Every Cherry Hill family that signed up for public preschool during the February registration window has been offered a seat for the 2026–2027 school year.

The district announced Monday that it has cleared its preschool waitlist, placing every eligible child who completed the process on time. But a limited number of openings remain at five of the district's eleven preschool sites, and families who missed the February window have until Tuesday, August 11, to contact the Preschool Office for a shot at those spots.

What families need to know

To qualify, a child must be 3 or 4 years old on or before October 1, 2026, and live in Cherry Hill. Families can reach the Preschool Office at 856-429-5600, ext. 4058 or 4311, or by email at [email protected].

If more families express interest than there are seats available, the district said it may run an additional random-selection lottery to assign the remaining spots.

Why the push to fill every seat

The urgency comes from the state. Under the New Jersey Department of Education's Preschool Education Aid program, participating districts must fill every available preschool seat before the school year begins. Cherry Hill's free preschool program is funded largely through that state aid.

The district has been expanding rapidly to meet demand. In January 2026, 16 new classrooms opened at Estelle V. Malberg Early Childhood Center and Joyce Kilmer Elementary, according to district records. The expansion is part of a five-year plan to reach approximately 1,700 preschool seats by the 2027–2028 school year.

"We have five years to meet our entire preschool universe, which is approximately 1,700 students," Farrah Mahan, assistant superintendent for pre-K–12 and curriculum, said in January 2026 when the new classrooms opened.

Program details

Cherry Hill's preschool program is free to residents. Classes run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a maximum of 15 students per classroom, as required by the state. The district operates preschool at both district schools and approved private providers, including Cadence Academy on Chapel Avenue, KinderCare on Springdale Road, Discovery Corner on Haddonfield Road and Mosaic Early Learning in Oaklyn.

The district has not specified which five of its eleven sites have remaining openings.

Deadline

Families interested in the remaining seats must contact the Preschool Office by Tuesday, August 11. The school year begins in September.