Federal grants expand college child care access for low-income student parents

What it does

This bill reauthorizes and expands the Child Care Access Means Parents In School (CCAMPIS) program, which provides federal grants to colleges and universities to help low-income student parents access affordable child care. Eligible institutions receive $75,000 to $2 million annually for five years to establish or support campus-based child care, subsidized services, or before/after-school programs. The bill prioritizes institutions serving high numbers of low-income students (150+ Pell Grant recipients) and requires grantees to help student parents enroll in other assistance programs and meet quality standards within three years.

Why we flagged it

The bill's core mechanism is a straightforward federal grant program designed to remove a specific barrier (child care cost and availability) that prevents low-income student parents from completing postsecondary education. It is a targeted public investment in educational access and economic mobility.

What the text implies

• Quality standards (Head Start performance, state tiered systems, or national accreditation) required within 3 years may create compliance costs for smaller or rural institutions; institutions unable to meet standards may lose continuation funding.
• Sliding-scale fee requirement and prohibition on additional eligibility requirements (work, academic progress, enrollment intensity) may create tension with institutional budgeting if demand exceeds grant capacity.
• Mandatory enrollment assistance in means-tested benefits (SNAP, Medicaid, EITC, housing assistance) expands the program's reach beyond child care alone, potentially increasing administrative burden on institutions but also improving take-up of other safety-net programs.
• Annual public reporting of disaggregated demographic data (race, ethnicity, disability status, first-generation status, military/veteran affiliation) creates transparency but may expose disparities in access or outcomes by demographic group.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

Low-income student parents gain direct access to subsidized, quality child care, reducing a major barrier to college completion and economic mobility. The program includes safeguards (quality standards, sliding-scale fees, mandatory enrollment assistance in other benefits) and transparency (annual public reporting on outcomes and demographics).

Who stands to gain

• Low-income student parents (direct subsidy recipients)
• Eligible institutions of higher education (grant recipients)
• Campus-based and contracted child care providers (service delivery)

Named in the bill

U.S. Department of Education (Secretary), Eligible institutions of higher education, Student parents (Pell Grant eligible or near-eligible), Campus-based child care programs, State child care licensing/quality systems, Head Start, SNAP, Medicaid, EITC, housing assistance programs

Where it stands

8 cosponsors: 8 Democrats.

• Sep 18, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Sep 18, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Education and Workforce · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.