A $42 million federal grant will be distributed among nearly two dozen New Jersey school districts to help them build and expand their preschool programsstate officials announced last week.

The 22 school districts, which will receive awards ranging from $46,000 to more than $7 million, will primarily use the money to increase the number of available kindergarten seats, the governor said. Phil Murphythe office said.

The funding is expected to add 1,493 seats to classrooms across the state. (See the full list of 22 school districts below.)

Other uses of the money include: construction and rehabilitation of preschool classrooms; expanding preschool programs from half-day to full-day; and expanding classroom capacity to accommodate new preschool programs and secure additional seating.

The announcement from Murphy and Acting State Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer marks the second round of funding for the state’s Universal Preschool Facilities Expansion Grant initiative.

The funds come from a $120 million pot of federal money allocated as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, an economic recovery bill passed in 2021 to help states recover from the effects of the pandemic of COVID-19.

The first round of the initiative saw more than $74 million in funding for preschool facilities, including $52 million announced in November 2023, according to Murphy’s office.

“A high-quality preschool can have a positive impact on a child’s life trajectory, which is why we are on a mission to expand access to these essential programs,” the governor said in a statement. press release.

In October, Murphy and Dehmer announcement 18 districts will receive a total of nearly $20 million to create 1,200 additional preschool spaces classrooms.

The 22 new districts expected to receive funding are listed below. Unless otherwise stated, each prize will be awarded to a single project at one school.

Atlantic

• Hamilton: $2,788,643
• Hammonton: $2,757,805

Bergen

Burlington

• Cinnamon: $150,000
• Palmyra: $1,050,000

Camden

Cumberland

Essex

Hunterdon

• Clinton: $232,000
• Readington: $208,363

Middle-sex

• Carteret: $5,858,632
• Dunellen: $3,463,300
• Highland Park: $573,240
• Piscataway: $2,268,500

Monmouth

• Ocean Township: $280,986 (divided among three schools)

Ocean

• Lacey: $1,350,000
• Pleasant Point: $93,702

Passaic

• Wayne: $5,014,070 (two projects in one school)

Sussex

• Franklin: $211,069
• Sandyston-Walpack: $400,000

Union

• Rahway: $2,173,030 (divided between two schools)

Warren

• Grands prés: $1,037,550