ECECD Early Childhood Community Newsletter: Monday, September 15, 2025
What's Inside: Join ECECD for Our Public Hearing on Child Care Assistance!, plus 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
Calling all Early Childhood Providers
The Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) invites you to a virtual Provider Town Hall on Zoom to learn more about the rollout of universal child care starting November 1, 2025. These sessions are a chance to hear updates directly, ask questions, and share your perspective.
Town Hall Options (Spanish interpretation provided at both):
Friday, September 19 | 5:30–6::45 p.m.
Saturday, September 20 | 10–11:15 a.m.
Same link for both events: https://nmececdorg.zoom.us/j/83917663588
Where to Find Resources
All universal child care materials will be housed the universal child care webpage: www.nmececd.org/universal . The page will be updated regularly and will include:
Draft proposed regulations
Notice of public hearing for rule making
Communication toolkit
One-pagers
FAQs
And more to come!
Please note that this townhall meeting is not part of the official rule making hearing that will be held on October 9, 2025 from 9-11am. Visit nmececd.org/regulation-changes for information on how to attend the public hearing and make official comments on the proposed rules.
Join ECECD for Our Public Hearing on Child Care Assistance!
ECECD is working to ensure that all New Mexico families and young children are eligible for child care assistance. To support this effort, ECECD is proposing new rules in the following areas:
8.9.3 NMAC - CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR CLIENTS AND CHILD CARE PROVIDERS
8.9.4 NMAC - CHILD CARE LICENSING; CHILD CARE CENTERS, OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMS, FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES, AND OTHER EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS
8.9.5 NMAC - NON-LICENSED CHILD CARE; REQUIREMENTS GOVERNING REGISTRATION OF NON-LICENSED FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES
Click the title to view the official notice.
Changes to these rules include:
Income limits for families to qualify for assistance will be eliminated.
Grandparents raising their grandchildren and CARA families will be eligible, whether or not they are working or attending school.
Providers will receive increased reimbursement rates, with an incentive rate for those who pay workers at or above specified wage minimums and operate five days per week, 10 hours per day.
Families can be presumed eligible for assistance for 90 days while they gather required documentation, allowing them to begin receiving care immediately.
Child care assistance hours for families will no longer be tied to work hours or class schedules.
Providers must participate in the Professional Development Information System.
Registered homes are no longer required to participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
You can read the full proposed rule on the ECECD website under Regulation Changes .
ECECD will hold a public rule hearing for the proposed amendments on October 9, 2025, from 9 to 11:30 a.m.
The public hearing will be held in person at Apodaca Hall in the PERA Building located at 1120 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502 and online via Zoom and phone.
To access the hearing via the internet: please go to https://nmececdorg.zoom.us/j/87500723914 and follow the instructions indicated on the screen – Meeting ID: 875 0072 3914. To access the hearing by telephone: place call to 1-669-444-9171, Meeting ID: 875 0072 3914.
Written public comment, including presentation of data, views, or arguments about the proposed rules, from any interested member of the public, may be submitted via email to ECECD-ECS-PublicComment@ECECD.NM.Gov with the subject line “8.9.3 NMAC, 8.9.4 NMAC, and 8.9.5 NMAC Public Comment” or via first class mail to P.O. Drawer 5619, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502 – 5619.
Written comments may be delivered to the Old PERA building at 1120 Paseo De Peralta on October 9, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Written comments will be accepted until the end of the public hearing on October 9, 2025.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact Maria Spray at maria.spray@ececd.nm.gov
September 15, 2025
What's Inside?
1. Reminders/Announcements
2. Events
3. Professional Development
5. Boletín en Español
Reminders/Announcements
New Mexico Becomes First State to Offer Universal Child Care!
ECECD is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking achievement for our state. November 1, 2025, New Mexico will become the first state in the nation to offer universal child care to all residents.
“Child care is essential to family stability, workforce participation, and New Mexico’s future prosperity,” said Governor Lujan Grisham. “By investing in universal child care, we are giving families financial relief, supporting our economy, and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to grow and thrive.”
What This Means for New Mexico Families:
This universal expansion will provide significant financial relief, with an average annual savings of $12,000 per child for families. Families who receive child care assistance report greater financial stability and the ability to choose higher-quality care settings, and now every family in New Mexico will have that same opportunity.
Supporting Our Valued Providers
To support our essential early childhood workforce, ECECD is taking decisive action:
Reimbursement rates will be raised to reflect the true cost of care.
An incentive rate will be offered to programs that commit to paying entry-level staff a minimum of $18 per hour and offer 10 hours of care per day, five days a week.
A $12.7 million low-interest loan fund has been established to help construct, expand, and renovate child care facilities across the state.
“Early childhood care and education is a public…