The Biden administration announced Thursday that over $13 million in grants were proposed to support child care programs at higher education institutions, per a press release.
Awarded as part of the Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program, the funding aims to help meet the needs of student parents with low incomes, the release said.
“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,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in the statement.
According to the announcement, the Biden administration spread the funding across 34 higher education institutions, ranging from $65,700 to $500,000. The trustees of the University of Illinois were one of several institutions to receive $500,000.
For the first time, CCAMPIS applicants were encouraged to propose ways to improve the quality of child care services they provide, the statement said.
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The statement added that these proposals included higher wages for child care workers, which is associated with better care, improved child outcomes and reduced turnover.
CCAMPIS applicants were also encouraged to align their proposals with President Biden’s executive order to increase access to high-quality care and support caregivers.
The order aims to improve the quality of campus-based child care provided to the children of low-income student parents, which includes increases in compensation and providing support services for early childhood teachers, the statement said.
