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ERIC Number: ED556732
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Jun
Pages: 3
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Child Care Support for Student Parents in Community College Is Crucial for Success, but Supply and Funding Are Inadequate. Fact Sheet #C375
Miller, Kevin
Institute for Women's Policy Research
Of the over 6 million students earning college credit at community colleges, 1.7 million (27 percent) are parents. Of those, about 1 million (16 percent) are single parents, more than twice the proportion at 4-year institutions. Three-quarters of single parents in college are women. One study of student parents attending community college found that over 80 percent reported that the availability of child care was very important in the decision to attend college and 46 percent reported that campus child care was their first priority when enrolling. Nearly 60 percent of respondents reported they could not have continued college without child care and 95 percent reported that child care allowed them to increase their class load. A survey of campus children's centers found that 90 percent of centers maintain waiting lists; the average center serves 110 children per week but has another 90 children on its waiting list. A survey of campus children's centers found that 90 percent of centers maintain waiting lists; the average center serves 110 children per week but has another 90 children on its waiting list. Single parents attending community colleges are more likely than other community college students to work full-time (54 percent of single parents, 41 percent of other students) and are less likely to attend school full-time (33 percent of single parents, 43 percent of other students). In addition to being more likely to work full time, care for children and other family members is also a significant demand on single parents' time. This is particularly true for women.
Institute for Women's Policy Research. 1200 18th Street NW, Suite 301, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-833-4362; Fax: 202-785-5100; e-mail: iwpr@iwpr.org; Web site: http://www.iwpr.org
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Two Year Colleges; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Authoring Institution: Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A