Making Student Parents Visible: Data Collection, Policy, and Outcomes

Friday, May 29, 2026

8:00 AM - 8:45 AM East Coast USA Time

Location: Scarlet Oak

Institution Type: Any

Target Audience: Any

Presenter(s)

TA

Theresa Anderson, PhD

Senior Fellow
Urban Institute
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
NS

Nathan Sick, MS

Senior Research Associate
Urban Institute, United States
AD

Afet Dundar, PhD

Senior Research Director
Institute for Women's Policy Research, United States
PP

Paul Peterson

Senior Data and Research Analyst
California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI)

Session Abstract: Student parents are a substantial but often hidden population—making up about 1 in 5 undergraduates nationally—whose success influences enrollment, transfer, and completion outcomes. States are increasingly passing mandates for colleges to track students' parenting status, yet practices are inconsistent. This session will show how stronger data collection can unlock new insights: first, by enabling institutions to identify and describe student parents and design supports that meet their needs; and second, by connecting those data to transfer and degree outcomes. Drawing on two new studies, presenters will share actionable strategies for collecting student-parent data and highlight national evidence on transfer and bachelor’s completion. Participants will learn how to align institutional practices with policy requirements and leverage the power of data to both understand and improve student trajectories.

Keywords: Student Parents, Data Collection, Transfer and Completion, State Policy