Biden-Harris Administration Awards More Than $13 Million to Improve Access to Child Care for Student Parents

The Biden-Harris Administration today announced more than $13 million in grants to 34 institutions of higher education to support or establish high quality, campus-based child care programs to meet the needs of student parents with low incomes enrolled on their campuses.

More than one in five students are parents and 42% of all student parents attend community colleges. High-quality child care provides benefits to children, their parents, and the economy at large

“I am a big believer in campus child care programs because I’ve seen how they break down barriers to upskilling and attaining postsecondary education for parents with young children—bringing the American Dream within reach for families across America,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “Today’s grants will help 34 colleges and universities raise the bar for how they support student parents as they work to earn degrees and credentials that will advance their careers and boost their earning potential. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to building an inclusive higher education system that’s accessible to students from all walks of life, including parents who dream of better futures for themselves and their families.”

For the first time, applicants for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) grant program were encouraged to propose ways to improve the quality of the services they provide, including through higher wages for childcare workers, which in return can significantly reduce turnover and are associated with better care and improved child outcomes. An important, measurable dimension of quality in early childhood settings is the nature of relationships and interactions between early childhood staff and children in the care setting, this year’s competition included an invitational priority aligned with President Biden’s Executive Order on Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers. The invitational priority was for applications from institutions that are working to improve the quality of campus-based childcare provided to the children of low-income student parents, which include increases in compensation and providing support services for early childhood teachers, using Federal and non-Federal funding as appropriate. Twenty-six out of the thirty-four institutions receiving awards will advance this priority as they extend critical child care support to student parents.

In addition to the CCAMPIS grants, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) also announced more than $75 million in grant awards it made in three other grant programs with FY23 funds to benefit underserved students at postsecondary institutions. These programs include the Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Part A grant program, the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) state grant program, and the Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP).

The Department awarded more than $6 million for 16 grants in the ANNAPISI Part A grant program. Last month, President Biden issued the first-ever Presidential Proclamation for National Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Week, and these grants are a key piece of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to elevate the significance of AANAPISIs and their role in higher education. This program provides grants and related assistance to AANAPISIs to enable such institutions to improve and expand their capacity to serve Asian Americans and Native American Pacific Islanders and low-income individuals.

The Department awarded more than $23 million to six states through the GEAR UP state grant program. This discretionary grant program is designed to increase the number of students with low incomes who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

The Department also awarded more than $46 million to 107 institutions under the Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP), a program designed to help eligible institutions expand their capacity to serve students with low incomes by providing funds to improve and

The CCAMPIS awardees are listed below: