Cherry Hill students will receive $5.1 million in federal special-education and low-income funding after the school board unanimously approved the grants at its Tuesday, July 14 meeting.

The meeting minutes, published Monday, Aug. 24, also show the board cleared the way for a new Universal Preschool facility in town through a partnership with Inspired Learning, a Cherry Hill-based provider.

The grants total $5,143,594 for the 2026-2027 fiscal year and flow through two federal programs: the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Special education funding makes up the largest share. IDEA Part B, which serves school-age students with disabilities, accounts for $2,840,537. Title I funding for low-income students totals $1,715,279. Smaller allocations include Title IIA ($269,203), Title IV ($110,448), IDEA Preschool ($126,480) and Title III ($81,647).

The board approved an educational facilities waiver allowing the district to partner with Inspired Learning to expand its Universal Preschool program under a mixed-delivery model. Inspired Learning plans to build a new facility in Cherry Hill with approximately eight preschool classrooms for the 2027-2028 school year.

All five members voted yes.

The district already runs Universal Preschool classrooms through four private partners: Cadence Academy, Discovery Corner, KinderCare and Mosaic Early Learning Center.

Board member Bridget Palmer moved the consent motion covering both the grants and the preschool waiver. Melissa Manzano seconded it. Board President Gina Winters presided over the meeting, which also included members Candi Cummings and Miriam Stern, along with Superintendent Dr. Kwame R. Morton, Sr.

Resident Jeff Podowitz spoke during public comment on the preschool expansion and on services for students with disabilities. The minutes do not record the substance of his remarks.

Winters reported at the same meeting that the district had received no additional state funding on the fair-funding issue.

The specific Cherry Hill location for the Inspired Learning facility has not been announced, and the minutes do not indicate when construction would begin.