Joshua Williams
The intergenerational benefits of a college education are massive, and they begin accruing when both parent and child are in school at the same time. The good news is that two-generation models are increasingly common in higher education, and evaluations of both short and longer-term effects are promising, especially for Black families. The bad news? These programs receive far less attention and funding than they deserve, as most philanthropy continues flowing toward exclusionary colleges and universities that enroll few if any parenting students.
We find that trend disappointing– even infuriating– because we’ve both seen firsthand just how dedicated, resilient, and brilliant students with children are. One of us (Joshua) was running a California State University support program, when a new transfer student walked into his office with two babies in a stroller and another on his hip. The dad was literally balancing infant triplets. He’d already done the hard work of making it to college and enrolling for classes– now he just needed some help affording food and childcare. With that assistance, two years later he finished his bachelor’s degree.
What parenting students do in order to navigate college would astonish most people. Even the busiest professionals balancing work and parenting have more discretionary time than these students, who often do those things while alsospending time in class and studying. The resulting “time poverty” makes it a particularly high-wire act– one stroke of bad luck and they leave school, since the kids and the bills (the immediate needs) come first.
That’s why, when one of us (Sara) received a panicked message from a student in her community college classroom last term, she urged the parent to come to class even though her babysitter hadn’t shown up. The student had already had to miss a day due to illness, and another due to a booted car. Her education was at risk, and as an experienced teacher, Sara knew that welcoming a three-year-old to class wasn’t difficult. She packed extra snacks and a couple of picture books, and while the students were engaged in the lesson she helped the little boy take pictures of his Captain America doll next to his mommy, the college student.
Education is a partnership, and helping ensure that all staff and faculty have the knowledge, skills, and support needed to educate today’s students– and their kids– is essential. That’s why we’re excited about the #RealCollege Curriculum from Believe in Students, a flexible online masterclass that will begin offering a course on parenting students early next year. We also recommend Generation Hope's FamilyU cohort which offers a tailored, evidence based, two-year program to guide colleges and universities improving their support.
Finding creative ways to scale services for parenting students is essential. Offering drop-in and evening childcare on campus is a good start, as are initiatives like the Washington Post-lauded Kids on Campus program which is bringing more Head Starts onto community college campuses. The federal Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program (CCAMPIS) clearly needs to be expanded, though we doubt the incoming Trump Administration will recognize its importance.
Campuses also need more affordable family-friendly housing rather than further investment in residence halls only suited for young singles. Louisville’s Family Scholar House braids public and private dollars to support parenting university students, while Raise the Barr supports single parent students and their families in California and Minnesota through its scholarship and stable housing cohorts.
At bare minimum, every institution enrolling parenting students should have dedicated emergency funding available to offer relief for unexpected expenses such as childcare costs or housing crises which might otherwise force students to stop out. A newly announced national fund for single moms in college, supported by Scholarship America and both corporate and traditional philanthropy, is an exciting effort we’re keeping an eye on.
Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab
As we approach the holiday season, the challenges faced by parenting students come into sharper focus. For many the holidays–traditionally a time of joy and celebration– instead bring heightened financial and emotional stress. Struggling to stretch already limited resources, parenting students often face difficult choices, such as prioritizing other essential needs over holiday gifts or festive meals for their families and children. This time of the year provides meaningful opportunities to step up and offer intentional support. Please consider investing in kids by supporting their parents’ education. Connect with one of the organizations mentioned above, or one of the many who are part of the national SPARK (Student-Parent Action Through Research Knowledge) Collaborative. Or, contact your local community college and ask how you can support one of their programs for parenting students, to relieve financial burdens, create moments of connection, and remind parenting students and their children that they matter.
Joshua Williams is a former student affairs administrator, higher education consultant, founder of JW1 Consulting, and co-founder of RACCS (Reaching Across Communities and Challenging Systems) based in Los Angeles, CA.
Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab is author of Paying the Price, College Costs, Financial Aid, and the Betrayal of the American Dream, senior fellow at Education Northwest, sociology professor at the Community College of Philadelphia, and founder of Believe in Students, the #RealCollege movement, and the original Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice.
