New Mexico PreK is a voluntary preschool program created by the Pre-Kindergarten Act of 2005. The PreK program is jointly administered by the Public Education Department and the Children, Youth, and Families Department. Children who have reached their 4th birthday by September 1st are eligible to attend a PreK program. The purpose of PreK is to ensure every child in New Mexico has the opportunity to attend a high quality early childhood education program before kindergarten. The purpose of New Mexico PreK is to:
- Increase access to voluntary high-quality pre-kindergarten programs
- Provide developmentally appropriate activities for New Mexico children
- Expand early childhood community capacity
- Support linguistically and culturally appropriate curriculum
- Focus on school readiness
ECECD PreK Grant 2021 Application (PDF)
ECECD PreK Grant Application Program Info Template (PDF)
Submission of Grant Applications are due on March 31, 2021 at 1:00 P.M. Late submission of Applications will not be accepted.
ECOT TRAINING

Canvas Preschool Teacher Support Site
- WIDA Membership Benefits
- WIDA Early Years Account Registration Information
- WIDA Early Years Modules
- WIDA Early Years Store Discount
- WIDA ELD Standards Guide
- Early Spanish Language Development Standards Resource Guide
- Can Do Descriptors
- Can Do Booklet
- The Connection: New Mexico Early Learning Guidelines and the WIDA Early English Language Development Standards
- ABCs of Family Engagement
NM Early Childhood Toolkit- Census Bureau (PDF)
Tantrums, Tears and Tempers (PDF)
Early Literacy – Parents Play a Key Role (PDF)
Family Involvement Ideas 2019 (PDF)
Build Relationships 2019 (PDF)
Family Activities Skills 2019 (PDF)
Family Activities Math 2019 (PDF)
Family Activities Reading 2019 (PDF)
Tips for Separation Anxiety 2019 (PDF)
New Mexico Association for the Education of Young Children
The PED would like to spotlight the Brown Early Childhood Center’s PreK Family Handbook (PDF) and the Las Cruces Public Schools Early Childhood Program Family Handbook (PDF) as exemplar family handbooks.
Scholarships for Teachers and Educational Assistants
FOCUS Menu of Practices 2020-2021 (PDF)
The Early Childhood Observation Tool
BOY Blank PreK 3Y Quick Look Recording Sheet (DOC)
MOY Blank PreK 3Y Quick Look Recording Sheet (DOC)
EOY Blank PreK 3Y Quick Look Recording Sheet (DOC)
BOY Blank PreK 4Y Quick Look Recording Sheet (DOC)
MOY Blank PreK 4Y Quick Look Recording Sheet (DOC)
EOY Blank PreK 4Y EOY Quick Look Recording Sheet (DOC)
PED Photograph and Video Release Form (DOC)
PED Photograph and Video Release Form – Spanish (DOC)
Preschool Home Visit Information (DOC)
Preschool Essential Indicator Classroom Labels (DOC)
New Mexico Early Learning Guidelines – Revised June 2020 (PDF)
OSEP Technical Assistance Network (PDF)
PreK Guidance to Coding and Licensure October 2 2019 (DOC)
PreK Modifications and Adaptations (PDF)
Curriculum Modifications (PDF)
Characteristics of Dyslexia (PDF)
PreK Helping Children with Physical Disabilities 2019 (PDF)
PreK Helping Children with Social and Emotional Disabilities 2019 (PDF)
Inclusive Practices Tool (DOC)
Child Outcomes Summary Form (DOC)
Brady’s Outcome Summary Form (DOC)
Data Workshop Cheatsheet (DOC)
Contact Us
Jerry Apodaca Education Building
300 Don Gaspar Avenue
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Name | Phone | Title | |
---|---|---|---|
Brenda Kofahl | (505) 827-6627 | brenda.kofahl@state.nm.us | Director, Early Childhood Bureau |
Catherine Quick | (505) 827-6561 | catherine.quick@state.nm.us | Early Childhood Special Education (619) Coordinator |