The PROSPECT Act is a $9 billion federal grant program (2026-2030) designed to expand infant and toddler child care access and train early childhood educators at community colleges and minority-serving institutions, particularly benefiting low-income student parents and families in child care deserts. The bill addresses the finding that 43% of families struggle with unaffordable child care costs and student parents are twice as likely to drop out of college. It establishes four main grant types: planning grants, access grants that provide free child care for up to 500,000 children of student parents, impact grants supporting community child care providers, and pipeline grants developing associate degree and credential programs in early childhood education. Participating institutions must ensure child care staff wages match elementary educator pay and maintain an infant-toddler care committee, with priority given to institutions serving high percentages of low-income students. The legislation also requires outreach about dependent care financial aid allowances and modifies Medicaid child care assistance programs to expand eligibility for higher education students.
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