Origin of the NM Early Learning Advisory Council 
In 2008, federal law required states to establish early childhood education and care advisory councils. New Mexico 
established its council in 2009 with a broad membership of stakeholders. The council is staffed by the state’s Children 
Youth and Families Department. The CYFD received a three-year federal grant to launch and support the council, 
resulting in a blueprint for New Mexico’s early childhood system. 

Council Goals: Equal Opportunity, Program Alignment, Quality Learning 
The council’s work focuses on all children having equal opportunities for success in school, based on access to an 
aligned and quality early learning system. To accomplish this goal, the council identified New Mexico’s seven major 
early education and care systems and transformed them into a “system of systems.” These seven federal, tribal and 
state systems include: 
• early intervention 
• home visiting 
• Early/Head Start 
• childcare 
• family support 
• early childhood special education 
• New Mexico PreK 

This approach recognizes the need for system-wide change and improvement as well as the need for alignment of 
programs and effective use of resources. The council’s efforts will also focus on aligning the early childhood system
with the public school system (kindergarten through third grade).