Mar 30, 2026

ECECD Early Childhood Community Newsletter: Monday, March 30, 2026

What's Inside: Child Care Assistance Program Act and 2026 Workforce Survey + 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

Child Care Assistance Program Act: A Historic Victory!

During the 2026 legislative session, the New Mexico Legislature approved Senate Bill 241 (The Child Care Assistance Program Act). This landmark legislation codifies the Child Care Assistance Program and establishes Universal Child Care for families working or in school, making New Mexico a national leader in early childhood policy.

Key Highlights of SB241 :

Codifies Universal Child Care : Ensures long-term program integrity and quality across administrations with a focus on equity.

Sustainable Investment : Allows for up to $700 million in appropriations from the Early Childhood Trust Fund over the next five years.

Financial Relief for Families : Waives copayments for families with household incomes at or below 600% FPL and establishes clear safeguards for fiscal sustainability.

Workforce Support : Utilizes a Cost Estimation Model to ensure reimbursement rates reflect the true cost of quality care, including adequate wages for staff.

Strengthens Transparency and Accountability : Implements new reporting requirements to track program growth, participation by demographic, and the overall health of the child care sector.

This achievement was made possible by the dedication of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, the New Mexico Legislature, and the thousands of advocates, providers, and families who championed this policy.

Click here to read the full SB241 Post-Session Fact Sheet here.

March 30, 2026

What's Inside?

1. Reminders/Announcements

2. Events

3. Professional Development

5. Boletín en Español

Reminders/Announcements

New Mexico Early Learning Standards

New Mexico's Early Learning Standards (ELS) will soon be available in English and Spanish. The ELS are a developmental framework describing what children from birth through age 5 know and are able to do. They replace the previous Early Learning Guidelines and were shaped by community input and the latest child development research.

To support a thoughtful transition, ECECD is releasing the ELS ahead of formal implementation. This gives practitioners, programs, and partners time to review the new developmental framework and begin exploring how it connects to their work.

ECECD is developing an implementation plan and practitioner resources. These will help you understand what the ELS mean for your setting and how to use them in your work. Practitioner engagement opportunities are being planned for the coming months, and your input will directly shape the tools that are developed.

Join the Community Call at 8 a.m., Tuesday, April 7, 2026, for more information about the ELS.

Check Your Inbox for the 2026 Workforce Survey

ECECD is partnering with the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE) at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of New Mexico Cradle to Career Policy Institute (UNM CCPI) to survey early educators in the state.

CSCCE and UNM CCPI are surveying center directors, home child care providers, and center-based classroom lead teachers and assistants to 1) evaluate the New Mexico’s Infant Toddler Pay Parity Program and 2) to assess the overall impact of the state’s investments in the child care system on its educators.

These surveys were launched in mid-March; directors, owners, and classroom educators will receive direct outreach with instructions for completion.

Center directors, as well as licensed and registered home-based providers, will receive a $30 Amazon gift card upon survey completion as a token of appreciation.

Center-based classroom lead teachers and assistants who complete the survey will be entered into a drawing for a $100 electronic gift card for every 25 participants. Please look out for survey links arriving via direct communication.

View more reminders on the full-text version of the Weekly Child Care newsletter.

Public Comment Opportunity: Plan of Safe Care for Substance-Exposed Infants

Update to Planned Prospective Payments for Child Care Providers

Choose the Summer Food Service Program

Discover the Power of Nutrition this March

FY27 Home Visiting Application Now Available

View More Reminders