Short commutes. Amazing parks. Family-friendly bars and restaurants. There are many reasons why young families choose to live in Hoboken, NJ – there are so many strollers around town that locals coined the expression, "Stroller Mafia."
Another reason? Free universal Abbott preschool.
Beginning in 1999, Hoboken began offering "a 6-hour, 180-day preschool program as well as before- and after-school care and summer programs for young children in 31 of New Jersey’s poorest urban school districts." Abbott districts have "universal eligibility: open to all 3- and 4-year-old children."
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Abbott funding is announced each May. While preschool is not mandatory in New Jersey, historically virtually everyone in Hoboken who applies by the March deadline receives a place in the program. Each year, some people are unhappy with their child's placement – with six locations around Hoboken, parents typically request the program nearest their home.
This year? Denial letters began hitting Hoboken mailboxes en masse on June 27th, causing parents to panic and scramble to find alternative preschool programs for September. Private school deposit checks were due in March, so finding a preschool spot at this late date means you need to get lucky.
Find out what's happening in Hobokenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Early Childhood Education Program website states that "the following criteria are considered to determine a child’s placement for the 2013‐2014 school year."
- Special Needs/IEP Driven
- Existing Sibling Placements
- School Proximity
- Age (Birthday in relation to the cut-off date)
- Allowable Demographic Factors
- Parental input
The existence of the Abbott program in Hoboken has long been controversial. With a median Hoboken household income of $112,174 in 2009, detractors have questioned whether the program is serving its intended low-income demographic and stated it only delays mass departures to the suburbs. Parents have long feared the program elimination – Abbott districting has been challenged in the Supreme Court, with the latest decision affirming its funding.
Hoboken Abbott classrooms have expanded to reflect burgeoning popularity, with an expected 48 classrooms in 2013-14, an increase from prior years despite a provider change. However, contrary to the United States having the lowest birthrate in a century in 2010, the year the current crop of entering preschoolers were born, the Hoboken Abbott program experienced an overwhelming – and unprecedented – surge in applications. With increased demand for kindergarten and first grade classes, it appears Hoboken has become the destination of choice for New York metro area families.
Kathy Zucker, CEO of Metro Moms Network, mother of three young children and winner of the New York Life Keep Good Going Shorty Award, writes about juggling career and family in an urban setting. Read her MomCondoLiving blog, follow her on Twitter (@KathyZucker), or friend her on Facebook.
