CPE awards grants to five campuses to increase support for parenting students

September 15, 2025

The Kentucky Student Success Collaborative (KYSSC), an initiative of the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE), recently awarded five $60,000 planning grants to public colleges and universities to increase support for undergraduate students who are parents. Award recipients include Morehead State University, Northern Kentucky University, Maysville Community College, Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College and Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College.

Campuses will participate in a nine-month continuous improvement process to identify strategies to improve outcomes for students balancing coursework with childcare responsibilities. These strategies include affordable childcare solutions, either through campus-based centers or partnerships with community-based services and early childhood providers.

“Last year, there were over 16,000 students working toward an undergraduate credential at a Kentucky public college or university while also parenting,” said Dr. Lilly Massa-McKinley, KYSSC Executive Director and Assistant Vice President for Student Access and Success at CPE. “This effort will help parents stay enrolled and engaged in school, which will ultimately benefit their children as well.”

Grant recipients must complete the following project requirements:

• Needs Assessment: A comprehensive review of current supports, barriers, and demographic data related to undergraduate parenting students on campus.

• Partnership Development: Engagement of campus and community stakeholders to align resources and coordinate services.
• Action Plan: A documented strategic plan outlining prioritized solutions, implementation timelines, staffing or resource needs and sustainability models.
• Implementation Activity: At least one early-stage implementation step (e.g., establishing a parenting student task force, launching a childcare referral hub, piloting evening care, or creating dedicated study/lounge spaces for student-parents).

Final Report: A summary of planning efforts, outcomes achieved, initial implementation steps taken, and strategies to sustain and expand the work.