OLÉ is celebrating our members’ role in building the first Universal Child Care system in the country. Now, we are focused on collaborating with our incoming, new governor to shape this system into a model for the country, addressing serious flaws that have reinforced historic inequities and limited the State’s capacity to meet the rising demand for free, high-quality child care.
Our work will begin with winning professional wages for early childhood educators. The universal childcare system depends on educators. But when the pay is too low to join or stay in this job, thousands of families can’t access the care they need. And as providers continue to see high turnover among educators, New Mexico’s quality of care suffers as our youngest children experience the churn through teachers who leave the profession as a result of financial insecurity.
OLÉ members have worked on, pushed for, demanded, and lobbied for funding for the long-promised wage scale and career lattice that will reward educators’ credentials, education, and experience. Early educators will make full implementation of the ladder, benefitting all early educators, its top priority
OLÉ members have been fighting for early childhood education for as long as we’ve been around (16+ years!) We organize early childhood educators, parents, families, and community to fight for quality childcare for all children, and fair wages for early educators. We need every voice in this fight – including yours.
Our Wins:
2026: Universal Childcare is codified into law with Senate Bill 241
2026: Early educators win a $60 million appropriation for educator raises through the Wage and Career ladder. The administration, however, diverts these funds for other purposes.
2025: Universal Childcare is announced and begins!
2022: Constitutional Amendment #1 passes with over 70% approval of voters statewide, guaranteeing the right and permanent funding for early childhood education for all families.
2021: HJR 1 passes the NM state legislature after new leadership takes over.
2019: SB 22 passes to create the Early Childhood Education & Care Department
2018: OLÉ and the New Mexico Center on Law & Poverty win our lawsuit against Governor Susana Martinez, forcing her to raise child care income eligibility to 200% FPL.
OLÉ members in the news:
Childcare advocates criticize New Mexico’s plan for wage and career scale
New Mexico childcare providers push back on proposed universal childcare wage mandate How to screw up universal childcare
Early childhood workers rally support for wage scale amid uncertainty from state
New Mexico now offers free childcare for all. Here’s how parents and teachers made it happen
This state will be the first to offer free child care, regardless of income