Jacksonville, AL – First written from JSU’s Brett Buckner, Jacksonville State University (JSU) is given a major increase in its efforts to aid its students of low income as well as parents. It is reported that the US Department of Education has granted JSU the $1.5 million loan to create the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program. This program will offer an array of flexible childcare options to the students of the university’s Pell grant recipients. allowing students to pursue their studies knowing that their children receive top-quality social and educational support in the campus Child Development Center.
The newly expanded Child Development Center, which was established a year ago has been meeting the needs of a lot of students, faculty as well as the local community. The new CCAMPIS grant is an important move towards making the services for children more accessible and able to accommodate the schedules of students. The Dr. Christi Trucks, department director for Career Technical Education and Professional Studies and program director for the grant, emphasized the importance of this program. She said, “The CCAMPIS grant will provide the flexibility of childcare choices that are available to JSU students. For instance for students who only requires childcare on Tuesdays and Thursdays, this could be a possibility.”
This grant was made by the tireless efforts by Lynn Garner, assistant director of the Office of Sponsored Programs. She reviewed the data to determine needs of the project, and highlighted the increasing number of parents students, a large portion of whom are eligible for Pell. The need for this has increased with an increasing percentage of JSU students that receive Pell Grants. In 2022 3762 JSU students were granted Pell Grants, representing 39 percent of JSU’s students in the undergraduate as well as graduate populations.
The Jacksonville area has more poverty as 17 percent of the residents who are in need, which is higher than even the Alabama median (16 per cent) in addition to the nation’s average (14 per cent). This CCAMPIS grant program seeks to ease the burdens for these students and help them secure high-quality childcare while they finish their degree.
JSU conducted a thorough Childcare Center Needs Assessment, sending out a questionnaire for JSU students and the JSU community. The results showed that 58 percent of the respondents needed care for children and more than 63 percent required childcare during office hours. The survey also showed that 84 % of JSU students with single mothers were likely to utilize the services offered from the Child Development Center, emphasizing the importance of the CCAMPIS grant program’s assets.
Jennifer Mead, coordinator of post-awards in Sponsored Programs She emphasized the long-term benefits on the CCAMPIS grant. She stated, “JSU students who are parents are able to enroll their children in the high-quality programs offered at the Child Development Center, which will have a lasting impact that will resonate with their families for generations to come.”
This grant is rolled out throughout the following three years with the support for students scheduled to begin in fall 2024. Further information and applications will be accessible in spring. The Dr. Trucks expressed her enthusiasm for the program by she said, “We are thrilled to have the ability to assist more students than we have ever. This will not only provide childcare options, but will also offer parenting classes and other resources for parents of students. It is a huge win for JSU and the CDC. CCAMPIS grants is major win for JSU as well as for the CDC.”
