February 2020

Student Parent Success Initiative (SPSI) Update

Investing in Single Mothers’ Higher Education: 51 State Fact Sheets and National Briefing Paper

The Institute for Women’s Policy Research released 51 state fact sheets and a national briefing paper featuring estimates of the economic benefits of investing in single mothers’ success in higher education. The fact sheets feature first-ever state-level data on the number of single mothers enrolled in college and the individual and societal economic benefits that result from their educational attainment. IWPR finds that investments in supports that can improve single mothers’ completion rates pay off several times over in every state and nationally due to the increase in tax revenue and savings in public benefits resulting from an increase in single mothers’ attainment of college degrees.

Select news coverage:

U.S. Economic Activity Could Grow by Tens of Billions of Dollars If We Invested More in Single Mothers Attending College, Report Shows | The 74, February 4, 2020
Cathe Dykstra: Investing in Kentucky’s single-mother students will strengthen Commonwealth’s economy | Northern Kentucky Tribune, February 4, 2020
Opinion: Want big economic benefits for Kentucky? Help single mothers get college degrees | Kentucky Courier Journal, January 30, 2020
Guest columnist: Investing in students who are single moms will strengthen Kentucky's economy | The State Journal, January 23, 2020
Helping Single Moms Graduate College Considered Good Investment | Public News Service, January 9, 2020
A College Degree Can Lift Single Moms Out Of Poverty, But Few In Kansas Or Missouri Get State Help | NPR, December 27, 2019
Single moms in college have ‘a lot to juggle’ and a new report says they need more help | The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 18, 2019

Report: Head-Start College Partnerships as a Strategy for Promoting Family Economic Success

A new report from IWPR describes a study exploring partnerships between Head Start providers and colleges and universities as a strategy for increasing access to free, high-quality early care and learning opportunities for children of student parents. More than two in five enrolled student parents meet the income-eligibility requirements for Head Start and more than half have children under six. Embedded in the Head Start model is the provision of wraparound support to parents, which can help those who are enrolled in college persist and graduate. The report describes existing partnerships and shares perceived benefits and challenges from interviews with over 40 experts and practitioners. The report concludes with recommendations for colleges,

communities, and policymakers interested in promoting family success through Head Start-college partnerships.

Selected Coverage:

Student Parents Can Benefit from Head Start Childcare Program | The College Post, November 1, 2019
Report: Head Start-College Partnerships Improve Success for Student Parents | Diverse Education, October 31, 2019
Head Start for Campus Childcare, Inside Higher Ed | October 31, 2019
The American Opportunity Agenda: Affordable college, stronger workforce development, and lifelong learning | Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s Policy on Higher Education

OTHER RESEARCH & RESOURCES

College Success for Single Mothers Initiative

The National College Transition Network (NCTN) has launched a new initiative focused on single mothers in college with support from ECMC Foundation and in partnership with Achieving the Dream and the Program Evaluation and Research Group (PERG) at Endicott College. The project will assist eight community colleges identify the needs of single mother students and develop services to enhance their success. A call for applications will be announced in spring 2020. For more information, contact Sandy Goodman, NCTN Director, at [email protected].

New report from the Single Mothers’ Career Readiness and Success Projec

NCTN published No Matter What Obstacle is Thrown My Way, which documents program models and strategies implemented in community college settings to increase single mothers’ rates of persistence and completion. Recommendations include providing professional development for faculty and staff to better understand the needs of single mother students; leveraging funding with provisions for special populations; and advocating for policies that support single mothers’ postsecondary success.

The True Cost of College for Student Parents in California

California Competes released a new report, titled Clarifying the True Cost of College for Student Parents. The report details how net price calculators have inefficiencies that perpetuate affordability issues for student parents. While college cost calculations typically include living expenses students face regardless of matriculation, tools that estimate the net price of college for student parents often come up short. The report includes a new net price calculator that accounts for the life costs student parents face

Introducing Imaginable Futures

The Omidyar Network’s Education Initiative has launched as Imaginable Futures, which will take a systems approach to solving education challenges by working across public, private, and

social sectors. It retains a deep commitment to on-the-ground partnerships and will remain a philanthropic investment firm. Imaginable Futures begins with a $200 million capital investment and has an additional $150 million for operations and investment over the next four years.

Family Housing Database

The Wellesley Center for Women has compiled a Family Housing Database which identifies colleges and universities in the United States offering college-affiliated housing for students with children. Data have been collected and updated in 2014, 2016 and 2018 through comprehensive web-based searches of every accredited U.S. college or university.

Making Federal Financial Aid Work Better for Students

The Center for American Progress released a column with three policy ideas aimed at improving the federal aid system to better account for student parents’ financial needs. Recommendations include awarding larger Pell Grants to student parents, adjusting income-driven repayment based on family composition, and giving student parents special priority under the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.

Two-Generation Approaches to Support Student Parent

The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute recently released a report titled: A Two-Generation Approach: Solutions to Support Student Parents and Their Children. The report finds that Georgia has much to gain from two-generation policies and programs. It goes on to discuss current two-generational work being done in Georgia and make recommendations on how parents going to college and their children can be better supported. These recommendations include making pursuit of a bachelor’s degree count to qualify for state child care assistance.

Government Accountability Office: New Report on Student Parents’ Access to Financial Aid

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on information and federal aid for student parents, at the request of Senators Murray of Washington and Duckworth of Illinois. The report finds that student parents often lack access to affordable child care and other supports that could help them complete school. Recommendations include improving data collection practices for the federal Child Care Access Means Parents in School grant program and encouraging schools to provide more information about the dependent care allowance to students with care responsibilities.

STUDENT PARENT POLICY UPDATES:

New Bill to Increase Investments in Child Care at Community Colleges and Minority Serving Institutions

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), alongside Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), introduced the Preparing and Resourcing Our Student Parents and Early Childhood Teachers (PROSPECT) Act. The PROSPECT Act would make investments in the provision of infant and toddler care at community colleges and minority-serving institutions (MSIs), provide infant and toddler child care providers with training, mentorship, technical support and expansion funding, and fund early childhood education programs at community colleges and MSIs. It would also increase student eligibility for Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) subsidies and require all colleges to share information on the dependent care allowance with students.

Select News coverage:

Booker Proposes Bill to Support Student Parents at Community Colleges and Minority Serving Institutions | Diverse Education, November 21, 2019
Booker wants to invest $9B to help students studying early childhood education | Politico, November 20, 2019

New legislation in California Strengthens Title IX Rules for Single Parents in College

California Assembly Bill No. 809, introduced by Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), was signed into law by Governor Newsome in September 2019. The new law requires colleges and universities to make information available to pregnant and parenting students regarding their rights under Title IX. It also encourages campus-based child development centers at public California colleges and universities to prioritize the children of eligible single student parents for slots.

UPCOMING EVENTS AND CONFERENCES:

February 19, 2020, 2:30-3:30pm – Focusing on Invisible Students: Identifying Strategies for #CCWomenSucceed | DREAM 2020 | National Harbor, MD

March 9, 2020, 12:30-1:30pm – Innovating for Adult Postsecondary Success | SXSWedu | Austin, TX

March 26-28, 2020 – National Coalition for Campus Children’s Centers Annual Conference and Professional Institute | Spokane, WA

March 28, 2020, 1:00-4:00pm – Student Parent Summit | 100th Annual American Association of Community Colleges Convention Pre-Convention | National Harbor, MD

April 23, 2020, 1:00-2:00pm – The Student Parent Housing Crisis Seminar | Wellesley College, MA

May 27-29, 2020 – National Student Parent Support Symposium | The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

STUDENT PARENTS IN THE NEWS:

IWPR Student Parent Research in the News:

College And Kids: Addressing The Challenges Student Parents Face, WNPR: Connecticut Public Radio, January 14, 2020

For students with kids, college can be a lonely struggle. One program aims to help, LA Valley Times, December 27, 2019

We Must Act Now to End Students’ Basic Needs Insecurity — Together, Philanthropy News Digest, December 3, 2019

Toddlers and Textbooks: Navigating College as a Single Parent, The Lantern, December 2, 2019

It's All About the Dollars: Reducing Unmet Financial Need for Students with Dependents, New America Blog, November 25, 2019

Here’s a way to increase college completion rates, Quartz, November 17, 2019

Vital Federal Program To Help Parents In College Is 'A Drop In The Bucket', NPR, October 24, 2019

Special report: Higher education's existential crisis, Axios, September 21, 2019

Colleges Could Do More To Help Student Parents Pay For Child Care, Watchdog Says, NPR, September 12, 2019

Achieving the Dream Convene Stakeholders to Discuss Student Parent Report, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, September 12, 2019

Bringing support to student mothers on campus, The Daily Mississippi, September 9, 2020

Supports for Student Parent:

FMCC looks to increase its state level advocacy efforts, The Ledger-Herald, January 28, 2020

'You can do hard things': With support from her professors, MTSU student, mother set to graduate, Daily News Journal, December 10, 2019

University’s need for childcare service, Dixie Sun News, November 15, 2019

IVCC's Single Parent Connections program adds group, The Times, October 9, 2019

Helping Parents Finish College, New America, October 3, 2019

Kids in Class, Inside Higher Ed, October 2, 2019

California’s latest undergrad project? More aid for campus moms and dads, ABC10, October 1, 2019

Child Care Cost Affecting Degree Attainment of Student Parents, The College Post, September 22, 2019

Student Parents need to find a balance, The Weal, September 10, 2019

Today’s College Student, Rapid City Journal, September 8, 2019

Expanding Campus Child Care for Student Parents:

New CCAMPIS grantees around the country: St. Pete College, Troy University, California State University Stanislaus, Highland College, Peninsula College, Oklahoma State University

CCTAP pitches budget proposal to SSFC, The Badger Herald, January 27, 2020

State board gives Patrick Henry Community College approval to start $14 million fundraising campaign for new early childhood education center, Martinsville Bulletin, January 25, 2020

CSU Channel Islands sets sights on building child care center, VC Star, December 13, 2019

U of T’s after-hours child care pilot project had a wait-list, The Star, December 12, 2019

$1.3 million grant helps Cal Poly Pomona offer evening children care, expand services, Daily Bulletin, November 17, 2019

Broward College Program Offers Low-Cost Childcare for Students, NBC Miami, November 13, 2019

$1.7M donation planned to help build, equip additional space at Childcare Resources' Fifth Avenue campus in Vero Beach, TC Palm, November 12, 2019

University Senate launches Childcare Affordability Initiative to support student-parents, Columbia Spectator, November 11, 2019

UT Child Development Center plans to expand Lavaca Street location, add 40 spots by May 2022, The Daily Texan, October 22, 2019

Alumna Gives $1M for New Child Care Center at UW-Stout, VolumeOne, October 2, 2019

Gateway Community College offers free childcare to help student parents, Local 12, August 28, 2020

About Us

The Student Parent Success Initiative (SPSI), a project of the Institute for Women's Policy Research, is designed to improve supports and services for student parents seeking postsecondary education.

SPSI serves to initiate new research, raise awareness on the need for student parent supports, and foster communication and collaboration among advocates, policymakers, educators, and practitioners.