TRENTON, NJ — New Jersey parents of twins, triplets and other multiple-birth children will have more control over whether their children attend preschool together or separately under legislation signed Thursday, November 12, by Gov. Mikie Sherrill.
The new law, S4349/A5218, also allows parents to request that their children be considered together during preschool lotteries and open enrollment, addressing a problem that has sometimes resulted in one sibling receiving a preschool seat while another was rejected.
The legislation will take effect beginning with the next school year.
A Mother’s Experience Helped Change the Law
The legislation was inspired in part by Jackie Anderson, a mother from Brick Township whose identical twin daughters received different outcomes in a preschool enrollment lottery.
One daughter was accepted, while the other was denied a seat.
Anderson raised concerns about allowing a random lottery to determine whether young siblings would be separated at an important stage of their development.
Her experience helped bring attention to a gap in New Jersey’s existing education law.
Since 2008, parents of twins and other multiple-birth children in kindergarten through eighth grade have been permitted to request that their children be placed in the same classroom or in separate classrooms.
However, those protections did not extend to preschool programs.
What the New Law Changes
Under the new legislation, parents or guardians of twins, triplets and other multiple-birth children may request shared or separate classroom placements in public preschool programs.
They may also ask that their children be treated as a single unit when participating in preschool lotteries or open enrollment procedures.
The law applies to preschool programs operated by public school districts, Head Start programs and licensed child care providers.
The change is intended to prevent families from having to navigate separate preschool enrollment outcomes for children born together.
It also gives parents greater involvement in decisions about whether their children would benefit from remaining together or developing independence in separate classrooms.
Bipartisan Support in Trenton
The legislation received support from lawmakers in both political parties.
Its sponsors included Republican Assembly members Gregory McGuckin and Dawn Fantasia, along with Democratic lawmakers Rosaura Bagolie and Angela McKnight and Republican Sen. James Holzapfel.
The Senate approved the legislation unanimously on October 22, voting 39 to 0.
Supporters argued that parents are best positioned to evaluate their children’s emotional, developmental and educational needs, particularly during the transition into preschool.
The new law establishes a consistent standard across covered public preschool programs rather than leaving families to face different approaches to enrollment and classroom placement.
For New Jersey families raising twins or other multiple-birth children, the change means that preschool admission and classroom arrangements will no longer have to be decided entirely through separate lottery outcomes.
Sources: New Jersey Governor’s Office, November 12, 2026; New Jersey Legislature; New Jersey Globe; New Jersey Assembly Republicans; WRNJ Radio.
By NJ RADAR Team