In August 2022, Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS) opened a low-cost early learning center to serve children of district employees between the ages of 12 months and three years. The center was created with, and is now supported by, Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding and a state subsidy for licensed child care providers.
The SFPS Early Childhood Center is licensed by the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department, and is located in a district elementary school. It is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., five days a week, and aligns with the SFPS school-year calendar for teachers. Forty-four seats are available, with 12 for 12-month-old children, 16 for two-year-olds, and 16 for three-year-olds. Students are selected through a lottery system.
Of the 44 available seats, 70% are offered to district teachers and 30% to district staff. Monthly costs range from $150 a month for educational support professionals to $250 a month for teachers, administrators, and district staff.
Program leaders hope that the SFPS Early Childhood Center will assist with employee retention across the district and demonstrate a firm commitment to staff well-being.
Sources:
Dynarski, C. (2022, April 8). SFPS to Open SFPS Early Childhood Center for Employees’ Children. Santa Fe Public Schools.
Santa Fe Public Schools. (n.d.). SFPS Early Childhood Center.
Connections to Key Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) Findings:
The early education workforce is the foundation upon which all daily work and any expansion and quality improvement efforts rest. Research suggests that states and cities should invest in the workforce across all early education setting types, focusing on enhancing educators’ professional learning, compensation, and workplace conditions.
Findings from the Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) show:
- Early educators play a critical role in supporting the well-being of young children and families across setting types.
- Yet their pay, benefits, and other professional supports are often inadequate in light of the job demands and their cost of living.