New Mexico's Free Childcare Faces Capacity Limits

New Mexico’s universal no-cost child care program has helped enrolled families access care they otherwise could not afford, but demand is outstripping providers’ capacity, leaving many children on long waitlists. About half of the state’s roughly 67,000 children age 5 and under are enrolled, while families and officials face the challenge of expanding supply and meeting the program’s costs. Montana advocates and lawmakers are studying New Mexico’s approach as they consider ways to strengthen their own early-childhood system, particularly infant and toddler care, though no universal program is expected soon.