by Amanda Tetens and Janelle Roman
When psychology senior Alexandra Hernandez had her first child, she continued school but took her courses online.
Hernandez is one of the hundreds of University students who balance school and full-time parenting. Finding that sacred study time as a parent isn’t always easy. According to
According to Institute for Women’s Policy Research, there are 4.8 million college students raising children. Women make up 71 percent of all student parents while attending college.
She added that as a mother with a young child, she strives to take full advantage of her time on campus. “
I’m in that library, I’m in that study room, I’m with a study group or even with my professors,” she explained. I don’t waste this time because could be spending it with my daughter.”
“I suffer from a brain injury and so missing class for me, that can put me a week behind,” Hernandez said.
She began her first online courses when she was pregnant.
“Once [my daughter] was born I stayed home to raise her and take online classes. But you can only take so many online classes,” she said, adding that her psychology degree required her to take face-to-face classes.
Depending on their childcare situation, parenting students may be faced with missing class to care for their child or taking them along to class.
“When I do have to miss a class for my daughter, that would be amazing if there was a place that I could bring her here with me,” Hernandez said. “That would have been amazing for those opportunities.”
Luckily, for parents like her, there may be a solution in the near future.
The Palo Alto College Ray Ellison Child Development Center (1400 W. Villaret Blvd.)and Texas A&M University-San Antonio are in a collaborative discussion with the Jo Anna Benavides-Franke, Assistant Vice President for Student Engagement and Success department for A&M-San Antonio students to use their services.
“I did meet with Mrs. Herring earlier in the semester. We did talk about having a collaboration with them and letting our students use their facility,” Benavides-Franke said.
Student Engagement and Success confirmed there are no formal agreements yet, but said they are aware of the number of students who have a need for childcare options that would help them succeed with degree completion.
Some parents, lacking affordable childcare options, bring their children to class.
“In our current student handbook there is not a policy against children being on campus,” Benavides-Franke continued. ”However, we do have policies about classroom conduct and disruptions in the classroom that interfere with the educational process.”
A&M-San Antonio’s current student population is described as non-traditional students meaning older, full-time jobs and families along with classes. The current students average age is 30.5 according to the A&M-San Antonio Facebook Fall 2015.
The Ray Ellison Family Center located at Palo Alto College provides a safe and educational environment for children that is also convenient for students attending classes to have arrangements to leave their children.
[The center] provides a place I am comfortable leaving my son at,” said Briana Soto, Palo Alto Liberal Arts Major.
“It gives me time to go to class and study, and that’s what really counts as a student,” she said.
The center is open Monday through Friday from 7: 30 a.m. to 5: 30 p.m. Enrollment matches the same schedule as the school semester. It’s open to Palo Alto College students, faculty, staff, and the community.
A&M students weekly rate will fall under non-student rate and the for children 21 months to 3 years old.
Prices:
Monday -Friday $191.00
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: $114.60
Tuesday and Thursday: $74.40
$78.40.
The weekly rates and schedule for children ages 3-5 years old are as followed.
Prices:
Monday-Friday: $186.00
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: $111.60
Tuesday and Thursday: $74.40.
Before a child’s first day of class, parents must pay a $40 non-refundable registration fee and submit a current shot record and enrollment packet, which includes their child’s birth certificate and social security card.
“The area is growing, and there are few child care services,” said JoAnn Herring, coordinator of the Rey Ellison Child Development Center.
Currently, 86.5 percent of A&M-San Antonio students live inside Bexar County.
Not only is the Ray Ellison Center one of the only child care services in the area, but it is also one of 31 child care services in the city with a The National Association for the Education of Young Children (N.A.E.Y.C) accreditation.
“[It’s a] big deal the center has gone through this accreditation process of N.A.E.Y.C” Herring said. She said the child care center must meet over 450 criteria requirements and every five years a re-accreditation process must take place.
“Seventy-five percent of lead teachers have to have a Bachelor’s degree, the other 25 percent have an associate degree,” Herring said. “Degrees in Early Childhood development or as closely related to that field as possible.”
For students with children who are on the cusp of Kindergarten, Pre-K 4 SA’s Southside Education Complex opened in August of 2013. Eligible children must be four-years-old by September 1, 2016, along with other requirements, to attend the 2016-2017.
