Education and Career AdvancementAdministrator2025-01-30T16:13:59-05:00

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.

FPA launch
IWPR Federal Policy Agenda to Advance Gender Equity Now Live

The Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) is proud to launch its Federal Policy Solutions to Advance Gender Equity agenda—a transformative blueprint outlining our long-term policy vision through actionable recommendations to improve women’s lives and create lasting, systemic change.

CFS Launch
IWPR Launches Connect for Success Initiative to Expand Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Community College Students

IWPR has proudly announced the launch of its new initiative, Connect for Success—a groundbreaking initiative aiming to significantly increase community college students' access to high-quality, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care services. The initiative starts with awards to eleven grantees across the country working on the ground to provide students with the support they need to succeed.

Black Single Mothers in College
Understanding the Needs of Black Single Mothers in College

IWPR spoke with 25 Black single mothers as they strive for their college degree about the challenges they face and the programs that help them balance family with their academic careers.

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This September, Let’s Celebrate Student Parents!

September is National Student Parent Month, a month to celebrate and uplift student parents in higher education and recognize the need to further empower this unique group of students. According to IWPR reports, student parents make up a substantial percentage of postsecondary students but often [...]

By Salma Elakbawy|September 15, 2023|

Policy-at-a-Glance: Securing Student Parent Success

Earning a college degree has long been critical to unlocking many high-paying jobs – and, as a result, to economic mobility and security. Increasingly, however, the traditional “norm” of a college student – one who enrolls straight out of high school, receives some support [...]

By Tessa Dee|September 11, 2023|

State Policy for Student Parent Success: A Landscape Scan of Policy Solutions Enacted at the State Level

While promoting student-parent success has mainly been left to institutions of higher education, several states have considered or adopted a range of policy initiatives to support student parents in postsecondary education. This paper provides state policy stakeholders, including governors, state agencies, and advocates, with [...]

By Nina Besser DoorleySalma Elakbawy and Afet Dundar PhD|August 25, 2023|

Dismantling Barriers to Degree Attainment for Black Single Mother Students

A college degree can be a critical tool to economic stability, security, and advancement, yet structural and systemic issues create challenges for some students. Black single mothers pursuing higher education are disproportionately impacted by factors including lack of child care, educational affordability, and housing. Because [...]

By Salma Elakbawy and Miranda Peterson|July 12, 2023|