In a bit of bipartisan cooperation. Representatives Lucy McBath (D GA-6), Deborah Ross (D NC-2), and Don Bacon (R NE-2) have introduced the Understanding Student Parent Act, legislations that aims to support pregnant and parenting students. The bill would work to collect data on these types of students and help to establish best practices for higher education and improve graduation rates.
“Caring for a family should never put a limit on one’s goals or dreams,” said Rep. McBath. “Our bill helps Americans invest in themselves and their economic success. It will help support the leaders of tomorrow and future generations by getting a better understanding of how to best support parenting students. I thank my colleagues for their partnership on this legislation.”
In a perhaps surprising statistic from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Society, some 22 percent of undergraduate students are parents. There are approximately 3.8 million students raising children while in college, with about 2.7 million (or 70 percent) are mothers and 1.1 million (30 percent) are fathers. These are not necessarily students walking around campus at the University of Georgia in Athens. They are more likely to attend community college and also make up a disproportionate share of for-profit college students – 42 percent of all student parents are enrolled in a community college. They are more likely to be non-white and also have nearly twice the student loan debt of students overall.
“Every student deserves access to a quality education, but too often the barriers for pregnant and parenting students can hinder their education,” said Congresswoman Deborah Ross. “Our bipartisan bill will help identify those barriers and provide recommendations for institutions to better support these students, improving graduation rates and helping them complete their education. This legislation will lay the groundwork for meaningful benefits to ensure student parents can succeed and build strong futures for their children.”
These parents frequently face unique challenges – childcare is not a regular concern for many other students. The bill’s philosophical twin, the Helping Student Parents Succeed Act. That bill looks to connect new or expecting mothers with childcare, leave options and other benefits available through their companies.
“I’m pleased to co-lead the Understanding Student Parent Outcomes Act to help pregnant and parenting students succeed,” said Congressman Don Bacon. “Our bipartisan legislation will help universities understand what obstacles student parents are facing while they strive to gain a quality education.”
