The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Education Insights Center (EdInsights) or the California Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP).
2023-24 CA EPFP Fellow Maya Valree
Throughout most of my higher education career, I wore an invisible identity — an identity that I rarely disclosed to my peers or professors: I was a parent. Most of my peers and professors were unaware of my parenting status, though anyone who paid close attention to my phone screen saver of my daughter or the baby wipes in my tote bag may have had their suspicions. Although a parent, I was determined to finish college, similar to most student parents, who often have higher grade point averages than their non-parenting peers. Despite my determination to succeed, I struggled with articulating my needs as a student parent without coming across as demanding. How could I explain to my professor that I did not complete an exam because my infant had a high fever and demanded my full attention? How could I tell my peers that I could not attend a late-night group study session because I didn’t have childcare? If I disclosed this information, I feared I would be judged negatively and ostracized by my peers and professors.
My fears were not unfounded, as student parents often report feeling stigma due to their parenting identity. Despite the fact that student parents don’t bring their children to class, the responsibilities of being both a student and a parent are always present. Often, one’s role as a student parent is not reflected in their daily presentation. The added fear of stigmatization that keeps student parents from voluntarily disclosing their invisible identities ultimately leads to the needs of student parents being overlooked or outright ignored by institutions of higher education. Despite my belief that I was the only student parent on campus during my college career, research shows that one in five students in the United States are parents. In California alone, 300,000 undergraduate students and another 100,000 graduate students are parents.
Since embarking on my academic journey, there has been a growing statewide movement to reform policies, practices, and beliefs regarding this sizable student population. In September 2023, months before I walked hand in hand with my then two-year-old across Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s commencement stage, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 2881 (Berman) into law, granting priority registration to student parents. On the surface, AB 2881 offers student parents more control over their class schedules, allowing them to align their schedules with their parenting responsibilities, such as school pick-ups and drop-offs. However, beyond the scheduling relief the bill provides, it serves as a catalyst for data collection. Before colleges and universities can offer priority registration, they must systematically identify student parents in a way they have not done before. Although the implementation of AB 2881 has been challenging for some colleges, state leaders and higher education leaders must work together to ensure colleges reach full AB 2881 compliance as its data-promises would support policymakers and higher education leaders in identifying, targeting resources, and creating policies to help student parents graduate from college and soar into careers.
As we celebrate National Student Parent Month and settle into the start of a new academic year for student parents and their children, it is important to remember that championing student parent success is not just about helping a specific group of students succeed — it’s about investing in the future of California and the future of our youngest learners, more than 500,000+ of which have a parent in school. Research consistently shows that when student parents earn a degree, their children directly benefit. By creating pathways to higher education enrollment and completion for student parents, the state can anticipate decreased public benefits usage and a stronger economy. For state leaders that care about our state’s youngest learners, decreasing the receipt of public benefits, and strengthening the workforce, investing in the strategies outlined in The California Alliance for Student Parent Success’s (The Alliance) recently released policy agenda is a no brainer. The Alliance’s agenda encourages higher education leaders and policymakers to meet student parents’ financial, housing, and childcare needs.
Let us be reminded that student parents are not a niche student group, but embedded into the fabric of higher education. More importantly, let us be reminded that the academic success of some of California’s youngest learners is largely influenced by the postsecondary success and well-being of the adults who care for them.