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 Parents’ Access to Campus Child Care Continued to Decline in 2015
Given the importance of higher education to a family’s economic security and their children’s future success, ensuring that student parents have access to affordable, quality care must be a priority for educational institutions, higher education advocates, and policymakers.
Supporting Student Parent Success in Community Colleges
Power Point presentation from Women's Funding Network Conference workshop "Powerful Partnerships: Foundations and Community Colleges".
Research & Policy Update: Student Parents & Access to Child Care at Community Colleges
Power Point presentation from Student Parent Support Symposium session on "Current Student Parent Research & Policy Efforts"
4.8 Million College Students are Raising Children
Over a quarter (26 percent) of all undergraduate students, or 4.8 million students, are raising dependent children. Women are disproportionately likely to be balancing college and parenthood, many without the support of a spouse or partner.
Securing a Better Future: A Portrait of Female Students in Mississippi’s Community Colleges
This report presents findings from a survey of female community college students in Mississippi conducted by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) and commissioned by the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi.
College Affordability for Low-Income Adults: Improving Returns on Investment for Families and Society
This report was prepared by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) as a part of a series of papers on defining college affordability sponsored by the Lumina Foundation. The report examines how efforts to understand and improve college affordability can be informed by the experiences and circumstances of low-income adults, students of color, and students with dependent children.
