§1070e Child Care Access Means Parents in School

Summary

The federal government can give grants to colleges and universities to start or run campus child care so low-income parents can attend postsecondary school. Grants last 4 years and are paid each year. A grant cannot be more than 1 percent of all Federal Pell Grant money the school awarded the year before. Each grant must be at least $10,000, but if Congress provides $20,000,000 or more for the program in a year, the minimum grant is $30,000. A school is eligible if it awarded at least $350,000 in Pell Grants the year before (this drops to $250,000 when annual appropriations are $20,000,000 or more). Colleges must use the money mainly for child care for low-income students. Low-income students are students who are eligible for a Pell Grant or would be except for being in graduate/first-professional study or being in the U.S. temporarily. Schools can also offer before- and after-school care and may serve the local community. Applicants must explain their need, say how much money they want, describe the program (new or existing), show what other money or help they will use, promise not to raise tuition because of the grant, follow state or local licensing rules, and plan to get the child care accredited within 3 years. Priority goes to schools that bring in local or institutional support and use a sliding fee scale to serve many low-income parents. Schools must report each year on who was served, funds used, accreditation progress, and the grant’s effect. Continued funding depends on showing a good faith effort to provide affordable, quality child care. Grant funds cannot pay for new building construction, only small repairs for health or safety. Money was authorized for fiscal year 2009 and the five years after.