This historic wage increase will help New Mexico build a stronger child care system that supports, recruits, and retains qualified educators
Release Date: Nov. 1, 2022
ABOUT
Early childhood educators are some of the lowest paid workers in the economy, and the low wages pervasive in the industry remain the single largest barrier to staffing classrooms and expanding child care access in the country. The new grant, Competitive Pay for Professionals (CPP), which is initially funded with $77 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars, will provide a critical support for child care providers statewide who are struggling to recruit and retain educators for their classrooms. The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) projects that at least 16,000 child care staff across the state stand to benefit from the pay raise provided through the CPP grant. Applications will open on November 1.
The State created the CPP grant opportunity in response to a growing early childhood professional shortage felt in communities across the state, especially in rural areas, with a majority of child care programs reporting one or more classrooms closed due to lack of qualified staff. Under CPP, the state will provide funding to any applicant among New Mexico’s 951 licensed child care programs that attests that staff will receive a $3/hour wage increase.
The CPP grant is part of a wider strategic effort by the State of New Mexico to build and support a diverse, credentialed, and well-compensated early childhood workforce that is the backbone of a high-quality early education system.
Application Process
Click each step for additional details.
1. Obtain a System for Award Management (SAM) number
This step can be done before Nov. 1, 2022
- Providers are required to obtain a System for Award Management (SAM) number for Federal awards since they are considered subrecipients of this federal funding
- The Federal Government has transitioned from the use of the DUNS Number to the SAM number for Federal awards government-wide: sam.gov/content/home
- SAM registration checklist and fact sheet
2. Register for the EPICS Provider Dashboard
This step can be done before Nov. 1, 2022
- Providers will use the EPICS Provider Dashboard to opt-in the CPP grant opportunity and to enter staff hours: EPICS Child Care Provider Dashboard Information and Support
- Providers will need to take a 30-minute training on the on the New Mexico Early Learning System (NMELS) website. Create a free NMELS account here: https://nmels.org
- Upon completion of training, providers will be prompted to complete and submit an access request form via email to ececdecs-providergovernance@state.nm.us
3. Opt-in to the CPP grant opportunity through the EPICS Provider Dashboard
Click here to view an example of the EPICS Provider Dashboard CPP opt-in screen.
4. Update and validate the information for all employees on EPICS Provider Dashboard
To update and validate, you will need:
- Job title
- Part-time/Full time
- Current hourly wage
- Working at multiple locations (Yes/No)
- Primary language spoken
- Highest level of education
Click here to view an example of the EPCIS Provider Dashboard employee screen.
5. Enter Monthly Hours Worked on EPICS Provider Dashboard
Click here to view an example of the monthly hours worked screen.
Eligible Child Care Facilities
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- Licensed centers and licensed homes providing child care services
- Head Start and Early Head Start facilities that provide child care (per federal funding requirements)
- Tribal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funded facilities
NOT-ELIGIBLE
- Registered homes and food only programs
- Head Start facilities that do not provide child care services (per federal funding requirements)
- Licensed child care facilities that are closed
Eligible Employees
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- All on-site staff providing or supporting child care services (teachers, educational assistants, cooks, bus drivers, directors) with active ECECD issued background check clearances
- Head Start/Early Head Start staff (with active ECECD issued background check clearances) that provide child care (per federal funding requirements)
- Head Start/Early Head Start staff are eligible for CPP funds ONLY for the hours they work to support child care services rendered at the Head Start/Early Head Start (per federal funding requirements)
- Background check clearances must be associated with a licensed child care facility
Downloadable Materials
ECECD hosted a CPP informational webinar on October 21, 2022. Click the links below to download the webinar materials:
- Zoom Recording: English or Spanish
- Compensation Office Hours Presentation in English and Spanish
- Webinar Q&A (Updated Feb 2023): English Q&A︱Spanish Q&A
Technical Assistance and Support
Available in English and Spanish beginning Nov. 1, 2022.
- English CPP Grant Support: 505-236-4085
- Spanish CPP Grant Support: 505-539-4889
- Email: ececd.grants@crecnm.org
CPP Terms and Conditions
Click to view CPP Terms and Conditions in English, and CPP Terms and Conditions in Spanish.
Office Hours
CPP Office Hours have concluded. Click each date for Zoom recording.