OPINION: Funding universal child care this session will move New Mexico up

The New Mexico Legislature has a rare opportunity in the 2026 legislative session to help working parents and move New Mexico forward by establishing a strong financial foundation for quality, universal child care. For too long, our state has been disparaged for being last on national lists for various rankings of wellbeing. But thanks to the leadership of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and our state Legislature, New Mexico today stands as the first state in the nation to create free, universal access to child care. It’s a guarantee that lifts up families, children and our economy. While there is disagreement at this moment about particular funding levels needed to implement the policy, it is merely a hiccup. By standing together now, we will accomplish historic progress.

Over the past seven years, we already have achieved remarkable expansion of child care services across our state with bipartisan support and phased growth. The biggest jump in more children receiving free child care was in 2022, when the state’s eligibility cap for subsidy was raised to 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Creation of the Early Childhood Education and Care Department (NMECECD) also gave us a focal point to concentrate our administrative efforts successfully. When the governor announced free, universal child care on Nov. 1, 2025, approximately 25,000 additional children became eligible.

The actual costs of supporting a family in America today — and in New Mexico — have been going up for quite a while now, with growing inflation overall and the rising costs of groceries, health coverage, housing and child care. The cost of infant care for working parents is staggering, averaging around $1,127 a month, and preschool for 3- to 5-year olds around $800 monthly. 

New Mexico has the wherewithal to make universal child care a top public policy priority in the 2026 meeting of Legislature, and we will. Revenues continue to be strong, and we hold a state rainy day fund of over 35% of the state annual budget, a historic high. If we do it, thousands of working families across the state will be able to pocket the dollars for other purposes, making a profound difference in their household budgets and improving the quality of their lives.

Concerns that low-income families could be pushed out of accessing child care by making it universal are misplaced. New Mexico’s investments in the child care system benefit families across the whole income spectrum, including the lowest income families. The proof is that 41% families who have enrolled since Nov. 1 have incomes below the existing eligibility cap (400% FPL), according to the NMECECD’s recent Child Care Brief.

The number of New Mexico infants and toddlers being served has increased since November. Before universal child care, infants and toddlers made up 29% of the caseload; as of December, under universal eligibility, they accounted for 38% of new enrollments.

Child care provider capacity in the state is growing. Licensed child care slots have grown nearly 20% since 2019, and continue to increase. New capacity for 4,500 children is currently in the pipeline through a variety of supply-building strategies, including better rates for child care providers, and deployment of the new Child Care Revolving Loan Fund for infrastructure. In the past three months alone, 144 new provider applications have been received by the NMECECD.

Under our administration’s efforts, New Mexico’s critical child care workforce is growing. From 2019 to 2024, the child care workforce grew by 64% (ranking fourth in the U.S.), even as the national child care workforce declined. And increasing quality is a key element of our universal child care policy. 

Our administration’s cost projections are realistic and solidly based on historical data. The goal is slow and sustainable growth of child care. We know that not all eligible families will find care immediately, but we’ll get there. 

While attending nationwide gatherings of state and education leaders as part of my duties as lieutenant governor, I can confirm that New Mexico’s universal child care policy is the envy of every other state. We must continue our bold generational progress for New Mexicans.

While the Trump administration and Congress deepen cuts to federal services and budgets across the board, our state continues to invest, and with bipartisan support. This year’s state budget promises universal child care, free college, better schools and more health care protections. I am proud that New Mexico takes care of its own.

Howie Morales is the New Mexico lieutenant governor.