Las Positas College student Andrew Delfino is majoring in geography while juggling life as a parent of five children between the ages of 4 and 18. From his experience, daycare expenses can cost as much as mortgage or rent.
The LPC Child Development Center serves as a resource for student parents while they attend classes. With the help of scholarships and financial aid, the center has become a popular option, though it is currently at capacity with its highest enrollment of student parents to date.
The center manages 82 children, with ages ranging from 22 months to kindergarten. According to data from the fall 2025 semester, 9% of LPC students are parents of one or more children under 18. This demographic also provides over half of their children’s financial support.
The center is designed to be more than a drop-off point; parents are encouraged to visit and participate in classroom activities when possible. Classified teachers and early childhood specialists lead the classrooms, using a curriculum that incorporates academics into play based on the children’s interests.
According to the center’s website, it offers “an enriched social and educational experience for children…children benefit by participating in innovative projects and personal interactions.”
Current resources for student parents include CalFresh, CalWORKS and financial grants. Options for future resources include a student-parent focus group, physical resources like parenting books and collaborations with programs on campus. Advocates also suggest that a dedicated counselor for pregnant students and student parents could provide additional support and serve as a resource for student parents seeking information on a personal level.
“I think there are some students that are comfortable talking about them being parents, and then there’s some that are not,” said Carla Aguirre, an LPC student and parent of a 3-year-old. “So I think if there was a specific person that you can go to and talk (to) about that…I think that’s a great idea for students to feel comfortable and really share what’s going on in their lives.”
Beyond childcare, student parents look for flexibility to manage their increased responsibilities. Many have found support through understanding professors and the Basic Needs Center, which provides groceries to help families save money and feed their children.
“The professors are really good about working with you,” Delfino said. “There’s been multiple times that I’ve had to leave early, if not miss class, (they’re) very supportive with their office hours, having me come in, (and) catch up with what I need to catch up on.”
Student parent Dominic Provenzola noted that hosting more on-campus events on weekends would allow more families to participate. Aguirre suggested that LPC highlight its family-friendly environment by advertising whether events are child-safe. She believes this advertising will help student parents feel less nervous about bringing their kids to campus.
While the Child Development Center acts as a primary hub, Provenzola has found the LPC campus community to be supportive of his parental responsibilities.
“If I have a class going, there’s always somebody here that’d be willing to watch my kid for a little while after I’m gone for an hour,” Provenzola said.
Despite the high demand, the Child Development Center can’t take more kids, even though it has two empty rooms. The center serves not just LPC student parents but also local families with some going as far as San Jose State, forcing it to turn some families away. More funding is needed to hire additional staff to utilize the available space.
The center’s expansion–including an infant room for children under 18 months–is currently being stalled by a lack of funding. Although the physical space exists, changes to federal funding have delayed the financial support necessary for the center to fully utilize its space.
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TOP PHOTO: A courtyard inside the Child Development Center connects different areas for easy access. From classrooms to the main building to the playground, everything is in one place. (Photo by Maximilien Kiyoi/The Express)
Maximilien Kiyoi is a staff writer for The Express.
