Earning a college degree can have a profound and far-reaching impact on the lives of student parents and their children. However, without affordable, accessible child care, these academic goals face significant challenges. The lack of child care support affects student parents’ ability to dedicate time and energy to classes, study, and work.
The Struggle for Student Parents
Student parents work tirelessly to pursue their goals, often juggling work, classes, and caregiving responsibilities. For them, the lack of accessible and affordable child care is a significant barrier. Before they can focus on their education, they must ensure that their children are taken care of.
The Decline in Campus Child Care Services
Over the last decade, the availability of child care services on college campuses has declined. Community colleges, where a large share of student parents are enrolled, have experienced the steepest decline in offering child care services. This reduction poses challenges for student parents who rely on these services to balance their academic pursuits and parenting responsibilities.
The Impact on Student Outcomes
While the potential benefits of campus child care are clear, evaluating its impact remains challenging. Rigorous studies linking campus child care to student outcomes are scarce. However, we recognize the importance of addressing this issue. Here are some recommendations to enhance the role of campus child care:
Lottery Systems: Campus child care centers should establish lottery systems to fill slots when opening new centers or additional classrooms. This approach ensures fair access for student parents.
Data Collection: Institutions must regularly collect and analyze data on enrolled students’ parental status. Tracking academic outcomes for students served by campus child care centers (including waitlisted students) provides valuable insights into demand.
State Support: States should require institutions to report students’ parental status and their children’s ages. Additionally, directing state funding toward campus child care expansion supports student parents in need.
