Supporting Student Parent
Success in College
Barbara Gault, Ph.D.
Institute for Women’s Policy Research
Education brings earnings gains (but Women
Make Less than Men at All Education Levels)
Annual Earnings for Full Time/Full Year Women
and Men Ages 25+
$120,000
Men
$100,000
$85,000
$80,000
$20,000
$80,000
$68,000
$60,000
$40,000
$110,000
Women
$50,000
$39,000
$28,000
$20,500
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$29,000
$0
Less than
HS
HS/GED
Associate's
Source: IWPR analysis of Ruggles et al. 2010. Integrated Public Use
Microdata Series: Version 5.0.
BA
MA
Prof/Ph.D.
The Share of Students with Dependent Children is
Highest at Community and For-Profit Colleges
60%
Share of students with dependent children by
institution type, 1996-2012
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1996
2000
2004
2008
Public 2 year
Public 4 year
Private not-profit 4-year
Private for-profit institution
All institution types
Source: IWPR analysis of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for
Education Statistics, 1995-12 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study.
2012
Women of Color are Most Likely to be
Balancing College and Parenthood
Percent of Community College students with
children by race/ethnicity & gender
60%
54%
53%
50%
40%
46%
39%
37%
30%
20%
26%
20%
Men
35%
28%
30%
28%
22%
18%
19%
Women
16%
15%
10%
0%
Total
White
Black
Hispanic
Source: IWPR Analysis of 2012 National Postsecondary Student Aid Survey.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.
Asian
American
Native
More than
Indian
Hawaiian/
one race
or Alaska other Pacific
Native
Islander
Student Parents are Highly Motivated
by Their Children (MS)
100%
Student Parent Perceptions of How College Has
Affected Their Children
80%
60%
62%
63%
71%
58%
41%
40%
40%
30%
20%
0%
They wish
they had
more time
with me
They have They are moreThey are more Their school
expressed
proud of me interested in performance
more desire to
school
attend college
Agree or Strongly Agree
Source: IWPR Survey of Women in Mississippi’s Community Colleges. Hess et
al. 2014. Securing a Better Future: A Portrait of Female Students in
Mississippi’s Community Colleges. Institute for Women’s Policy Research.
Their study Their behavior
habits
Much or a Little Better
“The choice to attend college is my
way of showing my son how
important education is and what
one can accomplish when they put
their mind to it. Actions speak
louder than words. I choose to lead
by example.”
- Participant in the IWPR Survey of Mississippi
Community Colleges
Source: IWPR Survey of Women in Mississippi’s Community Colleges. Hess et al.
2014. Securing a Better Future: A Portrait of Female Students in Mississippi’s
Community Colleges. Institute for Women’s Policy Research.
Student Parent Challenges
• Have more difficulty affording basic necessities
than other students (76% in have difficulty
affording basic living expenses)
• Leave school with 10% more debt than other
independent students*
• 60% work 30+ hours per week
• 30% more likely than other students to have
taken time off
Sources: IWPR Survey of Women in Mississippi’s Community Colleges. Hess et al.
2014. Securing a Better Future: A Portrait of Female Students in Mississippi’s
Community Colleges. *Gault et al. 2014, College Affordability for Low Income
Adults
Money & Balancing School, Work, &
Family are Major Sources of Stress for
Student Parents (MS)
Sources of Stress by Parent Status
Balancing Work, School, and Home Life
Managing Money and Finances
Keeping Up with School Work and
Assignments
Spending Enough Quality Time with Your
Children
All students
Making Sure Your Children are Cared For
With children <18
Dealing with Relationship Problems
Managing Eligibility for Public Assistance
Without children <18
Dealing with Job Demands
0%
Source: IWPR Survey of Women in Mississippi’s Community Colleges. Hess et
al. 2014. Securing a Better Future: A Portrait of Female Students in
Mississippi’s Community Colleges. Institute for Women’s Policy Research.
20%
40%
60%
80%
“Hopefully I will be able to keep the
stress under control to complete my
degrees to advance in my work, so
I can better provide for my family
as a single parent and show my
children they can do whatever they
set their mind to.”
- Participant in the IWPR Survey of Mississippi
Community Colleges
Source: IWPR Survey of Women in Mississippi’s Community Colleges. Hess et al. 2014. Securing a Better Future: A
Portrait of Female Students in Mississippi’s Community Colleges. Institute for Women’s Policy Research.
Students with Children are Less Likely to
Complete College
60%
50%
40%
Degree Attainment 6 Years after Initial Enrollment
in a 2-year institution by Dependency and Parent
Status, 2009
51% 52%
41%
29%
30%
20%
10%
9.1%
3.5%
9.3%
10% 9.1%
15%
15%
14.9%
20%
15%
6.0%
0%
Attained
bachelor's
degree
Attained
associate's
degree
Attained
certificate
No degree,
still enrolled
Independent students without dependent children
Independent with dependent children
Dependent students
Source: IWPR analysis of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for
Education Statistics, 2003-04 Beginning Postsecondary Students
Longitudinal Study, Second Follow-up (BPS:04/09).
No degree, left
without return
Campus Child Care on the Decline in
the United States
Proportion of Public Postsecondary Institutions with OnCampus Child Care, United States
65%
60%
55%
50%
45%
Community Colleges
Public 4-Year Institutions
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
52%
57%
53%
57%
54%
56%
53%
56%
53%
56%
53%
56%
51%
56%
50%
56%
49%
56%
49%
56%
47%
55%
Source: IWPR calculations, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
(IPEDS).
Relative Care Three Times As Likely As
Any Other Form of Child Care; Campus
Care Uncommon (MS)
Student parents' sources of child care
Grandparents or other relatives
65%
Neighbors and friends
21%
Child takes care of himself/herself
17%
Other
14%
Child cared for by an older sibling
13%
Child care center off-campus
12%
Afterschool programs
7.5%
Child care in private home
5.5%
Child care center on-campus
2.1%
Child care for by a fellow student parent
2.1%
Child cared for by another student who is… 0.7%
0%
Source: IWPR Survey of Women in Mississippi’s Community Colleges. Hess et
al. 2014. Securing a Better Future: A Portrait of Female Students in
Mississippi’s Community Colleges. Institute for Women’s Policy Research.
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Student Parents Need Child Care Help
(MS)
• Moms with children under 10:
– Cannot get the kind of quality child care they
want because it is too expensive (47%)
– Find paying for child care difficult (53%)
– List financial assistance or child care
subsidies as one of the top 3 desired
supports (55%)
Source: IWPR Survey of Women in Mississippi’s Community Colleges. Hess et
al. 2014. Securing a Better Future: A Portrait of Female Students in
Mississippi’s Community Colleges. Institute for Women’s Policy Research.
Student Parents Need and Array of
Supports to Help Them Succeed in College
Source: Shumacher, Rachel. 2013. Prepping Colleges for Parents: Strategies for
Supporting Student Parent Success in Postsecondary Education. IWPR Working Paper.
Five Most Common Associate’s Degrees
for Women & Men by Race/Ethnicity
STEM
2008-09
ASSOCIATE’S
DEGREES
AWARDED IN:
MEN
White
Asian
Black
Latino
WOMEN
White
Asian
Black
Latina
Non-STEM
Liberal
Computer &
EngineerArts &
Informaing TechnoSciences,
tion
logies/
General
Sciences &
TechniStudies,
Support
cians
HumaniServices
ties
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Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education
Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Fall
2009, Completions component.
Business,
Management,
Marketing,
Related
Support
Services
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Health
Professions &
Related
Clinical
Sciences
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Security &
EducaProtion
tective
Services
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Multi/
Interdisciplin-ary
Studies
Visual &
Performing
Arts
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For more information:
Institute for Women’s Policy Research
1200 18th Street NW, Suite 301
Washington, DC 20036
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