Parenting Student Online Resource Center

Mission Support Form

We are committed to serving the needs of parenting students and to provide a supportive environment to increase academic success. We connect students to campus services & resources as well as community resources.

Young Asian woman with glasses and straight black hair works with a young boy around four as he works on a painting.

Childcare Resources

The District is committed to providing free high-quality, early education and care to our students.

 

CARE Circles 

This support group, offered on Zoom, is designed especially for our parenting students to learn, share, and connect. CARE Circles are hosted by Amanda Marshall and our campus's amazing mental health team.

Sharing is completely optional. Our goal is to create a safe space for everyone to talk about some of the most important issues impacting them as parents and empower them to nurture their mental health! All Mission College student-parents are welcome to join us.


Parenting Student Support Programs and Resources 

EOPS/CARE

As co-creators of knowledge with Academic Affairs, we strive to prepare our students to meet tomorrow’s opportunity by engaging with them through a student development perspective.  

Mission EOPS believes personal growth and mindfulness are essential to student success. Awareness of cultural strengths, gaining and acquiring practical knowledge, and incorporating new knowledge into daily life are all principles EOPS strives to achieve. 

The Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE) program, a component of EOPS, is designed to focus on the unique needs of single-parent students who receive Cash Aid/TANF funds.


CalWORKs

CalWORKs is the "California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids program". We are a federal, state and county funded program serving low-income students parenting at least one child under the age of 18. 

CalWORKs at Mission College works in collaboration with Santa Clara County Department of Social Services, the Adult Education Centers and Cal-Learn programs.


Priority Registration 

Priority registration allows you to register early to get into courses before they fill up. Parenting students are amongst the first students to register for courses. This flexibility allows you to build your schedule for the dates/times you need.


Student Health Services/Mental Health Support  

We know being a student can be challenging and being a parent can be even more challenging. We want our student parents to know that Mission offers free mental health support! Schedule a visit with our mental health specialist by emailing Melissa.Johnsgard@missioncollege.edu.


Lactation Rooms

Map of lactaction rooms on Mision College campus.

Mission College is happy to provide a clean, secure, supportive environment to enable breastfeeding student and employees to express their milk during school or work hours.

* The room is equipped with a comfortable chair, electrical outlet, lamp, and a changing table.


Community Childcare Resources 

Kidango (KidANGO) (Infant & toddler care Ages 0-3). Pre-school (Ages 3-4) 

Kidango is an early learning nonprofit committed to setting every child on a path to thrive in kindergarten and in life. As the largest childcare provider in the San Francisco Bay Area, we provide children with safe, healthy and nurturing environments and relationships, fostering the social, emotional, and academic skills they need to learn, grow and realize their potential.

From our position at the nexus of practice, policy and research, we advocate for evidence-based early learning and care policies that help close the opportunity and readiness gaps for our youngest learners.


Early Head Start (Early Head Start) Ages 0-3 

The EHS-CC Partnerships program enhances and supports early learning settings to provide comprehensive and continuous services. It increases access to high-quality, full-day, full-year childcare, including family childcare, for low-income working families.

The program also supports the development of infants and toddlers through strong relationship-based experiences and prepares them for the transition into Head Start and preschool. 

  • Head Start (Head Start)  Ages 3-4
    • Head Start encompasses Head Start preschool programs, which primarily serve 3- and 4-year-old children, and Early Head Start programs for infants, toddlers, and pregnant women. Head Start services are delivered nationwide through 1,600 agencies which tailor the federal program to the local needs of families in their service area. 
  • First5 California First5 California  Ages 0-5 
    • All California’s children deserve high-quality early learning opportunities. First 5 California’s investments in early learning and care increase the effectiveness of the programs and help children ages 0 to 5 and their families thrive.  

Parenting Student Frequently Asked Questions
Parenting Student FAQs

Q: Does Mission have any accommodations for parenting students?
A: Mission College encourages students to have open communication with professors. Accommodation will be provided according to each student's needs.  


Q: What if I am due during the semester?
A: Know your rights! To learn more, please visit this website: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/tix_dis.html


Q:  What childcare resources are available to Mission Students?
A: Did you know you may qualify for subsidized childcare?  

Check out our Mission’s CDC department. Other Community childcare resources include KidANGO, First5 California, Early Head Start, Head Start.


Q: Does Mission have any programs for parenting students?
A: Check out EOPS, CARE & CalWORKs! 


Q: What type of financial assistance is available to Mission students?
A: Please check out our financial assistance webpage.

Mission understands that students sometimes have unexpected expenses that they may be unable to cover.

Q: How does Title IX Protects Pregnant & Parenting Students?
A: Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex—including pregnancy and parental status—in educational programs and activities that receive Federal financial assistance from the Department of Education. The term pregnancy is used to include childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from any of these conditions.  

With regards to supporting pregnant students, institutions are required under Title IX to: 

  • Excuse a student’s absences because of pregnancy or childbirth for as long as deemed medically necessary.
  • Afford the same protections to pregnant students as students who have temporary medical conditions.
  • Make reasonable and responsive adjustments.
  • Allow a student to continue participating in classes and extracurricular activities.
  • Allow a student to return from their leave to the same academic status as before their leave.
  • Offer options for making up the work missed and allow the student to decide.