ECECD Early Childhood Community Newsletter: Monday, March 2, 2026
What's Inside: Happy National Nutrition Month and Introducing PDIS + more
The full-text version of the ECECD Early Childhood Community Newsletter is available on the ECECD website here . La versión completa del Boletín semanal sobre el cuidado de los niños está disponible en el sitio web del ECECD aquí .
Featured Story
New Mexico's Professional Development Information System is here!
This free online platform allows early childhood professionals to track education, credentials, required trainings, and wages all in one place.
Who needs to enroll? ALL early childhood professionals across Child Care, NM PreK, Home Visiting, and FIT programs — including program directors and administrators and individual staff members.
Enrollment deadlines: Child care and community-based PreK professionals must enroll by May 1, 2026; Home Visiting and FIT professionals by July 1, 2026.
Want to learn more? Tuesday's Community Call will include a PDIS presentation!
To get started now, create your profile here , where you can link your background check and begin tracking your professional goals.
For support, email PDIS-Support@ececd.nm.gov or visit the FAQ page for more details.
March 2, 2026
What's Inside?
1. Reminders/Announcements
2. Events
3. Professional Development
5. Boletín en Español
Reminders/Announcements
FOCUS Training Waiver for Department of Defense Child Care Providers
In an effort to streamline requirements for our Department of Defense (DoD) affiliated child care providers, ECECD has waived three professional dev elopment training s required by the FOCUS quality rating and improvement system. These trainings are waived for all providers that are held to DoD training requirements, and who are already required by DoD to complete substantively similar professional development. See flyer for more information.
New Mexico Infant/Toddler Pay Parity
ECECD’s Infant Toddler Pay Parity Program recognizes the important work and experience of Infant Toddler educators and aims to provide pay levels comparable to teachers in public schools. The Infant Toddler Pay Parity Program is open to educators who work in a child care program and serve at least one child receiving child care assistance. See Infant Toddler Parity Flyer or visit Infant Toddler Pay Parity Program - Scholarship and Pay Incentive Programs for more information and eligibility requirements.
View more reminders on the full-text version of the Weekly Child Care newsletter.
The Impact of the Just Right Readers Partnership
Help Shape the Future of Early Childhood: 2026 Family Engagement Survey is live
Building the Future: FY27 Home Visiting Application
New Mexico Earns an EXEMPLARY Score on the 2026 National Child Care Finder Scale!
ECECD-Teachstone Webpage is Live!
Discover the Power of Nutrition this March
Streamlining Compliance: Introducing the New Regulatory Provider Compliance Portal
View More Reminders
Recommended Reading:
Radio: Universal Childcare bill awaits governor's signature (KRWG Public Media)
Online Story: New Mexico enshrines universal child care program into law (AP News)
Online Story: Universal child care clears NM House, heads back to Senate for final approval (Source New Mexico)
Online Story: New Mexico is making child care free for all working parents. Why isn’t Colorado? (The Colorado Sun)
Online Story: Senator who called for fiscal restraint now champions child care bill (Searchlight New Mexico)
Events
March Early Childhood Community Call on Zoom
You’re Invited! March Early Childhood Community Call. Join ECECD Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky and special guests on the first Tuesday of every month from 8–9 a.m., to discuss important issues pertaining to the New Mexico early childhood community. The next Early Childhood Community Call will be tomorrow Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
Did you miss last month’s Community Call?
Recordings: English | Spanish
Presentations: Community Call Presentation February 2026
Zoom Meeting Details (same link every meeting):
Join via Zoom
Telephone: 669-900-9128 or 253-215-8782
Webinar ID: 958 5783 9577
View more events on the full-text version of the Weekly Child Care newsletter.
Stirring Up Goodness: National CACFP Week is March 15-21, 2026
View More Events
Upcoming ECECD Event s:
March Early Childhood Community Call | Tuesday, March 3, 2026
National Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Week | March 15-21, 2026
Professional Development
Upcoming Summer Food Service Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program Trainings from the Family Nutrition Bureau
ECECD is pleased to share information regarding upcoming training opportunities for the Summer Food Service Program and the Child and Adult Care Food Program, provided by the Family Nutrition Bureau and its partners. These sessions are designed to provide essential program guidance and support for professionals across the state.
Upcoming Training Schedule
Tuesday, March 10, 2026: SFSP Annual Training, Schools | 8 a.m. via Zoom – Contact christine.juancho@ececd.nm.gov
Wednesday, March 11, 2026: SFSP Annual Training Non-Schools (ITOs and Govt) | 8 a.m. via Zoom – Contact christine.juancho@ececd.nm.gov
Wednesday, March 11, 2026: CACFP Nutrition 102 - Advanced (English) | 8:30 a.m. in Albuquerque – Contact ECECD-NET@ececd.nm.gov
Friday, March 13, 2026: CACFP Nutrition 102 - Advanced (Spanish) | 8:30 a.m. in Albuquerque – Contact ECECD-NET@ececd.nm.gov
Wednesday, March 18, 2026: CACFP Nutrition 103 - Infants (English) | 8:30 a.m. in Albuquerque – Contact ECECD-NET@ececd.nm.gov
Friday, March 20, 2026: CACFP Nutrition 103 - Infants (Spanish) | 8:30 a.m. in Albuquerque – Contact ECECD-NET@ececd.nm.gov
Saturday, March 28, 2026: Anthony Regional Early Care and Education Conference (RECEC) for Home Providers – Contact Adela Trujillo, CAASNM, trujilloa@caasnm.org
View more Professional Development opportunities on the full-text version of the Weekly Child Care newsletter.
FOCUS Redesign: Spring…