New Mexico wanted free childcare for all. This is what's worked — and what hasn't

A year ago in November, New Mexico became the first state to offer free childcare to every eligible family, regardless of income.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/7440x4962+0+0/resize/7440x4962!/quality/85/format/webp/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fbe%2Fe0%2F3d5979dc4a7ca8677703331dfaec%2Funiversalchildcare-npr-10-30-2026-177.jpg' alt='Children wearing Halloween costumes play on the playground of Kids Campus in Santa Fe, N.M.'/><p>A year ago in November, New Mexico became the first state to offer free childcare to every eligible family, regardless of income.</p><p>(Image credit: Nina Alexandria Riggio for NPR)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-6040194' />