Parenting students face higher rates of financial and basic needs insecurity compared to their non-parenting peers, jeopardizing their academic success and overall wellbeing. One recent effort to address these challenges is the Parenting Students Project (PSP), a pilot initiative by Austin Community College District (ACC) and United Way for Greater Austin. PSP participants receive a $500 monthly stipend, attend monthly peer meetings to learn about topics such as mental health, and access academic support and further resource-connection through ACC’s Student Advocacy Center.
This blog post highlights key findings from Trellis Strategies’ mixed-methods evaluation of the PSP, which found that this program and other support systems offered by ACC had a significant positive impact on student outcomes. For more details and insights into PSP resources, read the full report here.
Retention
Students who participated in the PSP were much more likely to continue classes at ACC compared to other parenting students. As of Spring 2024, 88 percent of students who had ever participated in the PSP had either graduated or were still enrolled at ACC, compared to just 54 percent of non-PSP parenting students enrolled during the same timeframe. Moreover, PSP participation was associated with a 20-percentage point increase in term-to-term retention, with 95 percent of PSP participants continuing in the next long semester. This positive impact was statistically significant independent of other factors impacting retention and persisted regardless of whether the student was participating in the PSP during the following term.
Financial Stability
The $500 monthly stipend provided by the PSP allowed participating students greater financial freedom. For some, this meant the ability to buy a more reliable car, facilitating access to campus and daily errands. For others, the stipend gave them the flexibility to work fewer hours per week and dedicate more time to their studies. The financial impact of the program was also reflected in students’ use of loans: parenting students who had participated in the PSP at least one term took out an average of $4,012 per semester in student loans, compared to $5,064 per semester among parenting students who had never participated in the PSP.
“Without any financial help, I just wouldn’t have been able to go to school and not work full time… [with the PSP assistance] I was able to only work one day a week. I don’t think I would have done as well in my classes if I had been working more hours.” — PSP participant interviewed by Trellis Strategies
Sense of Community
PSP participants attended monthly meetings where they could meet fellow parenting students, and some also participated in informal social meetups and group chats. This community of peers gave students a sense of camaraderie and belonging, while also functioning as a resource network for basic needs closets, educational activities for children, and parenting tips. Participants reported positive impacts on their mental health, confidence, and sense of student identity.
“Just knowing that there’s other student parents out there makes me feel better. Because if they’re doing it, I can continue to do this.” — PSP participant interviewed by Trellis Strategies
In interviews with Trellis Strategies, parents in the PSP also spoke about the overall institutional support they received from ACC and the ways it bolstered their confidence as a student. As these learners looked forward to entering the workforce or transferring to a four-year institution, they were hopeful about the better lives they could provide for themselves and their children as a result of support from ACC and the Parenting Students Project.
May Helena Plumb is a Research Associate at Trellis Strategies, where she specializes in telling learners’ stories through qualitative research. She holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Linguistics from The University of Texas at Austin.