By Erica Jedynak
As New Jersey’s new governor and Legislature begin their work, state leaders inherit a number of unresolved education challenges. One of the most overlooked—and most immediately addressable—is the long-frozen Interdistrict Public School Choice Program.
Created with bipartisan support, the program was designed to empower students to attend public schools outside their zoned districts when those schools better meet their needs. Over time, however, state-imposed enrollment caps and participation limits have left the program largely stagnant. For more than a decade, growth has remained constrained even as family demand has continued to rise.
Today, more than 2,000 New Jersey students are on waitlists for interdistrict public school seats. At the same time, many participating districts report having the space and capacity to enroll additional students immediately. Families are seeking access to public schools that already exist and are willing to serve them, yet policy barriers continue to stand in the way.
This is not a question of creating new programs or laws. It is a question of whether a public school option, already on the books, can function as originally intended.
The effects of the enrollment freeze have been uneven across the state. Participation limits and capped growth have restricted access for families in communities with fewer in-district options, leaving the program short of its original promise. Over time, rigid attendance boundaries—often shaped by socioeconomic and historic factors—have continued to dictate access, even where better-fit public school options are available nearby.
In some cases, the consequences extend beyond frustration. New Jersey families who attempt to enroll their children in public schools across district lines can face criminal penalties related to address-sharing violations, including the possibility of jail time. These laws were never meant to criminalize parents seeking a public school environment that better supports their child, yet archaic mechanisms continue to expose families to unnecessary legal risk.
Public sentiment has increasingly diverged from current policy. A poll conducted by yes. every kid. found that 58 percent of likely New Jersey voters support expanding open enrollment to all school districts, allowing any child to attend any public school that best meets their needs. Sixty percent support letting families decide which public school their child attends. Yet the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program remains capped, leaving thousands of students on waitlists — a growing gap between voter support and policy reality that is becoming harder to ignore.
What makes this moment notable is not simply the change in leadership, but the practicality of available solutions. Clearing the existing waitlist would be a targeted, near-term step that could be addressed through the state budget process. Reviewing enrollment caps and participation barriers would allow the program to grow in response to district capacity and family demand, rather than artificial limits. And the demand is not theoretical; it is reflected in the thousands of families already waiting for access.
Many districts have already indicated they could accept additional students if existing barriers were lifted. The infrastructure is in place, and the state has already committed $62 million to support the program. The demand is clear. What remains is a policy decision.
As New Jersey’s new administration and Legislature begin setting priorities, the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program represents an early opportunity to reduce waitlists, modernize outdated rules, and expand access to public education.
Every child in New Jersey deserves access to a public education that supports their growth and meets their needs. Addressing this long-standing enrollment freeze would be a practical step toward making that principle a reality.
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ERICA JEDYNAK is the COO for yes. every kid., a leading national advocacy organization with a family-first approach to transform education. She lives in Morris County with her husband and son.
