Southeast Community College has been awarded the Child Care Assistance Means Parents in School grant of $95,488 per year for four years to help student-parents persist in college. By attaining a college degree, students are more likely to obtain higher quality employment and improve their family’s financial status. The grant is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
“Receiving the CCAMPIS grant is extremely important to the student-parents attending SCC so they can continue on in their educational goals,” said Julie Rohrs, grant coordinator. “This means that the (SCC) Child Development Center is able to provide quality care and utilize extra resources that these children need to learn and grow. The CCAMPIS grant is instrumental in not only the success of the student-parents, but for the teachers and children at the Child Development Center in aiding their developmental needs.”
Through the CCAMPIS program, approximately 42 eligible student-parents and 60 children will have access, subject to space limitations, to: (a) full- or part-time child care at the on-campus SCC Child Development Center for children age 6 weeks to kindergarten on a sliding scale; (b) Summer Focus camps for children age 6-11; and/or (c) Mini Adventure Camp program for school’s out days for ages 6-11.
Forty-two percent of SCC students receive Pell grants, which are based on income. A 2013 SCC survey indicated that without reliable child care, student-parents were more likely to either stop out for a time or reduce their course load, affecting their ability to complete a program on schedule. A majority of survey respondents preferred high-quality, on-campus child care as long as it was affordable.
“Receiving the CCAMPIS grant gives us the opportunity to provide quality care at a reduced rate to the children of Pell-eligible SCC students while they continue their education,” said Kari Schell, project director. “It is exciting to have such a positive impact on the families during their educational journey.”
With information from financial aid and an interview process, the CCAMPIS program will use a point system to select Pell-eligible students with the greatest unmet need for full-time or part-time child care. The federally-funded program will use a sliding fee scale to reduce costs by 50-90 percent, depending on unmet need.
Summer FOCUS day camps, held in June, July and August, are intended to help parents stay focused on their educational progress, while their children focus on new skills and educational experiences they might not have had otherwise. Students with the greatest need will save approximately 70 percent over the minimum regular cost per week.
When school-age children have days off from school, CCAMPIS Adventure Mini-Camps will fill the gap with high-quality on-campus care from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. CCAMPIS students will pay only $10 per child per day, saving about 70 percent over a regular day’s rate. The mini-camps will provide school-age children with a stimulating day of indoor and outdoor hands-on learning adventures.
To be considered for the program, students must be Pell-eligible and have high need for child care services. Once selected, participants must maintain a minimum grade-point average of 2.0 and be enrolled at least 12 credit hours for full-time care or at least three credit hours for all other care. Preference is given to students enrolled in six or more hours.
The curriculum used for children in the CCAMPIS program is based on principles taught in SCC’s Early ChildhoodEducation associate degree program. Through this academic partnership, children and their families are assured of a carefully planned program of developmentally appropriate learning experiences guided by commonly accepted educational philosophy and implemented by trained staff.
Applications are available at the SCC Child Development Center, 8800 O St., Lincoln. Persons wanting more information are asked to contact Schell or Rohrs at 402-437-2450.