TL;DR
Get baby and family essentials delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
A study by Arizona State University professor Chris Herbst found that, after New Mexico introduced universal free child care, lower-income mothers’ employment and work hours rose, while higher-income mothers worked less on several measures. The findings describe different changes in families’ choices; longer-term effects on children and the program’s public finances remain unknown.
A new study of New Mexico’s universal child care program found that lower-income mothers increased their employment and work hours after the policy took effect, while higher-income mothers reduced work on several measures. The findings, reported by The 74 and attributed to Arizona State University professor Chris Herbst, offer an early look at how free child care may affect families’ work choices in the first U.S. state to enact such a program.
Herbst compared mothers’ labor-market outcomes in New Mexico before and after the policy with outcomes for mothers outside the state. His analysis used monthly U.S. Census Bureau data collected from May 2019 through August 2026, according to The 74. The report does not provide a journal publication or further methodological detail, so the findings should be read as estimates from the study rather than proof that child care alone caused every change.
For lower-income mothers, the study reported an 18% rise in labor-force participation and an 18% rise in employment after the policy. Full-time employment increased by 23%, while weekly hours worked rose by 15%. The figures are reported as changes associated with the period after the program began; the source does not specify here the exact comparison interval or whether the percentages are relative or percentage-point changes.
For higher-income mothers, Herbst found labor-force participation fell by 8%, full-time employment by 17%, and weekly work hours by 10%. He offered two possible explanations: some mothers may have cut back to spend more time with children, while others may have reduced work to attend school. Those explanations are interpretations, not separately confirmed outcomes in the figures cited.
Different Work Changes by Income
The findings suggest the program may be changing more than whether parents can take a job. For families facing high child-care costs, access to free care may make paid work financially possible; for some higher-income households, the policy may create room to study or spend more time at home. The reported shifts point to different effects across income groups, rather than one uniform response.
That distinction matters to policymakers evaluating a program intended to expand access to care. Employment gains may affect household earnings and tax revenue, while reduced work may reflect choices families value. The study does not establish the net fiscal effect or show that the program has paid for itself. Herbst told The 74 that it was too early to know, though he described the outlook as promising.
Longer-term effects may extend to children, but they are not yet measured by the employment results. The report says additional income could give some families more to invest in children, while parents with more time at home may also affect children’s experiences. Those possibilities require separate research and should not be treated as established outcomes.
affordable child care for toddlers
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Why New Mexico Offers a Rare Test
The 74 reported that New Mexico became the first state in the country to enact a universal child-care program the previous November. The policy gives researchers a U.S. case to study, complementing research on programs in places such as Quebec and Norway. The report describes New Mexico’s care as free to participating families.
Herbst told The 74 that the state’s program gives researchers an opportunity to examine universal child care in a U.S. setting. He has also studied the Lanham Act, a federal effort during World War II that supported child-care centers so women could work. According to the report, New Mexico did not participate in that program. Findings from earlier programs offer context, but they do not determine how the current policy will affect New Mexico families.
Under the eligibility rules described in the report, adults in a household must work or take part in another qualifying activity, such as school, but there is no minimum number of hours. That provision could allow some parents to pursue education part time while retaining access to care.
“Disadvantaged families can now afford to work.”
— Chris Herbst, speaking to The 74
universal child care programs for preschoolers
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Causation and Long-Term Effects
The source report does not include the study paper’s full methods, confidence intervals, sample sizes, or detailed comparison periods. Those details would help readers judge how precise the estimates are and how much of the change can be attributed to the policy rather than other factors. The figures also do not explain why individual mothers changed their work patterns.
It remains unclear whether the employment gains will persist, how the program affects wages and household income, and whether increased tax revenue offsets public spending. The study described here focuses on mothers’ labor outcomes, not children’s development or later educational results. The report says those outcomes could take longer to observe.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Further Evaluation of the Program
Researchers will need additional years of data to test whether the reported work changes continue and to study outcomes beyond employment. Later research may examine family earnings, public costs, children’s development, and educational attainment. No specific next report or publication date is given in the source material.
For now, the findings provide an early assessment of how New Mexico’s policy is associated with mothers’ work choices. Any broader conclusion about the program’s costs, benefits, or effects on children remains provisional.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
What did the study find for lower-income mothers?
It reported 18% increases in labor-force participation and employment, a 23% increase in full-time employment, and a 15% increase in weekly hours worked after the program began. The source does not specify whether the percentages are relative changes or percentage-point changes.
What changed for higher-income mothers?
The study reported declines of 8% in labor-force participation, 17% in full-time employment, and 10% in weekly work hours. Herbst suggested some mothers may have spent more time at home or attended school, but the report does not confirm those reasons for each family.
Does the study prove free child care caused the work changes?
The analysis compares outcomes before and after the policy in New Mexico with outcomes outside the state. The source presents the changes as findings associated with the program, but does not supply enough methodological detail to treat every change as definitively caused by child care access alone.
Has New Mexico’s program paid for itself?
That is not yet known. Herbst said it was too early to determine whether the policy will pay for itself through increased employment and related tax revenue.
Are effects on children included in these findings?
No child-development or long-term education results are reported in the employment findings. The source says those effects may take longer to study.
Source: rss
Cold & flu season Picks
humidifiers
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
