Northern Kentucky University among five educational institutions granted $60,000 to bolster services for student parents
In an effort to improve outcomes for undergraduate students who are also parents, the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) has awarded five $60,000 planning grants to several institutions across the state. The recipients include Northern Kentucky University, Morehead State University, Maysville Community College, Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, and Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College.
Each institution will participate in a nine-month continuous improvement process, during which they will develop a strategic plan to address the unique challenges faced by student-parents. The plans will detail prioritized solutions, implementation timelines, staffing or resource needs, and sustainability models.
Dr. Lilly Massa-McKinley, the Executive Director of the Kentucky Student Success Collaborative (KYSSC) and Assistant Vice President for Student Access and Success at CPE, stated that this effort will help parents stay enrolled and engaged in school, which will ultimately benefit their children as well.
As part of the grant requirements, the awarded colleges and universities will conduct a needs assessment, which includes a comprehensive review of current supports, barriers, and demographic data related to undergraduate parenting students on campus. Based on the findings, each institution will take initial implementation steps, such as establishing a student-parent task force, launching a childcare referral hub, piloting evening care, or creating dedicated study/lounge spaces for student-parents.
The KYSSC also encourages the awarded colleges and universities to engage in partnerships with campus and community stakeholders to align resources and coordinate services. Some institutions may even pilot evening care programs to accommodate student-parents with non-traditional schedules.
In addition, each college or university may launch a hub to provide referrals for affordable childcare solutions, either through campus-based centers or partnerships with community-based services and early childhood providers.
The CPE will oversee the implementation and outcomes of the awarded colleges' and universities' improvement plans. In the end, each institution will submit a final report summarizing their planning efforts, outcomes achieved, initial implementation steps taken, and strategies to sustain and expand the work.
Last year, over 16,000 students were working towards an undergraduate credential at a Kentucky public college or university while also parenting. This initiative aims to provide these students with the support they need to succeed academically and personally.
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