Designation as Center of Excellence

The New Mexico Center of Excellence in Early Childhood Education received this legislative distinction for having developed a full-service center that has been providing early childhood and family services for decades. While the WNMU Center of Excellence in Early Childhood provides the highest quality child care, an active research site, family counseling center, professional development and numerous teacher preparation programs, it is the systems integration of early childhood services with the WNMU Family Counseling Center that earned the recent distinction.

The New Mexico Center of Excellence in Early Childhood Education has been a leader in innovative, service provision, training and education in the multi-faceted field of early childhood care and education for many years. As the ‘Center of Excellence’ legislative designation implies, Western New Mexico University has been working to, not only provide services and supports locally, but to extend that reach across the state with the goal of improving early childhood in every part of New Mexico.

Programs

The Early Childhood Programs are a division of the College of Education at Western New Mexico University, and the programs are under the management of the Director of the New Mexico Center of Excellence for Early Childhood Education. The programs provide early care and education for children eight weeks to five years of age and also serve as a laboratory site for university students from many disciplines. The Child Development Center and Growing Tree Infant Toddler Program are 5 Star licensed and nationally accredited by the National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Contacts

Director of the New Mexico Center of Excellence for Early Childhood Education
Phone: 575-538-6801

Laboratory Site Program Administrator
Phone: 575-538-6807