designed to support the development of full-day, high-quality preschool programs for 3- and 4-year old students.
The township is on the list for districts eligible for fiscal year 2026 preschool expansion, per the fiscal year 2026 Appropriations Act.
“While we were hopeful for a favorable outcome, we were not selected for the grant in the current cycle,” Corsanico and Lowe said.
As a result, the district’s preschool program will continue to operate in its current half-day format, consisting of both morning and afternoon sessions. Corsanico and Lowe also noted that the district will not be able to offer general education preschool through a lottery system, as it has in previous years, because of current enrollment and projected increases in students requiring special education services.
“Our available classroom space is fully allocated to meet mandated programming needs,” Corsanico and Lowe noted.
They added that they “deeply value” and recognize “the positive impact” preschool programming “has on student growth and long-term success.”
“Although our current structure limits expansion at this time, the district remains committed to exploring realistic and sustainable options for the future,” the two said. “We will continue to assess opportunities, including future grant cycles and potential program adjustments, to better serve our community’s youngest learners.”
