Impact of a Student-scheduled Child Care Program on Parents' Educational Goals

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine what, if any, impact a Student-scheduled Child Care (SSCC) program had on the families of students completing their higher education goals at a college in the southwestern region of the United States. Student completion rate is a concern for most college and university administrators. Research conducted by the Gates foundation determined that over three quarters of former students surveyed felt that they would have graduated if the college or university had offered child care (Johnson, Ott, & DuPont, 2011). This correlational and descriptive research study revealed what student families thought about the relationship between completing their educational goals and using the child care program at the college. The knowledge gained from this project could help to initiate a broader discussion among colleges and universities of how to most effectively retain student families by meeting their child care needs.