Abby McCloskey, Bloomberg Opinion, March 25, 2026

“Free child care is starting to take root in the US. But is it good for kids?

Last year, New Mexico became the first state to offer free universal child care. This year, New York began offering free child care for children ages 0-3 in certain cities, with a goal of reaching all children under 5 by 2028. Massachusetts has set its sights on universal, high-quality preschool access for every 4-year-old in the state’s major cities by the end of 2026.

Even politicians in conservative states like Texas are jumping in. Senate candidate James Talarico, a Democrat, has called for establishing universal pre-K for every 3- and 4-year-old nationwide.

To the working mom writing this column, the need for better care options is clear. Most parents of young children work. Roughly a quarter of families with young kids are single-parent households. Half of American parents don’t live near grandparents, who are the most likely to provide backup care.

But not all kids benefit equally…”