Parenting students are the backbone of America’s workforce.

This Student Parent Month, let’s honor the strengths they bring to campus every day. They earn more, contribute to local economies and model lifelong learning for their children.

Kids on Campus makes two generations one investment by providing high-quality, affordable early childhood learning and removing a major barrier for student parents so families can build more stable futures. 

Research shows that inadequate childcare costs families, businesses and taxpayers$122 billion each year.Student parents shouldn’t be shut out of economic opportunity due to a lack of affordable early learning opportunities for their children. Kids on Campus is redefining what early learning means by supporting student success while preparing children for theirs.

The data is clear: mothers who return to school boost their earnings by $2,734 per year, and those who complete a degree see an $8,934 annual gain. This creates a ripple effect of impact for children as well. Children of mothers who complete a college degree have higher reading and verbal scores, and are also 38% more likely to get a college degree.

Credentials earned by hardworking parents at community colleges represent so much more than a degree. Learning leads to higher lifetime earnings, a stronger local economy and greater stability for families. The result is a better system that works for everyone.

Here are three actions you can take to break barriers and build brighter futures this Student Parent Month:

• Fill out aninterest formand take the first steps towards a Kids on Campus partnership
• Read about our progress in ourYear One Annual Report
• Gain first-hand insight from a parenting student on the positive impact of a Head Start center at Springfield Technical Community Collegein this recent articlefrom the 74.