Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 20, 2025 - 7:49 am
ECECD News:
LAS CRUCES — Tuesday, at the biannual Legislative Finance Committee’s (LFC) Early Childhood Accountability hearing, the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) shared Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s vision for a universal, high-quality, family-centered early childhood system.
ECECD Sec. Elizabeth Groginsky previewed new data and assessment tools aimed at strengthening accountability and transparency for policymakers, educators, and families with deeper insight into how early childhood programs are working across the state.
“By embedding accountability and transparency into every stage of system-building, ECECD is creating a sustainable, universal early childhood system that families can count on for generations,” Groginsky said. “These new tools give us a clear picture of what results we are achieving, allowing us to identify strengths, address gaps, and ensure every dollar invested creates real, measurable outcomes for New Mexico’s children and families.”
Groginsky responded to the LFC’s call for stronger program quality and data-driven accountability by presenting new public dashboards and updates on assessment tools. These resources are designed to strengthen quality, increase access, improve transparency and guide policy and decision making with reliable data—reflecting a shared goal of both the LFC and the agency to deliver better outcomes for New Mexico’s children and families.
Since 2019, with Gov. Lujan Grisham’s leadership and commitment and the Legislature’s strategic investments, New Mexico has expanded pre-K, home visiting, childcare, and early intervention programs and services, while also stabilizing and growing the early childhood workforce through higher wages, career pathways, and professional development—ensuring more families can access high-quality early childhood services.
Data presented to the committee showed strong gains since Fiscal Year 2021, with access to infant and toddler childcare projected to reach more than three-quarters of eligible families by 2027, and pre-K already at universal access for 4-year-olds and on track to achieve universal levels for 3-year-olds.