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The #AmericanFamiliesPlan is a "dose of hope" for millions of students for whom a #college degree has been out of reach. I was a #teenmom in college 20 years ago, and I work on behalf of millions of #studentparents every day so let's talk about how AFP is so impactful.
#studentparents are a largely invisible population in #HigherEd and in public discourse. Turns out, 1 in 5 college students across the country is parenting and that doesn't include the MILLIONS who have stopped out because of the many challenges that they face.
Despite having HIGHER GPAs on average than their non-parenting peers (yep, that's right), they're 10 times less likely to complete a bachelor’s degree within five years than students who don’t have children.
You can dig into the data here: https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/bps/about.asp
You can dig into the data here: https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/bps/about.asp
Why? Because the path to economic mobility is FAR TOO DIFFICULT. How do you afford college, housing, food, transportation, and childcare? So many college students are struggling with basic needs, and one group that suffers the most (silently) is #studentparents.
See the work of @saragoldrickrab and her team at @hope4college:
- 53% of parenting students were food insecure in the prior 30 days
- 68% of parenting students were housing insecure in the previous year
- 17% of parenting students were homeless in the previous year
- 53% of parenting students were food insecure in the prior 30 days
- 68% of parenting students were housing insecure in the previous year
- 17% of parenting students were homeless in the previous year
#FreeCollege would address a significant hurdle to degree attainment for #studentparents. Making community college free for every American is a huge boost for those with children -- the largest share of this population is at #communitycolleges. https://iwpr.org/iwpr-issues/student-parent-success-initiative/parents-in-college-by-the-numbers/
Investments in institutions that have too long been underfunded such as #HBCUs #TCIs and #MSIs benefit #studentparents who are more likely to be students of color (in fact almost HALF of Black female undergrads across the country are parenting... yes you read that right).
While many people might think the #AFPs investments in universal #preschool and affordable quality #childcare only benefits workers, it also benefits STUDENTS.
Affordable, reliable childcare can be game changing for #studentparents but it's too rare. https://www.npr.org/2019/10/24/772018032/vital-federal-program-to-help-parents-in-college-is-a-drop-in-the-bucket
Affordable, reliable childcare can be game changing for #studentparents but it's too rare. https://www.npr.org/2019/10/24/772018032/vital-federal-program-to-help-parents-in-college-is-a-drop-in-the-bucket
Affordability is one piece in a larger puzzle for college success. Structural and systemic barriers cause too many students to fall through the cracks.
#highered simply wasn't designed for #studentparents and other marginalized groups. https://higherlearningadvocates.org/2020/09/23/reimagining-higher-ed-for-equity-and-student-parent-success/
#highered simply wasn't designed for #studentparents and other marginalized groups. https://higherlearningadvocates.org/2020/09/23/reimagining-higher-ed-for-equity-and-student-parent-success/
For example, my organization @SupportGenHope found that 40% of #studentparents feel isolated on their college campus and 20% feel unwelcome. https://www.generationhope.org/student-parents-report-2020
The #AmericanFamiliesPlan's $62 billion grant program "to invest in completion and retention activities at colleges and universities that serve high numbers of low-income students" acknowledges that we also need to create environments that set these students up for success.
There's no doubt that #AFP will make a difference for #studentparents and all students. If you're not sure, ask a student who had to drop out this past year. I promise you'll learn something.
And we all benefit: "Any country that outeducates us, is going to outcompete us."
And we all benefit: "Any country that outeducates us, is going to outcompete us."
@AspenAscend @ImaginableFut @ECMCFoundation @miamiexile @drkastout @saragoldrickrab @ViniceinED @davidacroom @MaryAnnDeMario @LAVCFRC @lindseyreichlin @IWPResearch @Rainesford @TRINITYPREZ @hope4college @Volcoucou @profannehof
