Postsecondary education is one of the most durable and reliable poverty disruptors available to our society, and when a parent completes a credential, the impact is multiplied across generations. However, child care challenges and other access barriers continue to impede parenting students’ ability to succeed in college. Around half of first-time enrolled students with children leave college before they complete a credential.
This report, published in collaboration with the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, highlights the Commonwealth of Kentucky as a case study to explore the primary child care issues and barriers for parenting students. A detailed landscape analysis of current policy, funding, and outcomes reveals key opportunities to improve child care affordability and access, expanding the options available for the 24 million parents across the US without a postsecondary credential.
