Report

The Research Agenda supports and expands our 2025 National and State Policy Agenda, with both focusing on dismantling barriers to parenting students’ economic mobility by addressing college affordability, holistic support, childcare access, and career advancement.

The Generation Hope Policy & Research team created this research agenda from our National State Policy Agenda and the collection of student parent perspectives through long-term evaluations and mid-academic year and end-of-academic-year studies.

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The Key Pillars of our Research Agenda

1. Higher Education Affordability and Housing Support:
   Advocate for increased federal financial aid for student parents, addressing basic needs like housing, food, and childcare. Support legislation for transparent higher education costs and standards that assist parenting students, offering family housing, childcare, and academic flexibility to enhance enrollment, retention, and career outcomes

2. Child Care Access and Affordability:
   Advocate for increased federal investment in campus child care to reduce educational barriers for student parents. Support national policies that increase access to accessible, affordable child care, especially for nontraditional schedules. Encourage state efforts to expand childcare programs and foster partnerships between agencies and institutions to meet local needs.

3. Upward Economic Mobility:
   Advocate for federally funded programs that combine career prep with family-friendly policies like paid internships and flexible work-study for parenting students. Encourage institutions to offer career counseling and job placement services and state and local collaborations that create accessible training, job opportunities, and mentorship, fostering economic stability and generational wealth.

Together, we have the power to disrupt the cycle of poverty and create opportunities for student parents to succeed.

Download this special briefing today and join us in fostering change.