VOLUME 18
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ISSUE 6
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JUNE 2020
THE TOOLBOX
A Teaching and Learning Resource for Instructors
STUDENTS WHO ARE ALSO PARENTS: AWARENESS AND SUPPORT ON CAMPUS A pproximately 1 in 5 undergraduate college students attending a postsecondary institution in the United States are also parents (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2019). These student-parents share several common characteristics:
Sabrina C. Gregersen Adam Brazil Meghan Ecker-Lyster Center for Educational Opportunity Programs, University of Kansas
» 70% of them are mothers (Radwin et al., 2018); » 42% are enrolled at a community college (Radwin et al., 2018); and » as a group, they are more likely to be enrolled on a part-time basis (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2019). The U.S. Government Accountability Office (2019) says only about half (52%) of student-parents are likely to complete a degree program. Student-parents often arrive on campus with a unique set of needs in spite of sharing similar goals with peers who are not parents. Of the nearly 3.8 million students who are raising children while also attending college, more than half are also raising children under the age of 6 (Radwin et al., 2018). The cost of raising a child puts financial pressure on student-parents, and roughly 45% report that they have to work a full-time job while simultaneously attending college to support their family (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2019). As a result of financial commitments and family responsibilities, student-parents are more likely to encounter time constraints and other significant challenges when compared to their non-parenting peers. The path to earning a college degree is difficult under the best circumstances; factor in balancing a job, family life, parenthood, and coursework, and this challenge can become even more daunting. The Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education to support low-income student-parents by providing financial assistance, educational workshops, and childcare for participants enrolled in higher education. The grant is awarded to postsecondary institutions who work in partnership with an on-campus or community childcare facility. These grants focus on the two biggest obstacles
National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience® and Students in Transition, University of South Carolina
Supporting student parents is one of the best ways that we can help shape more prosperous and liberatory futures.
— Larissa M. Mercado-López, Associate Professor of Women’s Students, California State University
www.sc.edu/fye/toolbox
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