March 7, 2025 Story by: Editor
The issue brief “Black Student Parents’ Access to Affordable Child Care Support at Community Colleges” explores the impact of the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program on Black student parents. It also presents legislative recommendations for congressional reauthorization and sufficient funding for this vital childcare initiative.
In 2025, access to CCAMPIS—a federal grant aimed at assisting student parents with childcare expenses—remains crucial for Black student parents. The rising cost of child care is a nationwide challenge, but it places an even heavier burden on student parents, who must balance higher education with raising a child.1 Black students in college are more likely to be parents compared to other racial groups at both two-year and four-year institutions. In 2020, over one-third (36 percent) of Black students attending community colleges were parents.2 Additionally, 40 percent of Black women enrolled in college are raising children.3
Black single mothers make up 30 percent of all undergraduate single mothers, with nearly 70 percent being first-generation college students.4 Meanwhile, Black fathers account for 19 percent of student parents, yet they have less access to childcare assistance compared to fathers of other races.5
Despite research indicating that on-campus childcare services boost student retention and graduation rates, overall availability has declined. Between 2004 and 2019, the percentage of public colleges offering on-campus child care dropped from 59 percent to 45 percent.7 The decline was even steeper for public community colleges, falling from 58 percent to 41 percent.8 Currently, only 38 percent of public two-year colleges and 21 percent of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) provide on-campus child care.9 Additionally, 67 percent of Black fathers attend institutions that lack such services.10
To be eligible for CCAMPIS grants, higher education institutions must have received at least $350,000 in Pell Grant funding in the previous fiscal year—or $250,000 when CCAMPIS funding exceeds $20 million. Institutions must navigate a highly competitive application process for a four-year grant cycle.
CCAMPIS grants can help reduce child care costs for Pell Grant-eligible students, fund campus-based or community-based child care programs, provide before- and after-school care, or offer additional student support services such as financial and career counseling.
Source: Joint Center
