New Mexico’s Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) has requested $1.2 billion for fiscal year 2027 to expand universal child care and preschool programs, including making PreK available to all 3-year-olds in the state. The proposed budget was presented to the Legislative Finance Committee and represents a $196.2 million increase over previous funding levels.
According to ECECD, about 92 percent of the requested funds would go directly toward program support and provider reimbursements. Of the total request, $662 million is allocated for child care assistance, $278.6 million for New Mexico PreK, and $34.7 million for early intervention services.
The department says this funding aims to maintain New Mexico’s status as a national leader in early childhood investment while addressing gaps between service costs and what families can afford.
“Real solutions take time, coordination, and the courage to make investments for future generations,” said ECECD Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky. “ECECD’s budget request is about locking in and building upon historic gains — delivering stable, high-quality early learning opportunities in every corner of New Mexico, and showing that when we stay focused on children, families, and the workforce, process and partnership can deliver lasting results.”
Since launching Universal Child Care on November 1st, ECECD reports expanded access across income levels:
- 7,036 children from 6,206 families have been newly approved for child care assistance.
- One-third of these new enrollees were already income-eligible.
- The share of infants and toddlers served increased from 29 percent before expansion to 39 percent.
- Seventy-five percent of infants and toddlers are now enrolled with providers rated four or five stars.
Of the proposed $196.2 million increase:
- Over $186 million would be directed straight to family services.
- Universal Child Care would receive $160.6 million to maintain access, grow capacity by an additional 12,000 children served statewide, align reimbursement rates with actual costs of quality care—including an educator wage floor of $18 per hour.
- New Mexico PreK would see a $15 million boost aimed at expanding preschool options in both school-based and community settings.
- Home Visiting programs would get an additional $8 million; these services now reach every county in New Mexico.
- Early Intervention services would receive another $3 million; New Mexico was recently recognized as leading nationally in identifying developmental delays among young children.
An additional $9.6 million is set aside for data systems improvements, technical assistance efforts, and capacity building within ECECD.
Special appropriations totaling $40.4 million are also included:
$20 million for a revolving loan fund supporting facility expansion,
$10 million toward implementing wage scales,
$6 million dedicated to quality improvements,
$3 million earmarked for professional development in early intervention,
and
$1.4 million supporting local coalitions as well as a Tribal early childhood summit.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham established ECECD in 2020 by consolidating all state early childhood programs under one cabinet-level agency—a move that made New Mexico one of the first states with such centralized oversight. Since then ECECD has overseen major expansions in free PreK access along with record infrastructure investments throughout the state’s early childhood system.
