Lessons from New Mexico: A Roadmap for Universal Child Care
New Mexico’s child-care story illustrates what becomes possible when families, educators, and policymakers share a common purpose. Since taking office, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has made early learning a centerpiece of her agenda. This focus has moved from promise to policy, culminating in the state’s landmark decision to offer no-cost child care for all families. That victory reflects years of listening to communities, investing in durable funding streams, and refusing to accept poor outcomes for children as inevitable.
Building Stable Funding for Early Learning
Historically, New Mexico has faced some of the nation’s most troubling child well-being indicators. Rather than continuing along that path, state leaders joined forces with communities to secure long-term revenue. Oil and gas proceeds were redirected into an Early Childhood Trust Fund, giving early learning programs a stable source of support. That financial foundation has sustained universal pre-K and free child care even as the broader economy shifted.
Policy did not move on its own. Parents, providers, and allies organized, testified, and turned out to vote. Their persistence changed who held power and shaped the values carried into legislation. The creation of the Early Childhood Education and Care Department marked a turning point, ensuring the birth-to-five years had a dedicated voice in state government. From there, policies aligned with community priorities: expanding child-care assistance up to 400% of the federal poverty level, eliminating co-pays, and adopting a cost-based reimbursement model that paid providers for the true cost of quality care.
Constitutional Protection and Expanding Access
In 2022, voters approved a constitutional amendment to secure ongoing funding through the Land Grant Permanent Fund, with nearly 70% of ballots in support. That decision placed early childhood education among the state’s protected investments. The state continued building on that foundation by expanding universal pre-K for four-year-olds, strengthening provider wages, and supporting facility growth so families could access care where and when they needed it.
In September 2025, New Mexico announced its boldest move yet: eliminating income limits so every family could access no-cost child care. Beginning November 1, 2025, families are expected to save $12,000–$13,000 per child each year. The plan also included low-interest loans to help programs grow and wage incentives for providers, setting entry-level pay between $18 and $21 per hour. These changes not only reduce costs for families but also create stability for the workforce delivering this care.
A Blueprint for California
New Mexico’s progress provides a community-driven model: treat child care as essential infrastructure, invest in stable revenue, raise provider wages, and keep families at the center of every decision. California already has key building blocks — a strong provider community, committed advocates, and statewide momentum. What remains is aligning resources and leadership with the urgency families feel every day.
As federal commitments waver and state budgets tighten, New Mexico reminds us that bold action is both possible and necessary. For California, this is more than inspiration; it is a call to carry forward advocacy that ensures children, families, and educators have the future they deserve.
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