The University of New Mexico is expanding childcare services after its Children’s Campus received a $4.71 million award from the state Higher Education Department.
The fund will support the first phase of a long-planned expansion, increasing the campus’ licensed capacity by 52 children. The project is part of a statewide initiative to expand childcare at five colleges and universities.
Officials said the expansion will give dozens of families greater access to early childhood education while helping parents pursue degrees, careers, and research.
The Children’s Campus serves student parents, faculty, staff and community families, aiming to remove barriers to higher education and workforce participation. It also provides young children with a strong educational foundation during their most critical years of development.
In addition to childcare, the campus functions as a model early childhood laboratory where students, researchers, and professionals teach, learn, and conduct studies alongside children and families.
Award to Fund First Phase of Expansion
The award follows more than 18 years of planning and advocacy to expand the Children’s Campus. The nationally accredited program, ranked among New Mexico’s premier early childhood education centers, serves hundreds of children each year. Still, more than 2,400 remain on its waitlist.
“This funding from the New Mexico Higher Education Department is transformative for the University of New Mexico Children’s Campus and the families we serve,” said Daniela Baca, director of the campus. “For nearly two decades, we have envisioned expanding our capacity to meet the growing demand for high-quality early childhood education, and this award allows us to finally take that important first step. Childcare is educational infrastructure, and as UNM continues to grow, including the planned expansion of the School of Medicine, investments in childcare become even more essential to supporting students, faculty, staff and New Mexico’s future workforce.”
The $4.71 million grant funds the first phase of a $39.5 million long-term expansion plan. The project will add four classrooms for infants, young toddlers, older toddlers and early pre-K children, increasing licensed capacity from 271 to 323.
The Children’s Campus has secured philanthropic support, in addition to the state award, to create outdoor learning environments that complement its nationally recognized, play-based approach to early childhood education.
Why the Funding Matters
The funding addresses rising childcare demand, which continues to outpace available space. Children’s Campus serves infants through prekindergarten children, but demand is expected to grow as UNM expands.
The expansion also supports UNM’s efforts to become a more family-friendly campus. UNM uses FamilyU and the Parenting Student Dashboard to identify and support parenting students. It considers dependable childcare essential to student persistence and completion.
“For parenting students, access to dependable, high-quality childcare can mean the difference between persisting toward a degree or delaying their educational goals,” Baca said.
Planning and design are already underway. Construction is anticipated to begin by December 2026, and the new classrooms are expected to open by December 2027. The Children’s Campus will preserve continuity of care and maintain a stable learning environment throughout the project. It will continue normal operations during construction.
“This expansion is about more than adding classrooms. It is about creating opportunities for children to grow, for parents to achieve their educational and career goals, and for the University of New Mexico to continue building a university where children, families, and future generations can thrive from the very beginning,” Baca said.