NEW BRIEFS: Strategies and Innovations that Support Student Parents
Parents are a sizable but often overlooked student population in postsecondary systems. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed new demands on all parents with young children and shed new light on the multiple barriers that student parents face. The Aspen Postsecondary Success for Parents Initiative engaged a diverse group of leaders including parents, researchers, workforce development experts, college presidents, philanthropists, and policymakers to develop a series of publications: Strategies and Innovations that Support Student Parents.
The seven briefs identify the barriers that make it difficult for parents to complete their studies to the best of their abilities and highlight solutions that guide parents to achieve their postsecondary goals. They are meant to spark innovation of current policies and programs. Postsecondary leaders who understand their students’ diverse roles and needs, and the systemic gaps, are positioned to pursue additional strategies that support their institutional as well as national achievement goals.
The Strategies and Innovations briefs focus on the following topics:
- 1. Confirm Parenting Status and Assess Barriers to Completion
- 2. Leverage State and Federal Policy Opportunities
- 3. Provide Financial Support Responsive to Parents
- 4. Identify Mental Health and Well-Being Interventions
- 5. Create a Family Friendly Campus
- 6. Add High-Quality Non-Degree Pathways for Parents
- 7. Create Network for Parents to Eliminate Social Stigma
Follow the links above to download each brief individually.
Related Posts
As a former student parent and Ascend PSP Parent Advisor, I have been provided a myriad of platforms to elevate the student parent experience, and I a...
am delighted to share a love note in the form of Ascend’s 2023 Impact and Inspiration Report. In it, you will see how by making the most of the ca...
Today, Ascend is excited to announce our 2023-24 Parent-Powered Solutions Fund Partners, six organizations and institutions from across the country wh...
Ascend at the Aspen Institute today launched a report, A 2Gen Approach in Minnesota: A State Case Study for Systems Leaders & Policymakers, which deta...
An episode of firsts! Our first live episode recorded at the inaugural Ascend Parent Advisor Convening in Aspen, CO in front of an audience of student...
Today, Ascend at the Aspen Institute announced that four community colleges from across the United States have been selected as partners to its Postse...
Snapshots from the 2023 Ascend Parent Advisor Convening in Aspen, Colorado.
What does college success look like for Black and Native student parents? This podcast episode sheds light on student parents’ and administrators’...
We know that there is a better way to approach child support policy to build strong families and communities -- and that's why we're proud to share w...
Ascend at the Aspen Institute is excited to announce the launch of the 2023 Parent-Powered Solutions Fund, which will provide financial resources and...
Reflections on the experiences, challenges, and joys that shape the life of student father and Ascend PSP Parent Advisor Christian Ortiz.
Among the one in five postsecondary students who are parents, there are close to 1.1 million student fathers. This chartbook synthesizes the available...
Today, Ascend at the Aspen Institute (Ascend) released the second season of “1 in 5,” its highly rated podcast that explores the multifaceted live...
On May 9, members of the Ascend team had the opportunity to visit Santa Fe Community College in New Mexico. Here are three takeaways from our site vis...
In an Inside Higher Ed article, David Croom and Generation Hope provide important perspective into why the student parent population is important for ...