Unlocking the potential of 3.9 million parenting Californians without a college degree is key to empowering bright futures and fortifying the state’s economy. However, in both state policy design and implementation, student parents have been largely overlooked. Supporting this crucial demographic, the majority of whom are people of color, will not only help close persistent racial equity gaps in college and the workplace but also create a multiplier effect that will improve the livelihoods of numerous generations and build a more prosperous California. Explore the vision of The California Alliance for Student Parent Success (The Alliance) through its policy agenda that calls on state policymakers and higher education leaders to champion five key strategies for a more inclusive and equitable California.
CORE STRATEGIES TO EMPOWER BRIGHT FUTURES:
1. Strengthen financial aid to cover student parents’ true college costs.
2. Provide enough quality, affordable child care options to address student parents’ needs.
3. Meet the housing needs of student parents and their families.
4. Advance family-serving institutional policies and practices.
5. Collect and utilize data on student parents’ pathways to improve their well-being and success.
The California Alliance for Student Parent Success is led by The Education Trust–West and California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy, with support from an Advisory Committee that includes student parents and other field experts.
We extend gratitude to The Alliance’s funders – ECMC Foundation, Imaginable Futures, Michelson 20MM Foundation, and Tipping Point Community – for their generosity and unwavering support that makes this work a reality.
