Universal Child Care
About
New Mexico will become the first state in the nation to offer no-cost universal child care starting November 1, extending access to families regardless of income and saving families an average of $12,000 per child each year. This historic investment strengthens family stability, supports the workforce, and positions New Mexico as a national model for building a sustainable, high-quality early learning system.
Read the complete press release here.
Regulation Hearing:
All public hearings about Universal Child Care are scheduled for Thursday, October 9, 2025.
Spanish interpretation will be available. Click the bullets below for complete hearing details including Zoom link:
Universal Child Care in the News
Stay up to date on how New Mexico’s groundbreaking Universal Child Care program is being covered in the media. Check out recent articles, stories, and features highlighting this historic investment in families, providers, and communities.
- Washington Post: New Mexico is the first state to pay for free universal child care
- USA Today: First state to offer free universal child care. Who’s paying for it?
- ‘Eye on New Mexico’ Eye on New Mexico: Sept. 12, 2025 – KOB.com
- Source NM: New Mexico governor announces free universal child care
Stay tuned as more stories and videos are added to showcase how New Mexico is leading the way across the nation for families and providers.
Virtual Information Sessions
Family Informational Webinars
Family-specific informational webinars will be announced soon. Families are encouraged to attend these sessions to ensure the conversation is focused on their experiences and needs.
Recordings
Provider Town Hall: Saturday, September 20, 10 –11:15 a.m.
Send Us Your Question
ECECD created a submission form so providers, families, and community members can share their questions about Universal Child Care. Your input will help us prepare clear answers, focus on the topics that matter most to you, and ensure everyone’s voice is heard.
Resources
ECECD has developed resources for Universal Child Care, including fact sheets, a family-focused flyer, and a communications toolkit in English and Spanish — and more will be added soon, so please check back.
Meeting Families’ Demand for Child Care
New Licensed Centers
Supports 6,600 Children
New Licensed Homes
Supports 1,400 Children
New Registered Homes
Supports 4,000 Children
Supports 12,000 additional children in New Mexico.
Questions and Answers
Click the Families, Providers, or Community tab to see responses.
1. Who qualifies — will all families be eligible?
Families in New Mexico that are working or in school can apply for child care assistance. Grandparents raising grandchildren, families caring for babies born substance-exposed, families experiencing housing instability, and families involved with the Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) do not need to meet the work or school requirement. Only the child’s immigration status is considered for child care assistance eligibility; the child must be a U.S. citizen, legal resident, or qualified immigrant.
2. Who needs to apply?
- My child is already enrolled in child care — if you are not currently required to pay co-pays or fees, you don’t need to do anything! If you currently have a co-pay or pay fees, you must re-apply to update your enrollment and eliminate your payments.
- My child is not enrolled in child care — families not currently enrolled must apply.
- I was denied before because of income — you can reapply starting November 1. Income is no longer a reason for denial. Child Care Assistance hours are no longer tied to your work or school schedule.
3. When and how can I apply for universal child care?
November 1, 2025 is the first day families can apply under the new rules. Apply online at nmececd.org/apply-for-services. Here’s what you’ll need to apply:
- Current proof of income
- Birth verification for all children in the household
- Verification of school or training schedule for adults (if applicable)
- Picture ID for the applicant
- Proof of qualified immigrant status for those without a birth certificate from the U.S.
- Proof of New Mexico residency (current NM ID or NM driver’s license, lease, utility bill, or
mortgage) - Contact information for your ECECD approved child care provider
4. What happens after I apply?
Once you are approved for child care assistance, your benefits will begin on
the day your child starts care with an ECECD approved provider. Families with children currently enrolled in child care and paying out of pocket should ask their provider if they accept payments from ECECD. If they do, you can apply for assistance to help cover your child care costs, regardless of your income level.
5. How do I find an ECECD approved child care provider?
If you do not have a provider, use childcare.ececd.nm.gov to search more than 1,000 programs statewide by location, quality level, hours of operation, age, language, and more. For extra help,
call UNM Resource and Referral at 1-800-691-9067 or visit an ECECD office (locations available at nmececd.org/contact-us).
6. What programs are included?
Universal child care includes child care centers, home-based providers, before- and after-school programs, and summer programs. All programs must be licensed or registered by ECECD.
7. Is there enough child care to support families’ needs?
Building a universal child care system takes time; and while New Mexico has already made major progress, not every family will immediately be able to find a child care provider with room to accept a new child. To meet families’ needs, especially for infants, toddlers, and parents working non-traditional hours, ECECD is actively recruiting 1,000 registered home providers and 120 licensed homes in collaboration with our partners. Through low-interest loans and partnerships with business leaders, ECECD also hopes to license 55 more centers.
8. In a family where the parents are undocumented but the child is a U.S. citizen, can the parents apply for child care assistance? If yes, what steps are taken to protect the undocumented parents during the application process?
The child must be a United States citizen, legal resident, or a qualified immigrant. Only the citizenship and immigration status of the child is considered. Under federal regulations (45 CFR § 98.20(c)), eligibility for child care assistance cannot be based on the citizenship or immigration status of the parent.
To protect privacy, information in client files is confidential and only released in limited circumstances. Information from client files may be shared only if the parent has provided consent, there is a court order, or the information is necessary for program administration.
9. What language options do parents have available when completing the child care assistance application? If the application is not available in the parents’ home language, is a translator or other support available to parents to complete the application process?
If you speak a language other than English or Spanish, language support is available to help you complete the application. Please call 1-800-832-1321 or visit your local ECECD office Contact Us for assistance.
Prospective Providers
I am not licensed or registered, but I provide informal child care to my friends, family, and neighbors. How do I get paid for my care?
To get paid for care through the Child Care Assistance program, you must be either licensed or registered. If you care for 4 or fewer children, you can become a registered provider. If you care for more than 4 children, you are required to be a licensed provider and must go through the licensing process prior to providing care.
To become licensed or registered with ECECD, prospective child care providers must complete required paperwork, background checks, and health and safety inspections of the child care premises. Interested individuals can find detailed guidance on the ECECD website at https://www.nmececd.org/child-care-licensing-and-registered-homes/.
For personalized assistance, contact the Child Care Services Bureau at 1-800-832-1321 or visit your regional office: https://www.nmececd.org/contact-us/.
What is a registered home provider, and how do I become one?
Registered home providers are authorized to care for up to four children who don’t live in the home. Registered providers have fewer requirements than licensed homes, but still are regulated by the state to ensure children’s health and safety. ECECD pays registered home providers who care for children receiving Child Care Assistance. ECECD staff also visit the homes to make sure they are safe and give training to help providers do their jobs well.
ECECD has resources available online to support you in becoming a registered home provider. Please visit https://www.nmececd.org/child-care-licensing-and-registered-homes/
Growing Up New Mexico offers a variety of resources to help current and future home providers navigate state and local systems develop their businesses. Learn more at: https://growingupnm.org/programs/escalones/
For more information, contact:
Monica Archuleta, Director of Community Programs for Growing Up New Mexico at monicaa@growingupnm.org or Maria Wickstrom at Maria.Wickstrom@ececd.nm.gov
Current Providers Participating in CCA
How will universal child care impact how I get paid?
The reimbursement payment process for Child Care Assistance will remain the same. Providers will be paid every month based on children’s enrollment.
What reimbursement rates does the state pay for Child Care Assistance?
ECECD is proposing to increase reimbursement rates for every type of provider at each level of quality. These rates were developed from a cost estimation model created in collaboration with fiscal experts and local stakeholders to set rates at a level that supports the true cost of high-quality care and increased costs of living. New rates are proposed to go into effect on November 1, 2025.
You can view the new rates in the changes ECECD is proposing to the Child Care Assistance regulations. Use this link to view the changes at 8.9.3.17 (G) and at 8.9.3.17 (J): NMAC 8.9.3 – Proposed Changes
Current reimbursement rates can be found here: 2024 Reimbursement Rates Flyer
What are the proposed enhanced rates, and how do they work?
ECECD is proposing an enhanced reimbursement rate that providers can receive if they attest that they meet two conditions. This higher reimbursement rate recognizes providers’ investments in their staff and commitment to providing family-centered hours of care. To qualify, providers must:
- Pay all entry-level employees who participate in children’s care and education a wage floor of at least $18 per hour, according to the provider’s level of quality, and
- Offer care for ten hours a day, five days a week
You can view the enhanced incentive rates and minimum pay requirements that ECECD is proposing in the proposed changes to the Child Care Assistance regulations. Use this link to view the changes at 8.9.3.17(M) and 8.9.3.17(N): NMAC 8.9.3 – Proposed Changes
Will providers be required to be open for extended hours?
No, providers are not required to be open for extended hours or to change their hours of operation.
Providers who choose to be open ten hours a day, five days a week and meet minimum pay requirements for their staff will be paid a higher reimbursement rate as proposed in 8.9.3 NMAC. Only providers who wish to qualify for this enhanced rate must be open for the ten-hour time period.
What defines an “entry-level” employee for the enhanced rates pay requirements?
Providers who wish to qualify for enhanced rates will need to pay entry-level employees who participate in children’s care and education, including aides, subs, and floaters, a minimum wage according to their program’s level of quality.
The entry level employee minimum wage will not apply to non-instructional employees.
Do the enhanced rates stack on top of other reimbursement rates?
Providers can either receive standard reimbursement rates or special enhanced reimbursement rates. Reimbursement rates do not stack.
However, ECECD also pays a differential rate equal to 5%, 10% or 15% of the applicable full-time or part-time rate to providers who provide care during non-traditional hours. This will stack on top of reimbursement rates and is not a change from current policy.
How do the changes to wrap-around care and summer care impact providers?
Under the proposed rule, families will work with ECECD and their child care provider to determine the number of hours of care that work best for them. Families will be able to choose full-time care, wrap-around care, or part-time care.
Wrap-around care is child care that fits around other programs, like Head Start, Early Head Start, NM PreK, or school. It also includes care during summer breaks for school-age children. The proposed new rate for wrap-around care was designed to pay a steady, continuous rate to providers throughout the year for families who use part-day wrap-around care during the school year and full-day care in the summer. This rate is averaged throughout the year to create steady revenue for programs to cover the cost of full-time summer care and part-time school-year care for that child.
This change was adopted to reduce administrative burdens on families, child care providers, and the ECECD staff who currently process a large number of changes to their Child Care Assistance agreements at the beginning and end of the school year.
How do providers register or enroll in the Professional Development Information System (PDIS)?
ECECD is launching a Professional Development Information System, also called PDIS, to support child care workforce recordkeeping, compliance, and professional development. ECECD plans for the PDIS to be adopted in waves to ensure smooth implementation. Procedures and specific timelines for PDIS adoption will become available in the coming months. Providers are not required to be already participating in PDIS on November 1 to participate in the Child Care Assistance system.
Current Providers Not Enrolled in CCA
I am a private provider who does not participate in the Child Care Assistance program. How do I enroll and start accepting families with Child Care Assistance?
Child care providers choose whether or not to accept child care assistance when they complete the licensure or registration process with ECECD. If a provider wishes to begin accepting child care assistance after that time, they may contact the Child Care Services Bureau at 1-800-832-1321 or child.care@state.nm.us to participate.
Are private providers required to participate in the Child Care Assistance program?
No. Private providers are not required to participate in the Child Care Assistance program. In order to offer free child care paid by the state to your families, your program will need to participate in the Child Care Assistance program.
My private tuition rates are higher than the Child Care Assistance reimbursement rates. Can I charge families the difference between the Child Care Assistance rate and my private tuition rate?
Child care providers who accept payments from ECECD’s Child Care Assistance program are not allowed to charge families extra money. If they do, they could face administrative penalties (See 8.9.3.15(E) NMAC).
You may not charge copayments, registration fees, educational/activity or supply fees, transportation fees or any other fees to families enrolled in Child Care Assistance program.
Can private providers continue to charge private tuition rates to families who are not enrolled in Child Care Assistance?
Yes. Families will need to enroll in the Child Care Assistance program in order for their care to be reimbursed by the state. If a family does not enroll in Child Care Assistance, then they will need to pay the private tuition that you charge. Providers can continue to serve a mix of subsidized and private-paying families if they wish.
Are Child Care Assistance reimbursements subject to gross receipts tax (GRT)?
Providers may deduct their receipts from Child Care Assistance contracts from taxable gross receipts. This means if child care providers claim the deduction, they will not have to pay GRT on these receipts, though the receipts still need to be reported. Your program must participate in the Child Care Assistance program to enroll families in the Child Care Assistance program and claim this deduction.
Other/All
How much is universal child care expected to cost per year?
New Mexico expects to spend about $450 million in state fiscal year 2026 on child care assistance once universal access begins on November 1, 2025. We expect to spend less than $600 million in the first full year of implementation (state fiscal year 2027). Child care makes up the vast majority of the Early Childhood Education and Care Department’s budget, accounting for almost half of the requested $1.16 billion. This reflects the state’s commitment to helping families afford care.
How will this initiative be funded and remain sustainable?
The program is paid for using state and federal funding. This includes:
- The Early Childhood Trust Fund, created in 2020, which will produce over $300 million during the 2026 fiscal year (July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026).
- A change to the state Constitution, passed by 70% of New Mexico voters in 2022, that allows more money from the state’s Land Grant Permanent Fund to go to early childhood programs.
- Money from the state general fund.
- Federal money from the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDF) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which provide over $100 million each year.
All of these funding sources help make sure that New Mexico can keep investing in Child Care Assistance for the long term.
When will the Request for Proposals for contracted child care slots be released?
The Request for Proposals for contracted child care slots was released on September 22. More information is available on ECECD’s website: RFP #: 2026-1000 Infant and Toddler Contracted Slots Pilot Program | Early Childhood Education & Care Department
How many additional children will receive child care through the contracted slots Request for Proposals?
An estimated 1,500 infants and toddlers—including those with developmental delays, from low-income families in underserved communities—are expected to receive high-quality child care services through the Contracted Slots Request for Proposals.
Are business supports and technical assistance available to providers?
Opportunities are coming soon to support child care providers who wish to strengthen their business practices and align them with a universal child care approach. Here are some upcoming child care business training opportunities:
University of New Mexico Early Childhood Services Center – Strengthening Business Practices Trainings
- Strengthening Business Practices In-Person events (English):
- Albuquerque: Saturday, September 27, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Las Cruces, in-person: Saturday, October 18, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Strengthening Business Practices In-Person events (Spanish):
- Las Cruces: Saturday, October 4, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Albuquerque: Saturday, October 18, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Strengthening Business Practices Virtual events (Zoom)
- Spanish: October 6 and 7, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- English: October 8 and 9, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Additionally, please regularly check https://www.nmececd.org/childcareloan/ , where the department will be posting up-to-date information about other supports and technical assistance for child care providers.
What is FOCUS and how do I participate?
FOCUS is New Mexico’s tiered quality rating and improvement system (TQRIS). QRIS is a system for assessing, improving, and communicating the level of quality in early childhood education and care settings. The TQRIS assesses and assigns quality ratings, or star-levels, to child care programs. These assessments are based on essential elements of quality, including teacher/student ratios, quality interactions, professional qualifications and training, child participation, health promotion and developmental screening, classroom planning, and continuous quality improvement.
The FOCUS program and verification process are free to any licensed early childhood family child care home, child care center, or out-of-school time program. By participating in FOCUS and increasing your program’s level of quality, your program can receive a higher subsidy reimbursement rate and other benefits, including access to specialized training, professional development, technical assistance, and networking opportunities among other providers.
ECECD has resources available online to support you if you choose to participate. Please visit FOCUS Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System | Early Childhood Education & Care Department.
My program is nationally accredited. How does that align with FOCUS requirements?
If your program is nationally accredited through an accrediting body recognized by ECECD, you already qualify as a 5 Star quality program. ECECD currently accepts the following national accreditation bodies as 5 Star programs within the FOCUS system:
- Association of Christian Schools International (ASCI)
- Council on Accreditation (COA)
- International Christian Accrediting Association (ICAA)
- National Accreditation Commission (NAC)
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
- National Association of Family Child Care (NAFCC)
- National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA)
Coming Soon