AVANCE - San Antonio and Palo Alto College Partner to Support Parenting Students on Campus
In Texas, AVANCE - San Antonio, an early learning and family development organization, and Palo Alto College (PAC), part of the Alamo Colleges District, have partnered to help parenting students pursue higher education and ensure their children receive high-quality early education and care. The collaboration is through Kids on Campus, a joint initiative of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) and the National Head Start Association (NHSA) designed to help student parents balance education and parenthood.
Located at Palo Alto College’s Ray Ellison Family Center, this new partnership has brought high-quality, early childhood education and care directly to campus for qualifying families.
In the state, more than 1 in 5 community college students are parents. For a group that routinely juggles childcare, financial, and work responsibilities, attending an institution that offers flexibility and adequate resources is essential to their success.
Under a shared-staffing model, PAC employs the classroom teachers and center director, while AVANCE supplies family advocates, curriculum, and meals — a split that demands tight coordination but keeps costs efficient.
“Student parents are at the heart of our moonshot to end poverty through education and training,” said Dr. Mike Flores, Alamo Colleges District Chancellor. “By partnering with AVANCE – San Antonio, we are building bridges for families, empowering our student parents to earn a credential while ensuring their children are learning, growing, and thriving. This partnership is what community impact looks like.”
As more academic institutions look for ways to close opportunity gaps for their students, partnerships like this one offer a necessary, replicable model that helps two generations move forward at the same time. Kids on Campus aims to expand the number of community college Head Start partnerships nationwide to improve outcomes for student parents, children, and communities.
“It’s the greatest thing that I could have done for myself and my child. I am setting up not only my future, but the generations to come,” said Lorena Salinas, a PAC parenting student.
Additional Resources
About Kids on Campus
Kids on Campus is a national initiative led by ACCT and NHSA that connects community colleges and Head Start programs to expand access to on-campus early childhood education for parenting students. The initiative aims to establish 50 partnerships by 2030. Learn more at kidsoncampus.org.
