Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that four Oregon colleges will receive a combined more than $400,000 from the Child Care Access Means Parents in School program to support parents as they complete their higher education.
“Completing a degree program is challenging under most circumstances, but can be especially difficult when trying to navigate child care,” Wyden said. “I am gratified that Oregon State, Lane Community College, OSU-Cascades and Central Oregon Community College have earned the dollars to support Oregon student parents in their educational endeavors.”
“Every Oregonian who chooses to seek higher education deserves the support they need to succeed regardless of whether or not they are a parent,” Merkley said. “I am grateful this grant will allow colleges across Oregon to provide quality child care service to low-income families and encourage participation with entities of higher learning. The need for child care should not be a barrier to obtaining a college degree and I will support any parent who aspires to achieve that milestone.”
The Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program provides grants to higher education institutions to support the participation of low-income parents in postsecondary education through the provision of campus-based child care services. Grants may be used for before- and after-school services. The grant dollars will be distributed as follows:
- Oregon State University: $220,000
- Lane Community College: $114,061
- Oregon State University-Cascades: $30,000
- Central Oregon Community College: $60,675
“Oregon State University-Cascades is located within a childcare desert, which means the region’s parents lack sufficient quality child care options. With this U.S. Department of Education grant, we will be able to better address the critical needs of our student parents and their children with access to an on-campus child care and early learning center led by early childhood experts,” said Kelly Sparks, associate vice president for finance and strategic planning at Oregon State University-Cascades. “We are grateful for the support of Oregon Senators Wyden and Merkley for this impactful Federal grant.”
“We are thrilled to once again to be a recipient and applaud Senators Wyden and Merkley for their continued support of the CCAMPIS program,” said Cheryl Henderson, Lane Community College Child and Family Education Manager. “We know that child care can be a barrier for many people who would like to go to college, so having safe, high-quality, and affordable early-childhood care and education right here on campus can help these students succeed and create brighter futures for their whole families.”
“We know that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted low-income families. We also know that there is a chronic lack of affordable, reliable childcare for these same families across Central Oregon,” said Dr. Laurie Chesley, President of Central Oregon Community College. ”Funding from the Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program will help these same communities complete their education and workforce training without having to worry about the cost and quality of their children’s care. COCC thanks Senators Merkley and Wyden for this transformative investment in Central Oregonians’ access to higher education and affordable childcare. Workforce and economic development begins with supporting Oregon families, and COCC is proud to partner in this work.”
A web version of this release is here.
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