Universally free early childcare will increase demand

The State of New Mexico announced that childcare will be free for all and that it is working to make sure the childcare infrastructure is in place across the state, including Doña Ana County, to help with the expected increased demand.

Kendal Chavez, deputy secretary of the state's Early Childhood Education and Care Department, told the Bulletin that universal childcare is expected to add about 16,000 children to the childcare system statewide with 12,000 of those expected to be infants and toddlers. The state says that it is working on getting more childcare slots around the state.

To help build access, the state plans to provide low interest loans and capital outlay dollars to help fund expansion and construction for more childcare centers.

One additional step that the state is taking is making it easier for home-based care providers to get paid.

"There is a lot of informal care happening in the state,” Chavez said. “We want to transition informal care into registered licensed care so we can compensate people for their time, make sure that they are getting background checks and that there is a health inspection.”

As of August in Doña Ana County, there were 13,065 children under the age of five with 6,042 of those receiving childcare assistance. The state agency said a recent analysis from 2024 found the state lacking 13,942 early childcare slots across the state, although Doña Ana County doesn't appear to be in the high-need category.

Within Doña Ana County, there are 90 childcare centers, 333 registered homes, 36 childcare group homes, and 40 licensed childcare homes that are part of the childcare assistance program.

“This is the number one priority now through the beginning of 2027 is creating, building and expanding access for the 12,000 infants and toddlers that currently are not supported by the system,” Chavez said.

The universal childcare program is as an expansion. In 2021 the state began offering universal childcare for families making 400% or less of the federal poverty level. Currently, that is about $129,000 for a family of four, according to the state agency. The new system will provide free childcare for all, regardless of income level.

Angela Owens, director of the Glass Family Research Institute for Early Childhood Studies, said that she believes this program will be very beneficial for families in Las Cruces because it will “alleviate some of the stress” that families at all income levels feel.

“As a former single mama, one of the challenges for me was figuring out not just how I was going to pay for the childcare but then it also took away from some of the brain capacity that I had to do my job because I was worrying so much about that,” Owens said. 

Owens also said that investment into universities will also be beneficial to growing childcare opportunities in Las Cruces and the state.

“That is kind of twofold. It makes sure that the students that are graduating will go into these future open spaces that are going to be built. It makes sure that we also have the capacity to show them what it could look like in an ideal setting as they are prepping to graduate and get back into the field,” Owens said.

The free childcare will go into effect on November 1.