Student Parent Success Initiative2023-07-31T10:19:55-05:00

Student Parent Success Initiative

Earning a postsecondary credential is more important than ever for families to achieve economic security and mobility. For the roughly four million college students who are parents of children under 18—70 percent of whom are mothers—earning a degree or certificate is a pathway to a better life for themselves and their families. These student parents, however, are often overlooked on college campuses and in the broader system of higher education, and lack access to the supports, such as affordable, high-quality child care, that they need to successfully graduate.

IWPR’s Student Parent Success Initiative conducts research and policy analysis, provides technical expertise and assistance, and communicates its research and builds partnerships to lift up the voices of students with children and increase equity in higher education for student parents and other underserved student populations.

Student Parent Month 2023
September is Student Parent Month!

Learn more about the unique challenges that come with raising a family while also pursuing an academic degree and how states across the country are supporting student parents.

Underwater
UNDERWATER: STUDENT MOTHERS AND FATHERS STRUGGLE TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES AND PAY OFF COLLEGE LOANS

IWPR conducted original research on an often-overlooked group of students—parents with children—as they struggle to make ends meet while pursuing academic degrees and certificates. Click to learn more.

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