New Mexico revolutionizes child care: Families benefit now!

New Mexico revolutionizes child care: Families benefit now!

Over the past five years, New Mexico has established itself as a leader in supporting families with young children. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in new child care programs to make living easier for families. These initiatives have not only improved the lives of Santa Fe residents but have also received national recognition. Officials in other states view the programs as models for similar funding projects. New Mexico is known for its impressive nature, but also for its exemplary measures to support families and develop young citizens, such as 112.ua reported.

A key element of this effort is a constitutional referendum that ensures funding for early childhood education from the state's oil and gas fund. This fund, which was founded in 1912, is financed through taxes on non-renewable resources. The funding enabled New Mexico to provide more than $150 million in child care subsidies to families with incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty level. Currently, over 30,000 families benefit from this program, which has waived existing co-payments. This package of measures not only has a direct impact on families, but also on the state's economy by enabling parents to stay in work or pursue training, such as NBC News reports.

An example of financial change

A concrete example of the program's impact is the family of Maggie Wright-Oviedo and her husband JJ, who live in Santa Fe. They benefit from state childcare, which is free of charge for them. Wright-Oviedo estimates that without the program, they would have to spend at least half of their take-home pay on child care. Thanks to the eliminated costs, they now have the opportunity to reduce debt and hopefully build their own home soon.

The program represents a significant political victory for Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who advocated for these measures in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022. The Vice President of the USA, Kamala Harris, has also taken up the issue of child care and is proposing to limit the costs to 7% of the family income.

Positive effects on the pay of carers

Another positive aspect of the program is the pay of the educators. The salaries of early childhood professionals have been increased through these initiatives. Entry-level employees now earn at least $15 an hour, while experienced educators can earn as much as $20 an hour. At many facilities, such as Kids Campus Santa Fe, over 90% of families qualify for free child care. These changes have resulted in early childhood educators being able to earn more than New Mexico public school teachers.

Recognizing the challenges many families face, particularly the rising cost of child care, New Mexico has adopted an innovative model that benefits both parents and caregivers. By specifically investing in early childhood education, the state has created an example that could potentially serve as a guide for other states.