Spokane Colleges receives $1.9 million federal grant for student parent childcare services

SPOKANE, Wash. — Parents pursuing higher education at Spokane Community College or Spokane Falls Community College will have expanded access to affordable childcare thanks to a significant federal grant.

Spokane Colleges was selected as the only institution in Washington state and one of 40 colleges across the country to receive a $1.9 million federal grant to enhance childcare services for student parents. The four-year grant represents a substantial increase from previous funding cycles.

Both Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College operate on-site Head Start programs where students with infants, toddlers or pre-school-age kids can drop them off during classes. This week, the program received a major boost to continue operating for the next four years with the federal grant money.

“We serve approximately 100 children at each of these locations, and our priority at those locations is to serve student parents and their children so that they can attend classes, enter the workforce and just have that persistence as far as completing their goals in their educational pursuit,” said Bobbi Woodral, district director for Head Start and ECEAP programs at Spokane Colleges.

For many student parents, the on-campus childcare provides more than just convenience. The proximity of the Early Learning Centers to classrooms offers peace of mind and flexibility that enables academic success.

“That general safe feeling of knowing their child is in a place, that they’re well cared for right on campus, where they can come over and check in on their kids and go back to class, have study time in the library knowing that their children are cared for,” Woodral said.

The additional funds will support more staff training and help both colleges meet accreditation standards. The grant will also expand summer care services, which have been limited in past years.

“We feel like we can really make a much more significant impact through additional opportunities for summer care services as well,” Woodral said.

Head Start reports that for many parents, finishing school would not have been an option without the childcare services. Parents have consistently expressed their gratitude for the program’s support.

“We’ve had different responses over the years, but most of them are just that, the message of, we wouldn’t be able to do this without you and without this additional support,” Woodral said.