Despite working in child care for 25 years, Crystal Romero has never seen a shift like the one taking place in New Mexico. “Twenty years ago, I had to furnish classrooms by shopping at thrift stores and yard sales, sanding things myself and repainting them,” she said.  Today, Romero and her husband own and manage Early Learning Academy, which consists of four child care centers in the Albuquerque region; they are under contract to add two more locations in 2026. With approximately 165 employees and close to 700 children enrolled, Romero says they are the highest-paying child care pro...

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