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This bill would help student parents at community colleges and minority-serving schools get free, high‑quality child care for babies and toddlers while they study. It creates competitive federal grants to plan, open, and expand on‑campus child care and to train more early‑childhood teachers, aiming to serve up to 500,000 children under age 3. It authorizes $9 billion for 2026–2030, with grants that generally run four years and are awarded through annual competitions.
Grant funds can pay child care costs, run or expand on‑campus centers, offer drop‑in care and care during nights, weekends, and breaks, and help families find care. Centers must be state‑licensed, meet high quality standards, and be free for student parents’ children under age 3, with priority for low‑income student parents. Staff must be paid at least a living wage and wages comparable to elementary school teachers, and standard background checks apply. Programs must be accessible (including ADA standards), follow limits on suspensions and expulsions, and keep care going when a parent takes a short break from classes or transfers to a nearby four‑year school. The bill also grows the local child care supply by funding training, mentorship, and small startup grants for providers, including home‑based care and services in languages other than English.
Beyond campuses, the bill would stop states from making child care assistance rules stricter than federal rules; it also boosts the federal match for states that pay infant‑toddler rates at least 75% of market rates. Colleges would have to clearly tell students with dependents how a dependent care allowance can increase their financial aid and how to apply for it.