Colorado Officials Study New Mexico Free Child Care Model at Denver SunFest

The hum of the convention center in downtown Denver is a far cry from the quiet tension of a parent trying to find a spot for their toddler in a crowded play area, but the stakes are just as high. On Friday, May 1, at Colorado SunFest 2026, the conversation shifts from abstract policy to the immediate, exhausting reality of raising children in a state where the cost of care can swallow a paycheck whole.

The question is whether Colorado can replicate the success of its neighbor to the south. New Mexico launched a program last year offering free, full-time, year-round child care to all parents with infants and children up to age 13. It was a bold, expensive move. Now, state officials are asking: How did they do it, and what would it take for us?

Elizabeth Groginsky, New Mexico’s secretary of the Early Childhood Education and Care Department, is there to explain the mechanics. She’s not just talking about subsidies; she’s talking about a fundamental shift in how the state views early education — as infrastructure, not a luxury.

“New Mexico’s approach was about removing the barrier entirely,” Groginsky says. “We weren’t trying to help families who could barely afford care. We were ensuring that every family, regardless of income, had access to high-quality, full-day care. The goal was to support the workforce and the economy simultaneously.”

That distinction matters for locals who have watched their own child care costs climb. In rural communities across the Western Slope, the shortage isn’t just about price; it’s about availability. A spot in Montrose might be affordable, but if the center closes at 3 p.m. or is three hours away in Grand Junction, the math doesn’t work for a single parent working a full shift.

Lisa Roy, executive director of Colorado’s Department of Early Childhood, knows the Colorado landscape well. Appointed by Gov. Jared Polis in 2022, she leads the state’s push to build a similar system, though she admits the path here is more complex. Colorado’s population is more dispersed, and its funding models are more fragmented than New Mexico’s.

“We’re looking at a different scale,” Roy says. “New Mexico has a smaller population and a more centralized structure. We have to account for the rural-urban divide. If we just copy their model dollar-for-dollar, we might miss the mark on quality in the mountain communities or the eastern plains.”

Mary Alice Cohen, chief program officer at the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, adds that the focus isn’t just on opening doors, but on keeping them open. Her role involves overseeing licensing and the workforce that staff those centers. The crisis isn’t just a lack of spots; it’s a lack of workers. Teachers are leaving the profession because the pay doesn’t match the stress.

“The data confirms the urgency,” Cohen notes. “If we don’t invest in the workforce, we can build all the centers we want, and they’ll sit empty because there’s no one to staff them. We’re looking at holistic support — pay increases, better benefits, and professional development, to keep caregivers in the system.”

The panel isn’t just about spending money. It’s about deciding what kind of society Colorado wants to be. Do we treat child care as a private responsibility for individual families, or as a public good that supports economic stability?

Groginsky believes the answer is clear. “When you free up parents; especially mothers - to re-enter the workforce, you boost the tax base. You reduce the need for other social services. It’s an investment, not an expense.”

Roy is more cautious about the timeline. “We’re building a foundation,” she says. “It won’t look exactly like New Mexico’s, and it won’t happen overnight. But the direction is set. We’re moving toward a system where no parent has to choose between their career and their child’s well-being.”

The real test will come when the legislation hits the floor. Locals will be watching to see if the funding reaches the rural counties that need it most, or if it stays concentrated in the Front Range metro areas. For now, the promise is there. The execution is what matters.

“We’re not just talking about care,” Groginsky says. “We’re talking about opportunity. And that’s something every Coloradan can get behind.”