New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department

The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department's aim is to create a more cohesive, equitable, and effective early childhood system in New Mexico. That means coordinating a continuum of programs from 0-5 and ensuring that families in every corner of the state can access services they need. In 2019, Gov. Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico Legislature created the Early Childhood Education and Care Department. The Department officially launched on July 1, 2020. The Department’s aim is to create a more cohesive, equitable, and effective early childhood system in New Mexico. That means coordinating a continuum of programs from prenatal to five—and ensuring that families in every corner of the state can access the services they need. This work is informed by New Mexico’s Birth-Five Needs Assessment (Spanish version here) and the related Native American Perspectives report, which include feedback from thousands of New Mexicans. The Department also oversees child care programs—as well as food and nutrition programs—that serve older children and families. • VISION: All New Mexico families and young children are thriving • MISSION: Optimize the health, development, education, and well-being of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers through a family-driven, equitable, community-based system of high-quality prenatal and early childhood programs and services