I’ve been working in early childhood education for a long time. I’ve seen policy changes, funding shifts, and bold ideas come and go.
But what New Mexico just did is different. It's historic.
Starting November 1, 2025, every family in the state will have access to free, universal child care. That means families in the state will pay zero dollars for care.
This is a huge deal.
Since 2022, we’ve been focused on building the infrastructure behind this moment: helping providers succeed, making it easier for families to find care, and streamlining licensing across the state by partnering with ECECD to improve the licensing flow. This historic move builds on the breakthrough in 2022, when New Mexico became the first state to offer free child care to families earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level. That expansion alone lifted 120,000 people out of poverty, and began reducing the state’s already eye‑opening poverty rate.
Let’s be clear.. this isn’t a wish list or a headline without a plan. New Mexico is backing this with real investment. They created a dedicated fund to finance universal child care and built it from voter support and legislative action. That includes a constitutional amendment to tap into the state’s Land Grant Permanent Fund, which has now grown to over $9 billion.
That’s not just bold. It’s smart. It’s sustainable. And it’s replicable.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky have shown what’s possible when state leaders commit to a vision and follow through with resources and partnerships.
We’ve been on the ground in New Mexico since 2022. From the beginning, our partnership with the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) has been focused on making sure the system works, for families and for providers.
We’ve been supporting this in three main areas:
Through Elevate New Mexico Child Care, we’ve helped programs across the state get access to coaching, financial tools, technology, and one-on-one support. This isn’t just a training initiative. It’s a business backbone. When providers have strong financials, clear operations, and consistent enrollments, they stay open. They thrive.
And when that happens, families get more options. More access. More quality.
One of the first things we worked on with the state was the New Mexico Child Care Finder. It’s a tool that allows families to easily search for licensed programs based on location, availability, age group, language, and more. No more calling around. No more endless guesswork.
This kind of visibility is especially important in a state like New Mexico, which doesn’t expand supply through new builds. That means the only way to increase access is by making sure families can find what’s already there, and by helping providers stay open.
This is about families. This is about our workforce. This is about equity.
Free, universal child care means families don’t have to choose between work and care. It means a mom can finish her degree. A dad can accept that second shift. Grandparents raising kids can get support without extra paperwork. And children get safe, enriching, developmentally appropriate learning environments from day one.
It also means providers, especially those running in-home or small programs, can be supported as the entrepreneurs and educators they are. With the right tools, they can run stable, profitable programs while delivering world-class care to their communities.
As we look ahead to November 1, 2025, New Mexico will become a national model. Not just because they’re offering free child care, but because they’re doing it in a way that’s structured, thoughtful, and sustainable.
They’re investing in infrastructure. They’re supporting providers. They’re working with partners.
And they’re treating child care like the essential infrastructure that it is.
We’re honored to be part of this story. We’re proud of the work we’ve done together. And we’re excited to keep building.
If you’re a policymaker, a parent, or a provider reading this and thinking, “Could this work where I live?” .. I want you to know the answer is yes.
Find a child care program that meets your needs from thousands of listings using our Child Care Finder. If you're a provider, create a listing to get discovered by families near you!