Bill > S1411

This bill establishes a comprehensive federal grant program called the PROSPECT Act (Preparing and Resourcing Our Student Parents and Early Childhood Teachers Act) aimed at addressing child care challenges for student parents in community colleges and minority-serving institutions. The bill authorizes $9 billion in funding from 2026 to 2030 and creates four types of grants: planning grants, access grants, impact grants, and pipeline grants. Planning grants will help institutions assess child care needs and develop strategies, while access grants will provide free infant and toddler child care for up to 500,000 children of student parents. Impact grants will support expanding child care provider training and networks, and pipeline grants will develop early childhood educator preparation programs and create pathways for students to enter the child care workforce. The bill recognizes the significant barriers student parents face, such as high child care costs and low completion rates, and seeks to address these challenges by supporting institutions that serve high percentages of low-income and student parents. Additionally, the bill includes provisions to improve child care eligibility standards, increase federal matching payments for child care, and enhance outreach about dependent care allowances for federal student aid, with a strong emphasis on supporting diversity and accessibility in child care and early childhood education.

Health and Social Services

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1411/all-info