The Child Care Access Means Parents In Schools Reauthorization Act amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to strengthen and reauthorize the Child Care Access Means Parents In School (CCAMPIS) program. Its primary purpose is to facilitate the success of eligible student parents in postsecondary education by providing access to child care services, including campus-based options. The bill authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants ranging from $75,000 to $2,000,000 annually for a five-year period to eligible institutions, defined as those with at least 150 Pell Grant-eligible students or a consortium thereof. Grant funds must be used to establish or support campus-based child care programs, provide subsidized child care using a sliding fee scale, or offer subsidized before and after school services. Institutions may also use funds for support services for student parents and to enhance the quality of child care programs, aiming to meet high standards such as those equivalent to Head Start, top-tier state quality ratings, or national accreditation within three years. The bill prohibits using funds for construction, except for health and safety renovations, and prevents institutions from imposing additional eligibility requirements on student parents beyond those specified. A key provision defines an eligible student parent as a parent or guardian of a dependent child, enrolled at an eligible institution, and either eligible for a Federal Pell Grant or meeting its financial criteria but not receiving it for specific reasons. Institutions receiving grants are required to assist student parents in enrolling in various federal, state, tribal, or local means-tested benefits programs, including SNAP, Medicaid, and housing assistance. This ensures a holistic support system for student parents and their families. The Secretary is mandated to give priority to applications from institutions that leverage local or institutional resources, utilize a sliding fee scale for child care services, and provide additional support for single parents. The bill also establishes comprehensive annual reporting requirements for institutions, covering detailed demographics of student parents served, their academic progress, fee structures, and the quality of child care services provided. The Secretary must make a public report summarizing this information annually. Finally, the Act includes a strong nondiscrimination clause, prohibiting exclusion or discrimination based on actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy), or disability in any program funded under this section. To support these initiatives, the bill authorizes an appropriation of $500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031.
The Child Care Access Means Parents In Schools Reauthorization Act amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to strengthen and reauthorize the Child Care Access Means Parents In School (CCAMPIS) program. Its primary purpose is to facilitate the success of eligible student parents in postsecondary education by providing access to child care services, including campus-based options. The bill authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants ranging from $75,000 to $2,000,000 annually for a five-year period to eligible institutions, defined as those with at least 150 Pell Grant-eligible students or a consortium thereof. Grant funds must be used to establish or support campus-based child care programs, provide subsidized child care using a sliding fee scale, or offer subsidized before and after school services. Institutions may also use funds for support services for student parents and to enhance the quality of child care programs, aiming to meet high standards such as those equivalent to Head Start, top-tier state quality ratings, or national accreditation within three years. The bill prohibits using funds for construction, except for health and safety renovations, and prevents institutions from imposing additional eligibility requirements on student parents beyond those specified. A key provision defines an eligible student parent as a parent or guardian of a dependent child, enrolled at an eligible institution, and either eligible for a Federal Pell Grant or meeting its financial criteria but not receiving it for specific reasons. Institutions receiving grants are required to assist student parents in enrolling in various federal, state, tribal, or local means-tested benefits programs, including SNAP, Medicaid, and housing assistance. This ensures a holistic support system for student parents and their families. The Secretary is mandated to give priority to applications from institutions that leverage local or institutional resources, utilize a sliding fee scale for child care services, and provide additional support for single parents. The bill also establishes comprehensive annual reporting requirements for institutions, covering detailed demographics of student parents served, their academic progress, fee structures, and the quality of child care services provided. The Secretary must make a public report summarizing this information annually. Finally, the Act includes a strong nondiscrimination clause, prohibiting exclusion or discrimination based on actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy), or disability in any program funded under this section. To support these initiatives, the bill authorizes an appropriation of $500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031.