Child Development Center Grant to Help Parents in Need

Childcare Grant to Provide Stipends to Student-Parents

Thanks to a federal grant, Parkland College's Child Development Center will be able to offer childcare stipends to full- or part-time students who are also parents.

Starting today, Parkland College students can apply for and receive help through the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) grant, designed to support the participation of low-income parents in postsecondary education through the provision of campus-based childcare services.

With the grant, full-time student-parents could qualify for 100-percent tuition coverage, while part-time student-parents could receive a prorated amount of coverage based on number of credit hours per semester. The grant will also expand the Child Development Center by two additional rooms to increase capacity, broaden comprehensive support services, and raise awareness of resources to single parents and pregnant students, says Adrienne Shockley, center director.

"The goal of this project is to help Parkland students with young children take advantage of the high-quality childcare available to them on campus," Shockley said. "The more barriers we can remove for student-parents, the more likely they are to complete their college studies and obtain careers that can sustain a high-quality of life for their families."

Available, affordable, and high-quality childcare for working families has been at the forefront of Sen. Tammy Duckworth's priorities along with fellow legislators who jointly introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Small Business Child Care Investment Act earlier this year.

"Shrinking childcare options make it even harder for student parents who are trying to balance college coursework and raising children," said Duckworth. "I'm proud that this funding will help Parkland's Child Development Center significantly increase access to childcare services so that more student parents in the Champaign area can focus on getting an education that will help them provide a better future for their families."

Eligible students will:

• have a 6-week to 5-year-old child in need of childcare and have successfully completed enrollment at PCDC
• be currently enrolled as a Parkland student
• maintain a grade point average of at least 2.5 out of 4.0 in subsequent semesters
• provide documents to determine financial need, credit hours, and GPA

Childcare tuition scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Priority consideration for any open spots will be given to low-income student families. Tuition coverage is awarded per credit hour.

For more information, please visit parkland.edu/childdevelopmentcenter or contact the Center at 217/373-3777.