Madison College Loses $2 Million Childcare Grant

The federal Department of Education did not select Madison College for CCAMPIS childcare funding that supported student parents for nearly two decades.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Child Care

Madison College Loses $2 Million Childcare Grant

Live Poll

Should the federal government fund childcare aid for college student parents?

Madison College learned on October 19 that its $2 million application for federal CCAMPIS childcare funding was not selected, despite receiving a perfect score from reviewers. The loss directly affects 28 student parents with 34 children, and the college is working to address the gap.

Why it matters

CCAMPIS grants have historically covered 75% to 95% of childcare costs for eligible low-income student parents receiving Pell Grants. The college reports that CCAMPIS-supported parents had higher second-year retention, academic success, and program completion rates.

Madison College received a perfect reviewer score on its application, which was one of nearly 300 submitted nationally in 2026. Only 40 institutions were ultimately selected, and no Wisconsin institutions received CCAMPIS funding this year.

The players

Madison College

A public community college in Madison, Wisconsin, which had received CCAMPIS funding since 2005 and serves a student body where roughly 42 percent are parents.

U.S. Department of Education

The federal agency that administers the CCAMPIS grant program and selected recipients from nearly 300 applicants in 2026.

The details

The Madison College Foundation is providing temporary financial assistance to affected student parents to cover childcare costs while the college explores other resources. The funding was to support childcare tuition, a drop-in childcare pilot, and the Goodman South Early Learning Campus, which opened in January 2026.

Madison College began receiving CCAMPIS funding in 2005.
The college learned its application was not selected on October 19, 2026.
The Goodman South Early Learning Campus opened in January 2026.

Policy Context

The 2026 CCAMPIS selections awarded only 40 institutions nationwide against an anticipated 148 grants, a sharp contraction for a program that has long supported student parents. Madison College's loss reflects this broader federal pullback from campus childcare support.

The 28 student parents and 34 children affected in Madison must now find alternative childcare arrangements or rely on temporary Foundation assistance. Families who depend on campus childcare to stay enrolled may face difficult decisions about course load and attendance.

The takeaway

Student parents facing childcare gaps should ask their college's financial aid or student services office about emergency assistance and foundation grants. Checking eligibility for state and local childcare subsidies can also help bridge a funding loss.