St. Petersburg, FL – Congressman Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) announced an over $300,000 grant from the Department of Education to St. Petersburg College. The grant will be used for the establishment of a Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program, which would provide Pell grant-eligible students access to vouchers for child care services located near each of SPC’s eleven campuses and education sites.
“For many families in Pinellas, having a child can mean putting your higher education dreams on hold. Whether it be single or two parent households, lack of child care can be the number one reason mom or dad isn't able to go back to school. I’m honored to announce this well-deserved grant to SPC, empowering parents across the Tampa Bay area to have both a family and obtain a college education,” said Crist.
First authorized in 1998, the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) Program grant is housed under the Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education. CCAMPIS provides grant awards to colleges who aid low-income student parents with child care. In 2018 Congress passed a spending package increasing funding for the program to $50 million. At SPC the program will provide vouchers on a sliding fee scale and will serve an estimated 85 students per year.
