S4349: Concerns enrollment of twins or higher order multiples in public preschool programs.

SENATE, No. 4349 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 222nd LEGISLATURE INTRODUCED MAY 28, 2026 Sponsored by: Senator JAMES W. HOLZAPFEL District 10 (Monmouth and Ocean) SYNOPSIS Concerns enrollment of twins or higher order multiples in public preschool programs. CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT As introduced. An Act concerning preschool enrollment and amending and supplementing P.L.2008, c.70. Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey: 1. Section 1 of P.L.2008, c.70 (C.18A:36-38) is amended to read as follows: 1. a. (1) A parent or guardian of twins or higher order multiples enrolled in the same [ K ] preschool through 8 grade level at the same public school may request that the children be placed in the same classroom or in separate classrooms. The school principal may recommend a classroom placement to the parent or guardian and may provide the parent or guardian with professional education advice that will assist the parent or guardian in making the best decision for the children's education. The parent or guardian shall request the classroom placement in writing no later than 14 days after the first day of each school year. The school principal shall provide the classroom placement requested by the parent or guardian and the students shall remain in this initial placement for the duration of the school year unless the board of education makes a different classroom placement determination pursuant to the provisions of subsection b. of this section. In the event that the twins or higher order multiples enroll in the school after the school year commences, the parent or guardian shall request the classroom placement in writing no later than 14 days after the first day of attendance. The school principal shall provide the classroom placement requested by the parent or guardian if space is available in accordance with written local district class size requirements and the students shall remain in this initial placement for the duration of the school year unless the board of education makes a different classroom placement determination pursuant to the provisions of subsection b. of this section. (2) A parent or guardian of twins or higher order multiples enrolled in the same 9 through 12 grade level at the same public school may request that the children be placed in the same classroom or in separate classrooms. The placement decision shall be made at the discretion of the school principal in the best interests of the school and its students. The parent or guardian may appeal the school principal's decision to the board of education, which shall make a final determination on the placement. b. A school principal may, after consultation with the students' parent or guardian and teachers at the end of the initial grading period, request that the board of education make a different classroom placement determination for the twins or higher order multiples if the initial classroom placement is determined to be disruptive to any of the students in the class or classes in which the students are enrolled or if the principal concludes that the initial placement does not sufficiently support the students' academic or social development. Upon receiving the request, the board of education shall make a final classroom placement determination. c. As used in this section, "higher order multiples" means triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets, or larger group of siblings born at one birth. d. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a school district which maintains only a single classroom for the grade level in which the twins or higher order multiples are enrolled. e. The parent or guardian shall be responsible for any additional pupil transportation costs that are incurred by the school district as a result of providing the requested classroom placement, unless the school district is in agreement with the placement. f. In the event that one of the twins or higher order multiples receives special education services, the requested classroom placement shall not be accommodated if the placement is inconsistent with a student's Individualized Education Plan. g. If the twins or higher order multiples enroll in a public preschool program operated by a licensed child care provider, the parent or guardian may request that the children be placed in the same classroom or in separate classrooms if the licensed child care provider maintains multiple preschool classrooms. (cf: P.L.2008, c.70, s.1) 2. (New section) a. A public school that utilizes a lottery system or open enrollment to award seats in a preschool program shall treat twins or higher order multiples as one unit in the lottery system or open enrollment. The twins or higher order multiples shall either be selected or waitlisted for seats in the preschool program as one unit and shall not be placed in preschool programs operated by different schools or licensed child care providers within the district except at the request of the parents or guardians of the twins or higher order multiples. 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year next following the date of enactment. STATEMENT This bill permits a parent or guardian of twins or higher order multiples enrolled in preschool in a public school to select shared or separate classroom placement of their children and requires twins or higher order multiples to be treated as one unit in the preschool lottery system and open enrollment. Under current law, a parent or guardian of twins or higher order multiples enrolled in grades kindergarten through 8 at the same public school may request that the children be placed in the same classroom or in separate classrooms. This bill extends that provision to twins or higher order multiples enrolled in preschool in a public school. The bill stipulates that if the twins or higher order multiples enroll in a public preschool program operated by a licensed child care provider, the parent or guardian may request that the children be placed in the same classroom or in separate classrooms if the licensed child care provider maintains multiple preschool classrooms. The bill also requires a public school that utilizes a lottery system or open enrollment to award seats in a preschool program to treat twins or higher order multiples as one unit in the lottery system or open enrollment. The twins or higher order multiples will either be selected or waitlisted for seats in the preschool program as one unit and will not be placed in preschool programs operated by different schools or licensed child care providers within the district except at the request of the parents or guardians of the twins or higher order multiples.