multilingual learners

New Jersey has invested a record $1.4 billion in preschool education, but challenges remain in providing consistent language support for multilingual learners. While state laws mandate language services, implementation varies across districts, and preschoolers were only recently included in multilingual learner policies. Over 47% of children ages 0–5 in the state are multilingual learners, yet infrastructure and targeted approaches are still lacking.

New Jersey has invested a record $1.4 billion in preschool education, but support for multilingual learners remains inconsistent despite state mandates. While the state recently updated policies to include preschoolers as multilingual learners, experts argue that infrastructure and targeted funding are needed to address language barriers for over 11,300 preschool-aged students identified as multilingual learners.

Newark Public Schools' enrollment decreased by 764 students in the 2025-26 school year, the first decline since 2019, driven by drops in multilingual learners, white, and Black student populations. The district's Hispanic student enrollment grew slightly, while early and transition grade levels saw the sharpest declines.