Rep. Schrier Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Offset Child Care Costs for Student Parents

Press Release

Today U.S. Representatives Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-WA) and Peter Meijer (R-MI) introduced the Tax Credit for Student Parents Act. This bipartisan bill will make sure that student parents who are working to get a post-secondary degree, including vocational school and two and four-year universities, are eligible to receive the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC), which helps to offset working families' child care expenses.

"Parents who are going to school are often looking to get a degree to gain employment, especially in this modern economy," said Rep. Schrier. "For many student parents, child care costs are a barrier to pursuing post-high school education. By making student parents eligible for the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, we will lower the cost of child care for families needing a boost and make it so parents can afford child care while they get their degree."

"Our workforce is changing rapidly, and as parents contemplate going back to school to meet these demands, they are faced with significant barriers, including the cost of childcare,"said Rep Meijer. "The common-sense, bipartisan Tax Credit for Student Parents Act ensures that all students, including those who are part-time, have access to child care resources. I am proud to join my colleague from Washington in introducing this bill, which will undoubtedly help parents looking to expand their education and training get the childcare assistance they need."

Right now, 22% of university undergraduate students, about 4 million people, are parents. And too often, the cost of child care is more expensive than the annual cost of in-state tuition at a public four-year university. It is past time to address this often-overlooked barrier so that parents can afford to learn a trade or earn a degree they need to enter the workforce.

The Tax Credit for Student Parents Act will ensure that the CDCTC includes student parents by:

Creating a deemed income for all student parents to make them eligible for the tax credit
Expanding the definition of students to include part-time students
Amending the "Special Rule for Spouses" to allow student parents to claim the credit for every month in which they are a student

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