§ 18A:6-79 — Establishment and operation; projects; plan and development; implementation

The Commissioner of Education and the State Board of Education shall have the authority and responsibility to plan for, establish and operate demonstration model early child development centers. These centers, in voluntary cooperation with local school districts or other public agencies, shall concentrate on the cognitive and affective development of children aged 3 to 6; including but not limited to health, dental hygiene, mental health, language and computation skills development, nutrition, socialization, and recreation. The centers shall design projects within an experimental framework of early childhood education and day care support in order that unproven educational ideas, equipment, methods and approaches, newly developed curriculum materials and reliable educational techniques can be objectively tested and evaluated and their value to local school districts and other early childhood programs be demonstrated. The educational centers shall be planned and developed (1) to demonstrate an educational approach to day care that has widespread use and adaptability to local educational agencies, and (2) to procure and use Federal and private resources in combination with State resources to attain State educational goals. The Commissioner of Education shall, with the approval of the State Board of Education, promulgate rules and regulations, establish procedures, employ personnel, and take all other necessary steps to insure the implementation of the provisions of this act. L.1971, c. 149, s. 1, eff. May 20, 1971.