Here's When Moorestown Schools Could Offer Free, Full-Day Kindergarten

MOORESTOWN, NJ — The Moorestown School District now has another reason to institute free, full-day kindergarten: a state-mandated deadline.

A state law passed this month will require all elementary-serving school districts to offer tuition-free, full-day kindergarten by the 2029-30 school year.

Moorestown is one of New Jersey's last-remaining school districts that doesn't have that in place.

During the upcoming bond referendum, Moorestown residents will vote Sept. 16 on whether to approve more than $100 million in facility upgrades to all schools. If the referendum passes, the district will be able to offer full-day kindergarten by 2028, according to school officials.

"We’re excited about the prospect of extending tuition-free, full-day kindergarten to the Moorestown community," said Superintendent Dr. Courtney McNeely. "We have always viewed it as a need to fill, rather than a potential mandate to follow. That’s why we had these plans in motion long before the full-day kindergarten requirement became law."

A successful referendum will ultimately free up space to offer free, full-day kindergarten, according to district officials.

If the referendum passes, William Allen Middle School would add 12 new classrooms (24,500 square feet overall) to create space for sixth-graders. WAMS currently only supports Grades 7-8.

Moorestown Upper Elementary School would then support third-graders, giving it a more conventional age setup of Grades 3-5 instead of 4-6.

This would then free up space in the three "lower" elementary schools, which have the greatest overcrowding issues, according to district officials.

The district would add more kindergarten-compliant classrooms to the lower-elementary buildings. Under state regulations, kindergarten classes must each have their own toilet facility and more overall space.

Both questions passing would bring an estimated tax hike of $648 per year — $54 per month — to the average assessed Moorestown home, worth $465,125.

But supporters of the referendum, including district leadership, say the upgrades are necessary to address the growing student population, replace outdated infrastructure and create space for free, full-day kindergarten.

It also means that the state would partially subsidize these projects when school districts typically must fully fund facility upgrades through local taxes.

"Creating space for full-day kindergarten through the bond referendum would bring the added benefit of state funding," said School Board President Mark Villanueva. "This money would not otherwise be available to improve our schools and prepare for growth."

What's On The Ballot?

The referendum will feature two ballot questions. The first includes the bulk of the proposed projects, while the second centers around reconfiguring facilities outside of Moorestown High School's main building to free up classroom space.

Question 2's projects can only move forward if Question 1 passes.

QUESTION 1

• Projects on the ballot: William Allen Middle School expansion, upgrading infrastructure at all schools (including HVACs), new roofing at three schools, security improvements, and replacement of tennis courts, stadium turf, and Isenberg Gymnasium.
• Total cost: $80.3 million
• State aid: $15.9 million
• Estimated tax impact: $444 per year ($37 per month) based on the value of Moorestown's average assessed home ($465,125).

QUESTION 2

• Projects on the ballot: Building a new operations center, instructional renovations at Moorestown High School, athletic enhancements (three new turf fields, lighting), and new traffic flow.
• Total cost: $28 million
• State aid: $2.7 million
• Estimated tax impact: $204 per year ($17 per month)

More information on the proposed projects can be found on the district's referendum website.