Big step for early childhood investments

Dear Friend,

The New Mexico Education Enhancement Act, legislation that I introduced to help us unlock major investments in early childhood education in New Mexico, just passed unanimously out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee with bipartisan support. It now goes to the full Senate for consideration.

In March 2021, the New Mexico Legislature passed House Joint Resolution 1, a historic resolution that proposed a state constitutional amendment to the voters to invest the state’s permanent funds in early childhood education programs. The Legislature asked for authorization at the federal level from Congress—which is what my legislation would accomplish—as well as approval from New Mexico voters on the proposed constitutional amendment.

This new, consistent level of investment will help us deliver high-quality early childhood education and care to all of the children in our state so all of our kids can arrive at their first day of kindergarten ready to learn. We will also be able to grow our early childhood workforce and provide long-needed and consistent support to the childcare providers and fair wages to early childhood teachers across our state.

Investing in the success of our future workforce will set a much stronger foundation for our state’s economic development and competitiveness. When we improve New Mexico’s education and childcare system, we make our state a much better place to raise a family, to start or expand a business, to find a good-paying job, and to hire the best and brightest employees.

If we want future generations to succeed and thrive, we need to commit real resources to increase opportunities for them and their families—especially in their earliest years. We are now one big step closer to transforming our children's future by investing in their success at the level they have long deserved.

Sincerely,

MARTIN HEINRICH
United States Senator