A new bill signed into law on Oct. 14, 2025 by Governor Gavin Newsom aims to help student parents who are struggling to make ends meet and go to school at the same time. The new measure, SB271, requires all California public universities to provide childcare services to student parents on campus. 

The existing law requires community colleges, California State University campuses, and University of California campuses to provide basic needs services to student parents, with childcare services being one resource, according to an overview of SB271. Colleges must ensure that students with children are aware of and receive additional financial aid, such as Cal Grants for students with dependent children. 

The bill adds childcare services to the list of basic needs that colleges must assist student parents with, alongside food, housing, and financial support. This also requires that each campus have a student-parent webpage listing all available childcare services, financial aid, and other resources both on and off campus, requiring the financial aid office to help student-parents at all community colleges, CSUs, and UC campuses.

These offices on campus are required to give details regarding campus childcare programs,  referrals to the basic needs center, and information about extra financial aid programs. This means that childcare centers on CSU campuses have new responsibilities, requiring them to refer students to the basic needs center and provide financial aid resources. If these new inclusions cost colleges more, the state will reimburse them for the amount spent on bolstering childcare programs.  

The CSU highlighted their support for SB271 in an email from the office of the Chancellor, saying that the school system continues to aim to serve “a diverse student population outside of the classroom in a variety of targeted ways, including childcare, food pantries, and student-parent programs.” 

The CSU further added in their letter that the bill “will provide increased visibility, outreach, and coordination at our universities to serve our students in their academic journey.” 

Many student parents stay away or avoid going back to school because of high childcare costs, the lack of basic needs assistance, and other barriers, according to a report from the National Conference of State Legislatures reports from 2024, a non-government organization that serves legislators and staff from the U.S states, territories, and commonwealths.

The report highlights that approximately 20% of higher education students are parents, and that as much as 89% of those students have children who have not reached elementary school. 

“Despite working more hours than their peers without children, student parents are more likely to struggle with basic needs, such as food and housing.” 

At Cal State LA, these types of services are already in place through the Anna Bing Arnold Children’s Center and Centro De Niños y Padres. The New Student and Family Engagement (NSFE) office connects student parents to childcare, early registration, and financial support resources. 

“Cal State LA students with dependents currently have access to on-campus childcare services, our food pantry, and the emergency grant program,” said Christopher Johnson, who is the director of New Student and Family Engagement. “We also share information about CalWORKs, WIC, the Young Child tax credit, and the other off-campus resources. We want to connect student parents with as many resources as possible to ease their challenges and help them focus on earning their degree.”

As SB 271 creates new statewide requirements, Cal State LA’s Program already aligns with the goals of the legislation. James Goodrich, the director of the Anna Bing Arnold Children’s Center, said that “the center has long prioritized accessibility for student parents.” 

“A lot of our student parents don’t pay anything for childcare because of programs like the California State Preschool Program and general childcare funding,” Goodrich said. “ We already have strong funding here, so I’m glad this bill can help campuses that don’t have the same resources.” 

The Anna Bing Arnold Children’s Center was the first official child care center in the CSU system and has served student families for over 50 years. It was founded to support student parents by providing affordable, high quality childcare and early education programs. Over the past decades, the center has become a vital resource for Cal State LA’s campus community, providing a safe environment for children while supporting parents who continue pursuing their degrees.

The center provides care for children ages 6 months to five years old, making sure that student parents at Cal State LA get opportunities before opening enrollment to faculty, staff and the local community. Goodrich says the greatest challenge is space, and not really funding. 

“We’re licensed for a specific number of children, and we can’t exceed that,” he said. “If I could build another building, I would.”

Even though space is limited, the center remains an important resource for students balancing school, work, and family life.

“The impact is tremendous,” Goodrich said. “Parents can drop off their children, attend classes, and know that they’re in a safe place, nurturing environment. That peace of mind makes all the difference”. 

Both Johnson and Goodrich stress the importance of visibility of this issue. Many students, especially transfer and first-year parents, may not know that childcare services exist on campus. 

The Anna Bing Child Care Center is located adjacent to the Cal State LA campus at 2301 Levanda Ave. Students can also access designated lactation rooms on campus, which can be found in the University Student Union (US-U) room 206, as well as King Hall. Students can also have access to baby changing stations on campus in each restroom located on the first, second, and third floors of U-SU, which are also open to the community. 

While a specific percentage for Cal State LA is not available, the California State University system reported that 2.1% of students who are parents have reported that they have at least one dependent under the age of 18.

As Bill SB 271 takes effect in January, Cal State LA’s model could serve as an example for other CSUs, UCs and community college campuses. The University has had a long history of commitment to supporting student parents, which highlights the benefit of having strong child care programs on campus.

“This new bill is another stepping stone,” Goodrich said. “It helps families reach their desired results, being successful students, professionals, and parents all at once.”