The Family-Friendly Campus Imperative: Supporting Success among Community College Students with Children. The ACCT 2016 Invitational Symposium: Getting in the Fast Lane--Ensuring Economic Security and Meeting the Workforce Needs of the Nation. Discussion Paper

Researchers Barbara Gault, Elizabeth Noll, and Lindsey Reichlin, from the Institute for Women's Policy Research (DC), assess the unique needs of community college students who are also parents. The majority of students with children attend community college. Single parents, the majority of whom are mothers, are more likely to work fulltime and spend 35 hours a week or more on caregiving. The time demands of caregiving make child care options vital to staying in college and graduating. Attaining a higher degree or credential is critical to finding a quality job with sustaining wages. With the increasing numbers of community college student parents appearing on college campuses, policymakers should consider how best to meet the needs of these students now and for future generations. [This paper is part of the Institute for Women's Policy Research's (IWPR) Student Parent Success Initiative.]