New Mexico Takes a Big Step: Free Child Care for Everyone

New Mexico has made a historic move by offering free child care to all families, regardless of income. This initiative aims to boost the state's economy and improve its rankings in education and child welfare.

How It Works

• State Vouchers: New Mexico is providing vouchers to cover child care costs at both public and private centers.
• Long-Term Plan: The idea has been in development since 2019 when the state created a special department for early childhood education and care.

National Context

• Connecticut: Recently passed a law making child care free for families earning less than $100,000 a year.
• New York: A mayoral candidate has proposed making child care free for everyone.

Impact on Families

• Cost Savings: Families like Allyson O’Brien, a special education teacher in Taos, used to spend around $12,000 a year on child care. Now, they can allocate that money to other needs.

Challenges

• Capacity: New Mexico needs to create nearly 14,000 more child care slots and hire 5,000 more educators.
• Investment: The state is investing $12.7 million to build and expand child care facilities and increasing pay for child care workers to at least $18 an hour.

Stakeholder Perspectives

• Alison McPartlon: Runs a child care center in Taos and notes high demand, hoping higher reimbursement rates will attract and retain educators.
• Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham: Emphasizes the program's role in helping families work, go to school, and lift themselves out of poverty.

Funding

• Source: Money from the Early Childhood Education and Care Fund, which has grown to around $10 billion mostly from oil and gas taxes.
• Cost: The program is expected to cost about $600 million each year.

Research and Rankings

• Impact: Research shows that good quality child care can improve education outcomes, especially for low-income families.
• Current Rankings: New Mexico has consistently ranked last in both education and child well-being.

Criticism

• Rebecca Dow: A Republican state representative argues that families should have the choice between free child care and a monthly tax credit to stay home with their kids, citing concerns about meeting demand.