Search | Menu Madison College loses $2M in federal childcare aid for student parents
Madison College student parents are facing difficult decisions about how to afford childcare while pursuing the education and credentials that help them build better futures for themselves and their families.
On Oct. 19, the college officially learned its application for $2 million in federal Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) funding had not been selected for funding, despite receiving a perfect score from reviewers.
Critical impact on students
For nearly two decades, CCAMPIS funding has helped students afford childcare while they pursued their education. Madison College has relied on this funding since 2005, and without a new grant award, critical student support is at risk.
Madison College student Devvin Thomas Sr., who expects to graduate from the Small Business Entrepreneurship Program in 2028, says the loss of funding has left his family struggling.
"A lot of us students who are parents feel like we can't go to school because we don't have these avenues, and having this aid taken away is just proving that point,” Thomas says. “It shows that the big wigs don't really care about the parents who are trying to go back to school not only to make a better way for themselves but make a better way for their kids.”
Thomas is one of 28 student parents and 34 children directly affected by the loss of federal funding that helped families afford childcare at Madison College’s Early Learning Campus locations at Truax and Goodman South.
The college expected to use the $2 million in CCAMPIS funding over the next four years to cover childcare tuition, pilot a drop-in childcare program, and support the new Early Learning Campus at Goodman South that opened in January.
Seeking solutions
Madison College President Dr. Jennifer Berne says the loss exposes a larger challenge.
“Childcare funding decisions cannot be made without considering what happens to students when that support suddenly disappears,” Berne says. “Higher education institutions need a voice in shaping future funding decisions to ensure resources are distributed more broadly and consistently, without disrupting the support students depend on.”
CCAMPIS grants historically covered 75% to 95% of childcare costs for eligible, low-income student parents receiving Pell Grants. According to the college’s most recent survey, approximately 42% of Madison College students are parents, making childcare aid an important resource for students balancing education, employment and family responsibilities.
Berne says the loss of childcare assistance could have serious consequences for students working toward their credentials.
“We can’t move forward on equitable access to student success and workforce development in Wisconsin while ignoring the basic supports that make that happen,” Berne says. “Losing CCAMPIS funding threatens to interrupt Madison College students’ education at the very moment they are building a better future for their families.”
Research conducted by Madison College in 2025 found that student parents who received CCAMPIS funding and related support services had substantially higher second-year retention, academic success and program completion rates than comparable student parents who did not receive those services.
The Madison College Foundation is helping student parents impacted by the funding loss stay on track with their education by providing temporary financial assistance to cover childcare costs.
Berne says that while the college is exploring ways to address the immediate funding gap and identify resources, these efforts are not a substitute for sustainable funding.
“We are actively working with state and federal policymakers to identify possible solutions to this year's funding shortfall while also advocating for continued CCAMPIS funding,” Berne says. “Student parents lost support with little notice, and we are doing everything we can to prevent that loss from interrupting their education.
Despite the loss of childcare aid and the uncertainties ahead, Thomas is focused on caring for his family and finishing college in 2028.
"We're pretty resilient people," Thomas says. "We're putting our heads down and trying to figure it out as we go, one day at a time, one step at a time."
The funding loss comes as the U.S. Department of Education awarded far fewer CCAMPIS grants nationwide than anticipated. According to New America, nearly 300 colleges and universities applied for funding in 2026. The department anticipated awarding 148 grants, but only 40 institutions were ultimately selected. No Wisconsin institutions received funding.
