Education and Career Advancement
Education is a cornerstone of economic security, and we are committed to breaking down barriers to advancement. We research student parents, career training opportunities through apprenticeships and workforce development, and other policies that reduce student debt and make college more accessible for women, particularly women of color.

Parents in College By the Numbers
DOWNLOAD REPORT Two-generation (2Gen) programs and policies create opportunities that allow adults and the children in their lives to build on each other’s successes. Ensuring that both parents and children have access to affordable, high-quality educational opportunities, for example, is a core component [...]
Single Mothers with College Degrees Much Less Likely to Live in Poverty
DOWNLOAD REPORT Single Mothers with College Degrees Much Less Likely to Live in Poverty Earning a postsecondary degree is a well-established pathway out of poverty, and degrees are especially life-changing for women raising children on their own. Analysis by the Institute for Women’s [...]
Investing in Single Mothers’ Higher Education: Costs and Benefits to Individuals, Families, and Society
Postsecondary education is a reliable pathway to economic security and is increasingly important to securing family-sustaining employment. For single mother families, who make up a growing share of U.S. families, and who are especially likely to live in poverty, college attainment is a game changer for improving family well-being and meeting the demands of a changing economy.
IWPR Update: Research Supports Wins for Austin Workers and Student Parents
IWPR Analysis Informs Historic Sick Days Ordinance in Austin In February, the Austin City Council passed an ordinance to require the city’s employers to provide paid sick days. The ordinance’s historic passage makes Austin, Texas, the first city in the South to guarantee paid sick [...]