Courtesy photo: Students gather around the table to share breakfast and start the day.
Supporting families means supporting educators
By Rebecca Baran-Rees
On a recent morning in Santa Fe, Destiny Montoya served breakfast to the children in her care: bowls of Cheerios, strawberries, and yogurt. As she filled water bottles and settled little ones at the table, the room was full of warmth and chatter.
“I really enjoy this work,” Destiny said. “I’ve always known I could do it, and it’s something that makes a difference for families.”
Her living room, now the heart of her child care program, is bright and welcoming. Sunlight pours through wide windows, shining on colorful posters that encourage early learning in numbers, letters, and social-emotional skills.
Destiny’s story reflects larger shifts across New Mexico, where families and the educators are at the center of new investments in early care and education.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s announcement of Universal Child Care marks a milestone for New Mexico families. This step means thousands across the state will now have access to affordable and reliable care, removing one of the greatest barriers families face.
Starting November 1, families can apply through the state and choose an approved registered or licensed provider that accepts Child Care Assistance through the Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD). For families, the change means no income limits and no co-pays, making child care free. It also means stability: Parents can stay in the workforce, pursue education, or train for new opportunities while knowing their children are safe and learning.
Santa Fe father Brian Lewis had recently become a parent when the announcement was made. His son, Russell, was born at the end of June, and Brian described the first months of parenthood as both joyful and transformative. “It has been a very special transition into parenthood. While it is early in our journey, the joy has been amazing. We have enjoyed watching him evolve, even in just these first few months.”
With that perspective, he welcomed the state’s announcement. “When it was announced, my wife and I were excited and relieved to know that we would be able to send our son to a high-quality child care program without stressing about the financial burden. We knew that if we were feeling the relief, then parents across the state would too.”
Courtesy photo: Learning together: Destiny and her students in the heart of her classroom.
He added that families in other states often struggle with costs while trying to pursue their careers. “This announcement could make people see New Mexico as one of the most viable states to raise a family without sacrificing career outcomes. For us, it means we can choose the child care that is right for our family without worrying about prohibitive costs.”
Even as families celebrate, the demand for child care still far exceeds the supply of registered and licensed educators. State leaders say New Mexico will need about 12,000 more child care spaces to meet families’ needs, which could mean opening dozens of new centers and more than a thousand home-based programs.
Destiny began her business after realizing, while working at another center, that she had both the passion and the skills to open a home-based program of her own. When she and her husband bought their house in late 2023, she recognized its potential. By May 2024, she was welcoming families into her new program.
“Parents from my previous center even wanted to follow me over, which was such a compliment,” she said.
She started small, first as a registered home and then became licensed for six children. Now she is working to expand into a family group home for 12.
Destiny maintains a waitlist of about 30 children, most of them infants and toddlers, and families often contact her a year in advance.
She is also motivated by a long-term vision. “I really enjoy this work, and I know I can keep building step by step. One day I hope to open a center where even more families can find care.”
According to a recent state child care gap study, Santa Fe is one of the counties in greatest shortfall, with an unmet need of roughly 1,500 child care slots and 150 to 250 educators. Families in Santa Fe already know what the data confirms: long waitlists and limited options make it hard to find care during the years when it matters most.
These gaps show that Universal Child Care is not only about reducing cost barriers; it is about ensuring educators have the support, training, and pay to meet families’ needs. Statewide, educators benefit from support offered by Growing Up New Mexico, a local nonprofit that works with home-based providers through coaching and incentives tied to training, licensing, and business growth.
In Santa Fe, initiatives like APRENDE, an apprenticeship program at Santa Fe Community College (SFCC), blend hands-on learning with coursework and allow educators to earn while they learn. Catron Allred, Executive Director of the SFCC Early Childhood Center for Excellence recalls “In designing aprende, we wanted to provide a program to bring new folks into early childhood, support them in getting a degree, give them real experience working with children, and engage providers in the community. It’s been an incredible success for Santa Fe.” These local efforts have been strengthened by broader community partnerships.
Santa Fe’s Early Childhood Steering Committee (ECSC), a local coalition funded by the ECECD, helped pave the way for APRENDE. The group developed a workforce plan and successfully advocated for stimulus funding from the City of Santa Fe, which made the program possible.
Courtesy photo: Art time at the new table sparks imagination and collaboration.
Since its launch in 2022 with city support, more than 100 apprentices and pre-apprentices have participated. Employers report more hires, more bilingual staff, and stronger classroom support. These results help keep educators in the field and support Universal Child Care.
For Destiny, professional development is part of her vision for growth. She has taken a few classes at the SFCC and values programs that combine coursework with on-the-job experience, like APRENDE. What she would like most now is training focused on the business side of child care.
“I’d like more in-depth training on the business practices: budgeting, taxes, hiring. That’s what stops many of us from growing.”
Destiny’s dedication goes beyond paperwork and logistics. Each day, she plans meals, cleans, and sets up activities that spark curiosity and joy.
When asked why she wants to remain in Santa Fe despite high costs, her answer is simple: “Because there’s such a need here. Families really need more infant and toddler care, and I want to help.”
She adds, “I hope Universal Child Care supports providers as much as families, because it has to work for both.”
In New Mexico, early childhood educators are the heart of a strong child care system. They nurture children during the most critical years of life, guiding toddlers through their first words, friendships, and earliest learning. Yet too often, these educators face low wages and limited career pathways.
Destiny’s home classroom demonstrates the promise of Universal Child Care in action. New Mexico now has the chance to show the nation how investing in educators can transform child care for every family. When educators thrive, families thrive, too.
Courtesy Photo: A classroom family: Destiny and her students together.
Rebecca Baran-Rees, vice president of policy and community development, and Ana Wooldridge, communications specialist, are with Growing Up New Mexico, an early childhood nonprofit that supports young children and families through early learning, family support, and home-based child care initiatives. Learn more about our statewide work with home-based educators at growingupnm.org/programs/escalones/.
