Supporting Student Parents Through Partnership: A Visit to Howard Community College
For parenting students, access to high-quality, affordable child care can be an important part of making college possible. With approximately 1 in 5 college students also raising children, creating stronger connections between higher education and early childhood programs can help families thrive across generations.
That’s at the heart of Kids on Campus, a collaborative initiative between the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) and the National Head Start Association (NHSA). Kids on Campus works to expand access to early learning and child care for parenting students by helping community colleges and Head Start and Early Head Start programs build strong, sustainable partnerships.
In August 2026, our Kids on Campus team had the opportunity to visit the Children’s Learning Center (CLC) at Howard Community College in Columbia, Maryland, and see firsthand how a strong community partnership is supporting children and families.
ACCT Director Dr. Miya T. Simpson and Senior Project Associate Ashley Moore toured the center and learned more about the collaboration between Howard Community College and the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC). Together, the two organizations are creating an environment where children can learn and grow while families, including parenting students have access to an important resource within the campus community.
The CLC offers full-day, year-round early learning programming designed to prepare children socially, emotionally, and academically for kindergarten. Throughout the center, welcoming classrooms and outdoor spaces are filled with books, toys, hands-on learning activities, and plenty of opportunities for children to play, explore, and build new skills.
But the impact extends beyond the classroom. For parenting students, having early learning and child care resources connected to their college community can remove a significant barrier to pursuing their own education. While their children are learning and growing, parents can focus on their classes and continue working toward their educational and career goals.
Our visit gave us an opportunity not only to tour the CLC, but also to see what can happen when a community college and an early childhood organization come together around the needs of families.
A special thank you to Erin Adelsberger, CAC’s Director of Early Childhood Education, and the entire Children’s Learning Center team for welcoming us and sharing their work.
The partnership between Howard Community College and the Community Action Council of Howard County reflects what Kids on Campus is working to advance nationwide: strong local partnerships that create opportunities for parents to pursue their education while ensuring their children have a strong start.
