Seventy-one percent of parenting community college students say caregiving could force them to withdraw. Nearly three-quarters say the same about money. And when asked whether their college supports them as a parent or caregiver, one-third disagreed.
To better understand their experiences, CCCSE collected data from parenting students at more than 100 colleges in 2024. Those students were more likely to be older and women—groups CCCSE has historically found to be more engaged. They were also more likely than non-parenting students to attend part-time, to be first-generation and Pell-eligible, and to work 30 or more hours a week. Other key findings include:
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Seventy-one percent of parenting community college students say caregiving could force them to withdraw. Nearly three-quarters say the same about money. And when asked whether their college supports them as a parent or caregiver, one-third disagreed.
To better understand their experiences, CCCSE collected data from parenting students at more than 100 colleges in 2024. Those students were more likely to be older and women—groups CCCSE has historically found to be more engaged. They were also more likely than non-parenting students to attend part-time, to be first-generation and Pell-eligible, and to work 30 or more hours a week. Other key findings include:
• Parenting students reported spending more hours preparing for class and were less likely to skip class than their non-parenting peers.
• They reported greater food and housing insecurity than non-parenting students.
• Many enrolled to change careers, yet 60% had never used career counseling.
These students want to succeed but face significant financial,
Linda Garcia
The North Carolina Student Success Center (NCSSC) and Johnston Community College (JCC) are taking data like these to heart, building programs to ensure that parenting students’ outcomes mirror their desire to succeed.
In partnership with Jobs for the Future, the Urban Institute, and CCCSE, and with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, NCSSC is helping North Carolina community colleges understand student parent experiences and redesign practices around them.
Felita Carr
JCC was selected as the pilot institution to build the blueprint because of its commitment to holistic support, cross-campus collaboration, and student parent success. Building on Phase 1 of North Carolina’s “2Gen” work, JCC had already begun identifying student parents, connecting them to resources, and exploring how systems could better support their families.
Through the pilot, JCC convened 32 student parents and more than 20 college leaders for a one-day co-design session. Students participated in data walks and interpretive focus groups, and facilitated discussions using data placemats connecting survey findings with lived experiences. Students could choose among sessions, received stipends for their participation and expenses, and all reported “feeling seen and respected” and comfortable sharing their experiences.
Student parents emphasized the need for flexibility in
Courtney Adkins
The work also revealed that many supports already exist, yet students often struggle to navigate systems in ways that feel accessible, timely, and personalized. At JCC, this work is moving from conversation to practice through a student parent community of practice, a dedicated website for parenting student supports, virtual and on-campus engagement opportunities, and continued efforts to design solutions with student parents.
Dr. Felita Carr, Dean of Retention and Student Support at JCC and Director of Holistic Support Strategies for the NCSSC, said, “This work reminds us that student success cannot be separated from family realities. When institutions intentionally listen to student parents and redesign systems around their lived experiences, we create stronger pathways not only for students, but for families and communities across North Carolina.”
Andrea Crowley
For NCSSC, JCC’s pilot illustrates what it looks like when a college treats student parents as partners and shows how statewide strategy can be translated into local practice, especially as more parents and family members return to college to upskill, re-career, and pursue greater economic mobility.
Co-authors include Dr. Courtney Adkins, Director, CCCSE; Dr. Linda Garcia, Executive Director, CCCSE; Dr. Andrea Crowley, Executive Director of the North Carolina Student Success Center; and Dr. Felita Carr, Dean of Retention and Student Support at Johnston Community College and Director of Holistic Support Strategies for the NCSSC.
The Roueche Center Forum is co-edited by Drs. Margaretta B. Mathis and John E. Roueche of the John E. Roueche Center for Community College Leadership, Department of Educational Leadership, College of Education, Kansas State University.
This story originally ran in The EDU Ledger's September 3, 2026 edition. Subscribe here for full access.
