College of the Desert opens Child Development Center on Indio campus

College of the Desert has opened a new "Child Development Center" on its Indio campus.

The center will allow students and the community to acquire affordable childcare while also allowing early-education students to get hands-on experience.

Childcare will be provided to 80 children, 40 toddlers, and 40 preschoolers. Priority will be given to COD students.

COD officials hope the center will help students and people in the community who have a tough time finding childcare.

"At the end of the day, what we find is our students don't stop going to college because they have a B or a C or a D, they stop going to college because other things in life get in the way, and the big ones are childcare, food support and transportation," Val Martinez Garcia, vice president of instruction at College of the Desert.

Watch the full interview with Martinez Garcia at the top of the article.