Imaginable Futures’ Post

"Single mothers, like Barnes, account for almost half of student parents, and the vast majority of them have incomes at or near the poverty line, which means they'd qualify for Head Start. But it's hard to take advantage of that program if you don't know about it, and if there isn't a center with a convenient location. Research shows access to the kind of child care Head Start provides can remove serious barriers to getting a degree. And yet, out of about 3,000 community college campuses in the U.S., only about 100 have Head Start centers on-site. That's despite plenty of opportunity: There are more than 16,000 Head Start centers in the country, and it's not uncommon for them to relocate to address shifts in need. A new five-year initiative between the Association of Community College Trustees and the National Head Start Association hopes to grow campus collaborations." https://lnkd.in/eyXuZR84

While millions of undergraduates across the nation juggle coursework with parenting, their unique challenges often remain invisible within college systems. This lack of visibility can lead to a significant gap in the support these student parents critically need. Today, we spotlight Nicole Lynn Lewis, Founder & CEO of Generation Hope. Under her leadership, Generation Hope has championed the cause of student parents by providing nearly $1M in tuition assistance, celebrating 170 degrees earned, and impacting nearly 100,000 student parents through partnerships with 16 colleges and universities. Through their systemic change efforts and technical assistance program, FamilyU, Generation Hope is making monumental strides. "We are already seeing states pass legislation that requires higher education institutions to collect data on parenting status," Nicole shares. "It's inspiring to see the tangible results of these initiatives." We call on the EdLoC network to engage with this cause: share your insights, support legislative change, and advocate for better recognition and support of student parents. Your actions today can pave the way for more young people of color to thrive. #WeAreEdLoC #EducationEquity

Maybe we should have Parents Month! From the article: “Roughly one in five U.S. college students is a parent, according to federal data. Studies show those students face major barriers to higher education — with child care at the top of the list. In Indiana, just 13% of student parents at four-year universities graduated in four years in 2021, according to a study of FAFSA recipients by the Commission for Higher Education and obtained by Mirror Indy. That pales in comparison to the 48% of their peers without children.” I earned my undergrad and my Juris Doctor while working full time and it was very challenging. I do not have children, so I cannot imagine how hard it is to balance work, life and children. I applaud all of you parents out there, working so hard, but perservering to earn your education. We don’t talk about you or celebrate you enough. You are fierce, driven and amazing. #warriors Thank you to Martin University and any university that is providing this service for parents. Employers: if you are searching for loyal, driven, hard-working employees, why would you not see these amazing warrior parents?! Talk about understanding priorities, project management, critical thinking, and problem-solving! A working college student/parent? The total package.

"What parenting students lack in terms of funding or time, they make up for with extraordinary drive, focus and maturity." This statement just about sums it up when I think about non-traditional college students with kids. Times Higher Education published a refreshing article written by Sara Goldrick-Rab on US undergraduate student parents and how institutions can support them. As a non-traditional student graduate, this article resonated with me. You can find the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gQkZmQmy

As we wrap up #StudentParentMonth, it’s vital to highlight the resilience of students who are also parents. “We cannot look at a student parent as being just a parent—as if the only barrier they face is taking care of children, although that is a lot. If we want true equity for student parents, we must look at the systemic issues that create even more barriers and further entrench status quo practices.” The City College of San Francisco Family Resource Center is an example of how community colleges can play a pivotal role in supporting student parents toward bright futures.  https://lnkd.in/dKC9HxX7

#highereducationleadership needs and deserves to be able to wield its own data without layers of consultants in the way. CollegeAPP is one of a new stable of companies that's ready to provide the right data that's customized to each institution's needs, not warmed-over best practices. I got to work with Andrea and Jack on some projects, and the insights they shared are one of the reasons I moved over to UQ Solutions, a company with a similar data-first focus. When #highereducation has the right data, it can reach the challenges and opportunities this new moment brings. Not getting the insights you need? Let's talk!

Following the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling to strike down affirmative action in college admissions on June 29, 2023, the Steve Fund partnered with the American Council on Education (ACE), and hosted three Community Conversations to examine and discuss the impacts on the mental health of students of color. Following is an overview of the topic, and a description of how panelists detailed (1) what higher education institutions must do to sustain their commitment to equity in mental health availability and access; (2) how student-centered groups and communities can help to ensure consistent, ongoing support and services for their peers; and (3) suggestions to amplify and intensify efforts that welcome students of color and communicate to them that they belong.

Urban Institute Announces Launch of New College #Community of Practice to Improve #Data Collection on #Parenting Students The Urban Institute announced today the launch of a new college community of practice, featuring a cohort of eight grantee colleges and universities and one citywide college system, to improve data collection on college students who are parents as part of the Data-to-Action Campaign for Parenting Students. Grantees will work to collect data on parenting and single-mother students in their college data systems and use those data to support students and their educational goals. “More than 4.3 million undergraduate college students in the United States have children, representing more than one in five undergraduate students,” said Theresa Anderson, a principal research associate at Urban. “Despite national data showing this group’s large size, an absence of data at individual schools about parent students’ enrollment, characteristics, experiences, and outcomes renders them nearly invisible. We’re excited to work with the grantees to help make change and ensure that the educational needs of this understudied group are met.” Learn more about the grantees and the new college community of practice. https://urbn.is/3P93ksa

📢 New blog from New America: Five Ways to Support #StudentParents During and Beyond Student Parent Month Building intergenerational family prosperity and well-being means intentionally focusing on children and the adults in their lives together. Through our Postsecondary Success for Parents (PSP) initiative, we build solutions with, and center the experiences of, the more than 4 million U.S. #StudentParents engaged in #postsecondary pathways. As Ascend's David Croom shares with New America: "We believe that the most durable solutions are created when student parents are at the table." Read more: https://lnkd.in/ejSrgRjn #StudentParents #NationalStudentParentMonth #2Gen

It's thrilling to see a profile like this from NPR Correspondent Elissa Nadworny about this important work being done by ACCT's Center for Policy and Practice. Community College Month is coming up in just a few weeks, and during #CCMonth, people across the country work to bring attention to the importance and value of community colleges--which are perpetually undervalued and underrecognized in favor of elite private universities. It's not an exaggeration to say that community colleges are a primary aspect of the country's infrastructure that supports and maintains access to the middle class at a time when the gap between classes is becoming too great to leap across. Many years ago, it was common for people to believe that students who attend community colleges are poorer academic performers with lesser potentials. Through a couple of decades of research, and through a shifted perspective from prestige and price tag to the humanity of students, we've learned that students who attend community colleges are just as intelligent, have equal potential to make important contributions to our world, and oftentimes work even harder than their peers who are able to go directly to universities. In many cases, they have to work to support their families and themselves while pursuing their studies, they have children to care for and have no help with that, and other life barriers get in the way. Many, we've learned through research from Sara Goldrick-Rab and others, have to choose between basic nutrition and tuition, or between sleeping in a car and staying enrolled or dropping out and affording an apartment. For many community college students to reach their potentials, time and money are the only barriers that keep them from matching up to or exceeding university counterparts. The Kids on Campus initiative will give more community college students the opportunity to stay enrolled and focus on their studies, as their college campuses will provide childcare while they are in class--potentially along with other supports to help them thrive. This is the kind of investment that pays off in connecting people with the opportunities they need to live the kind of life that every person deserves. I see so many media stories that feature commentators from the most expensive private universities—you know their names—almost exclusively. I hope to see more reporting like this that takes community colleges and their roles seriously.