Permanent Funding for Early Childhood
The constitutional amendment, Permanent Funding for Early Childhood, House Joint Resolution 1 (HJR1), invests resources into early childhood education and care programs throughout New Mexico.
Once approved by voters, the legislation will help expand access to programs that work for children and hard-working families in New Mexico and eliminate long waiting lists.
An Investment in New Mexico’s Future
Studies show that children are most likely to succeed in life when they enter school with specific language and early math skills, as well as a strong and positive sense of self-identity. Quality early childhood programs that develop young minds through culturally and linguistically appropriate methods are crucial to their future — and ours.
Investing in New Mexico children and families isn’t just the right thing to do, it's also the fiscally responsible thing to do. Research, including that of the Legislative Finance Committee, has proven that funding early childhood programs yields a 7%-13% return on investment. This return exceeds the average annual return from the stock market.
The Need is Great
Experts estimate that filling the unmet need in New Mexico for early childhood education and care services would require more than $400 million per year. Current investments in early childhood education and care programs fall far short according to a 2017 study by CHI St. Joseph's Children and Kenny Associates. To secure an adequate and sustainable source of funding, Invest in Kids NOW proposes extending the Common Schools portion of the annual distribution from the Land Grant Permanent Fund (LGPF), which is currently worth $20.8 billion, to include early childhood to assure reliable funding for services delivered during children’s most formative years.
HJR1’s proposed constitutional amendment will provide 1% of the Common Schools portion of the LGPF to fund early childhood education and care, representing about $180 million toward the unmet need.
HJR1 Supports Our Families and Our Future
House Joint Resolution 1 (HJR1) invests in hardworking New Mexican families and our future by improving educational and life outcomes. It will:
- Build an affordable, accessible, high-quality child care system that fits the needs of all families.
- Increase quality by supporting early educators (most of whom are women of color) with the just compensation and career ladders needed to raise this profession to higher levels.
- Support parents of young children with information about pregnancy, breastfeeding, the milestones of growth and development, positive discipline, and techniques to manage stress and anger.
- Ensure that our children are ready for kindergarten, reading by the 4th grade, and graduating from high school ready to contribute to their community.