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Joint Center Releases Research on the Importance of Child Care Support for Black Students at Community Colleges

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The CCAMPIS program is a federal program designed to support student parents with childcare access and expenses. Colleges that receive CCAMPIS grants can use the funding to subsidize childcare costs for Pell Grant-eligible students

Published

3 months ago

March 3, 2025

Oakland Post

Analysis examines the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program

By Justin Nalley and Gabrielle Smith Finnie, Ph.D.

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, America’s Black think tank, today published an issue brief, “Black Student Parents’ Access to Affordable Child Care Support at Community Colleges.” The brief examines the availability of the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program at community colleges with an enrollment of at least 40 percent Black students and offers legislative proposals for congressional reauthorization and adequate appropriations for this critical childcare program. The CCAMPIS program is a federal program designed to support student parents with childcare access and expenses. Colleges that receive CCAMPIS grants can use the funding to subsidize childcare costs for Pell Grant-eligible students, support campus-based or community-based childcare programs, provide before or after-school childcare services, or provide student support like financial and career counseling.

“Receiving access to higher education can significantly increase income, skill development, employment opportunities, and much more, all critical factors that can help Black student parents achieve their goals and secure access to family-sustaining wages,” said co-author Joint Center Senior Policy Analyst, Workforce Policy Justin Nalley. “Black students are more likely to be parents than other racial groups at both community colleges and four-year institutions and the costs of pursuing postsecondary education and for childcare are particularly burdensome for student parents. The need to enhance the CCAMPIS program for Black student parents is more prevalent than ever, particularly when Congress reauthorizes the Higher Education Act.” The research found that community colleges with substantial Black student populations were underrepresented among CCAMPIS recipients. Nationally, 13 percent of community colleges have at least 40 percent Black enrollment. The share of community college CCAMPIS recipients with Black enrollment above 40 percent fluctuated minimally between five percent to seven percent during the 2017–2022 period, well below the 13 percent representation rate.

Co-author Joint Center Policy Analyst, Workforce Policy Dr. Gabrielle Smith Finnie, said, “According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, Black student parents account for 30 percent of undergraduate student parents, but only 15 percent of CCAMPIS participants were Black. Strengthening CCAMPIS could help increase retention and completion rates for Black student parents and boost overall economic growth.”

The following policy recommendations offer ways to enhance CCAMPIS to support Black student parents:

Increase CCAMPIS program appropriations: Congressional appropriations for CCAMPIS were $50 million in the academic year 2018–19, $65 million in the academic year 2021-22, and $75 million in the academic year 2023–24. This growth is meaningful but should be increased. The Senate Appropriations Committee recommended $80 million for the academic year 2025–26. Other CCAMPIS expansion proposals have called for as much as $250 million in annual appropriations for the program to adequately meet student-parent needs. An increase in CCAMPIS appropriations should raise grantee funding, fully cover out-of-pocket childcare expenses for student-parent participants, and reach more program participants.
Collect federal data on students’ parenting status: Black student parents are often a hidden population due to the lack of federal data collection on students’ parenting status. Congress should pass a version of the Understanding Student Parent Outcomes Act of 2023 to improve data collection for student parents in higher education. The bill would expand IPEDS data collection to include variables such as the number of students identifying as parents, their enrollment status, and median income. If passed, the law would require a study on the best practices to improve outcomes for student parents at higher education institutions, including enrollment trends for the availability of campus-based childcare services, including CCAMPIS grants. The bill also would require that findings be disaggregated by race and ethnicity, reported to Congress, and made publicly available.

Produce publicly available, racially disaggregated CCAMPIS performance reports: CCAMPIS grants report data on the population served, campus and community resources used to help low-income students access childcare services, progress on childcare facility accreditation, and grant impact on the quality, availability, and affordability of campus-based childcare services. The U.S. Department of Education quantifies CCAMPIS’s success by measuring postsecondary persistence and degree completion rates. The CCAMPIS program should disaggregate participant enrollment and outcomes by race and ethnicity to the extent feasible to protect student privacy. This would allow the U.S. Department of Education and college leadership to determine whether the program reaches and supports Black student parents. Publicly available reports will enhance the transparency of the CCAMPIS program and its participants.

Conduct an equity analysis of CCAMPIS awardees: The U.S. Department of Education should build upon this study and conduct an equity analysis of past CCAMPIS awardees to uncover potential inequities and ensure that the share of CCAMPIS community college grantees with substantial Black student enrollment is proportionate to their representation in the larger community college population. The CCAMPIS grant process strongly relies on student-parent data, which is difficult to collect. The proposed equity analysis could review the application process and scoring procedures, outreach and notification processes, funding distribution, and enrollment demographics and outcomes of CCAMPIS awardee institutions.

Remove limitations to federal childcare and basic needs support: The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is a federal-state partnership program that subsidizes low-income families’ participation in work-related education and training programs by making childcare services available through vouchers, direct family benefits, and provider contracts. CCDF allows states to design income and eligibility requirements for families to receive childcare assistance. States may allow higher education participation as an eligibility criterion, but many states have restrictions on how long education and job training can count for eligibility. To decrease barriers and support student parents, states should allow education and training to count for working hours and extend or remove time limits on how long parents can pursue an education or job training program.

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Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

9 hours ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

Stacy M. Brown

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Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

Published

2 days ago

May 29, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

Stacy M. Brown

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WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Published

2 days ago

May 28, 2025

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists: