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Housing insecurity disproportionately affects college students, compared to other Americans, which is tied in part to the high cost of attendance at many institutions.

Among postsecondary learners, parenting students—those caring for a dependent under 18 years old—are at greater risk of housing insecurity, which can affect not only their academic achievement but their child’s development, as well.

A January brief from Generation Hope offers recommendations for institutional leaders as to how they can better support learners with dependents in their pursuit of a credential.

The data: A fall 2021 survey from Trellis Strategies found parenting students (n=13,494) were more likely than their peers (n=44,481) to report some level of housing insecurity; 60 percent of student parents had experienced at least one type of difficulty securing stable or quality housing in the past 12 months, compared to 41 percent of nonparenting students.

Six percent of parenting students explicitly self-identified as unhoused, and 17 percent indicated they had been homeless since starting college or in the 12 months prior to the survey. Around 5 percent of parenting students said they didn’t have a home or had been thrown out of their home.

Parenting students are also more likely to have financial anxieties, according to a 2021 Trellis survey, with over half worrying about being able to pay monthly expenses (56 percent) or expenses for school (60 percent).

“Rising housing costs add substantial financial pressure to an already demanding academic experience,” according to Generation Hope’s new report.

Research also shows that students of color, who make up a significant portion of parenting students, are more likely to be housing insecure compared to their white peers.

So what? Housing insecurity can impede a student’s degree progress, interrupting their education for a period or causing them to drop out entirely. Completion can improve a student’s socioeconomic standing, which is particularly critical for student parents, who see a significant return on investment with their degree.

“Without family-friendly housing and adequate financial support, these students are left with limited options, jeopardizing their long-term stability,” researchers wrote, including their mental and emotional health.

The children of college students experiencing housing insecurity can also be detrimentally affected by a lack of support, according to the brief. “Children living in unstable housing environments are more likely to exhibit emotional and behavioral issues, creating additional stress for student parents. For those families, the cycle of housing insecurity and mental health challenges creates barriers to both academic success and long-term economic mobility, underscoring the need for more targeted interventions.”

The recommendations: To increase completion and advance the socioeconomic mobility of parenting students, the brief recommends institutions should:

  • Invest in two-generation approaches. Housing insecurity threatens the well-being of parenting students and their children, requiring an integrated solution that aids parents and dependents.
  • Increase family-friendly on- and off-campus housing. Students who live on campus have better outcomes in their education, but colleges and universities are less likely to offer housing that supports learners with dependents.
  • Provide holistic support models. Student parents are less likely to be engaged on campus, so providing opportunities for learners to connect with staff and their peers can help boost their completion and connect them to relevant resources.

Is your institution partnering with community organizations on a two-generation approach to easing housing insecurity? Tell us about it.

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