Supporting Student Parents in Rural America

# What the report says

# Numbers that matter

• 26 percent of students at rural-serving institutions identify as parents, compared with 18 percent across all institutions.
• 32 percent of public rural-serving institutions offer on-campus childcare, versus 52 percent of public non-rural-serving institutions.
• About one-quarter of rural parenting students report food insecurity, roughly comparable to the broader undergraduate population.

# Why rural-serving institutions matter to parenting students Many parenting students are place-bound and have limited postsecondary options nearby. The report notes rural-serving institutions enroll a high share of these students and therefore act as a primary access point to higher education and job-training opportunities in their communities.

# Key barriers identified

Childcare: Funding limits and infrastructure gaps make on-campus childcare less common at rural public colleges. That reduces parenting students' ability to attend classes, study, or do required in-person clinicals.

Data gaps: Rural-serving institutions often lack consistent practices for identifying who their parenting students are, which limits targeted outreach and service planning.

Basic needs: Food insecurity affects roughly a quarter of rural parenting students, and housing and other family basic needs add financial pressure.

# Examples of promising, low-cost approaches The report's qualitative interviews (14 institutions) highlighted practical tactics some rural colleges use to support parenting students even without large budgets:

• Hosting CalFresh representatives on campus to help students apply for food-assistance benefits.
• Creating "busy boxes" with educational materials and toys in offices like financial aid so parents can handle business with their children nearby.
• Programs that build belonging for student parents and their families, making campus navigation easier and more welcoming.

Institutions interviewed included two-year public colleges (for example, Santa Fe Community College and Spartanburg Community College) and four-year public universities (for example, Nicholls State University and the University of Mississippi).

# What the findings imply for rural colleges and policymakers

• Collecting consistent data on student parents is a practical first step. Colleges that don't know who their parenting students are cannot design targeted supports.
• Transportation solutions should be considered when planning course schedules and program requirements that demand in-person attendance.
• Small, targeted investments—benefits enrollment help, family-friendly office practices, partnerships for childcare—can lower barriers even where capital funding is scarce.

# Takeaway Rural-serving institutions educate a disproportionate share of parenting students but face measurable gaps in childcare, transportation, and reliable data about who those students are. The report highlights low-cost, actionable practices some colleges use and points to data collection and targeted supports as priorities for improving outcomes.