We applaud busy mothers and fathers who return to college to advance their careers. But do we truly understand how difficult it is for them to cover the cost of schooling while caring for their children?
The NPR Ed blog recently highlighted the struggles confronting many of the nearly 5 million student parents across the United States.
Just one state — Louisiana — provides what’s considered “affordable” center-based infant care, defined as averaging under 7% of the median income for a married couple, according to a Child Care Aware of America report cited by NPR.
If you live elsewhere, paying for child care can be a major barrier, forcing parents to choose between finishing their degree and supporting their family.
So much for having it all.
How Difficult Is It for Student Parents to Secure Child Care Assistance?
Federal support for child care exists for low-income students and families via the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). However, eligibility varies a great deal because block grants let each state set its own rules, NPR explains.
Using data from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), NPR mapped out how challenging it is for lower-income student parents in each state to access child care subsidies.
In many states, students must be employed, registered for a minimum number of credit hours, or meet academic progress standards to keep child care assistance. Some states limit how long a student can receive subsidies, and others only extend help to students in two-year or vocational programs.
Often, it’s a combination of conditions that pile up and feel unattainable for parents to satisfy.
Which states make aid the hardest to get? According to IWPR, Arizona, Kentucky and Washington require parents to work at least 20 hours per week while enrolled in school.
Rhode Island and Georgia impose enrollment-hour benchmarks, cap the duration of student assistance, and limit help to certain degree programs — a triple whammy of hurdles. NPR notes that in Rhode Island, students can only apply for CCDBG funds if they’re enrolled in training programs shorter than a year.
And on many campuses, the scene isn’t much better.
Do Colleges Provide Child Care?
Another option is finding an on-campus child care facility, but expect long waitlists.
A 2016 IWPR survey found that 95% of campus child care centers at two- and four-year institutions had waiting lists, averaging 82 children per center: IWPR’s study.
These lengthy waitlists reflect the disappearance of campus child care centers; over the past 13 years, the share of public four-year colleges with on-site child care dropped from 54% to 49%. At community colleges, the proportion fell from 52% to just 44%.
To illustrate, IWPR points out: “Vermont, ranked last, has only six institutions: one public two-year and five public four-year — and just one campus child care center.”
Vermont may have only 12,000 students in its public college system, but how many of those students are parents juggling finances while trying to complete a degree? Likely far too many.
See NPR’s chart to find out how hard it is to obtain child care subsidies in your state.
For student parents seeking alternatives, consider exploring available child care assistance, ways to save on child care, or locating affordable daycare options in your area.
Your Turn: Are you a student parent? How do you handle paying for child care?
