By Erica Stephens and Jessica Woltjen
I’m in college. It’s a simple statement that evokes images of football Saturdays and all-nighters for finals, pennants and parties, fun and freedom.
But nearly one in five (3.1 million) undergraduate students in the United States are also parents, and for them, post-secondary education looks different. In GEEARS’ latest publication, Parenting and Postsecondary Success: Insights and Recommendations from Georgia’s Student Parents, this often-overlooked demographic tells us about the unique stresses and challenges they face as they support their families while striving for the degrees that will enable them to better support their families (and not incidentally, their local economies). They parent, earn wages, attend class, write papers, and take exams—all at once.
One of the most critical elements that makes all this possible? High-quality, affordable child care. At a time when Georgia’s annual child care costs exceed the price of in-state college tuition, accessing such care is extremely difficult for all parents. For student parents, it’s often impossible.
- In 2024, one in three Georgia parents turned down an opportunity to enroll in school or work due to child care challenges and one in 10 were dropped from class rosters or training programs because child care issues caused them to miss class.
- Budget constraints mean that only about 15% of parents who qualify for Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) subsidies actually receive that help. (Qualifications are based on income and work/school hours.) Even if they do, CAPS funds usually don’t cover 100% of child care tuition.
Nana Grants was founded in 2016 to eliminate child care as a barrier to college access by covering 100% of the cost of child care through graduation for low-income student mothers. Nana Grants supports families who don’t qualify for CAPS, as well as those who do qualify but can’t pay the difference between what CAPS pays and full child care tuition. More than 60 student families will receive Nana Grants support this year, allowing their kids to attend high-quality child care programs as they earn their degrees — a win for both generations. Nana Grants boasts a 92% retention and graduation rate, which is a testament to the will and determination of student parents. After graduation, a vast majority report significant improvements across a number of economic metrics, from food and housing security to financial savings and reduced reliance upon social safety nets.
“I was able to graduate and elevate my career,” a recent Nana Grants’ graduate reported. “I didn’t stress about affording child care, making it to class, or having the time I needed to study. I also received emotional support from Nana Grants, which really carried me through a tough time in life.”
“Oh, my goodness,” another said, “if it wasn’t for Nana Grants, I couldn’t have finished school or kept my job.”
More than 100 families’ lives have been sustainably improved by Nana Grants-funded access to child care during their college years. It’s a significant number, but it’s dwarfed by the need of other student parents, especially in 2025 when the costs of child care, health insurance, food, housing, transportation, and more is skyrocketing.
In 2021, only 18% of the United States’ student parents received a degree within six years of enrollment, as opposed to 54% of non-parenting students. This is one reason GEEARS embarked upon the research that resulted in Parenting and Postsecondary Success. In focus groups, student parents told GEEARS that they yearn for child care aid and more. In addition to wraparound services such as transportation help and on-campus housing for families with children, they’d also be grateful for a culture of acceptance of student parents—accommodations such as flexible/hybrid class attendance policies and course scheduling, kid-friendly classrooms and community spaces, support groups, and better resource-sharing.
While many of the student parents we spoke to could point to the occasional understanding professor or administrator, more general awareness is still lacking. Nana Grants is trying to change the perception that parenting students aren’t welcome on college campuses by partnering with colleges to provide them with “Nana Packs”—backpacks stocked with age-appropriate toys and activities to keep little ones entertained while their parents are on campus. Nana Packs are available for check-out at campus locations where student parents most need them, such as student aid, admissions and advisement offices, lactation rooms, libraries, computer labs, student services waiting areas, cafés, and faculty offices.
The federal program Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS) helps, too. CCAMPIS awards grants to higher education institutions, which can use the funds to provide Pell-eligible students with comprehensive child care services such as campus-based child care, off-campus child care subsidies, and before- and after-school programming. CCAMPIS also funds wrap-around supports for student parents, such as career services and tutoring.
Georgia currently has six CCAMPIS grantees that receive a total of $2.9 million in federal funding. But in the latest iteration of the 2026 federal budget, which is currently being debated by Congress amidst a government shutdown, the funding is at risk.
The diminishment or elimination of funds that help student parents afford child care and other essentials could derail the opportunities of both affected parents and their young children. Because brain development is at its most active and consequential during the first five years of life, children with access to high-quality early education and positive early childhood experiences have improved K-12, graduation, and employment outcomes.
Take those opportunities away and both the current and the future workforce could take a hit.
Research shows that investing in resources for student parents guarantees a return on investment. As Nana Grants has demonstrated, student parents are the hardest workers you’ll ever encounter. While they are often stressed and time-taxed, they’re also highly motivated, hard-working, and extremely efficient. They choose their majors with an eye on marketable fields such as health care, technology, business, and law. Every dollar invested in programming that supports student parents yields $5.36 in public returns, which will result in $1.86 billion in net taxpayer benefits by 2035.
“Nana Grants had a HUGE impact on my family and career,” a Nana Grants graduate told us. “My son was delighted with his experience as well. It was his first time attending daycare. Nana Grants supported his child care up until he transitioned to Georgia’s Pre-K. Being a grant recipient truly allowed me to better my family.”
In study after study, a two-generation approach—one that acknowledges that young children’s experiences and outcomes are inextricably tied to those of their families and communities—is proven to work. It’s why GEEARS focuses on this mandate in so much of our advocacy. And it’s why we must all contact our legislators in support of programs, like CCAMPIS, that enable student parents to stay in school and invest in little ones’ education.
GEEARS’ action alert allows you to easily contact your legislator and even provides pro-CCAMPIS talking points. Click here to access this tool and please call and/or email your reps today.
Jessica Woltjen is GEEARS’ Senior Policy Manager for Early Childhood Education.
Erica Stephens is Nana Grants’ Founder and Executive Director.
This is sponsored content.
