WP Pensions + Benefits’ Post

Welcome to 📚 "What We're Reading" Wednesday! 📚 First up, we're reading this latest Urban Institute brief titled “The Taxpayer Benefits of Supporting Student Parents: An Analysis of Three Policy Options for Virginia’s Public Colleges” by Garrett Hicks & Theresa Anderson. This study found that the State of #Virginia could net more than *$1 BILLION* in benefits by 2035 if comprehensive support programs were established on every campus. Grant programs and childcare investments would also pay for themselves in taxpayer revenue alone! #studentparents #highered #stategovernment Learn more about this brief here: https://lnkd.in/ehszN8_q Image Description: “State policymakers could assess the feasibility of each option—or multiple options—to determine the best approach. Overall, our analysis supports investment in student parents as a sound economic decision that is likely to improve the long-term competitive outlook in the state.”~Garrett Hicks & Theresa Anderson

I've been telling everyone I know about this study. This is the first analysis that shows the payoff to state policymakers of implementing student parent supports at public colleges. Take a look and share with your friends! Garrett Hicks #studentparents #statepolicy #highereducation #ROI

Home school enrolments have more than doubled in Queensland over the past five years. Queensland has no legislative requirement for government officials to conduct regular home visits for children enrolled in home schooling, meaning we have limited visibility of these children and their safety and wellbeing. This results in limited opportunities to identify concerns and address them early, including being actively aware of children’s mental and physical health, exposure to domestic and family violence, use of alcohol and substances, and other issues that can affect their safety and wellbeing. The Child Death Review Board identified this as an area of significantly growing risk and a systemic issue in need of attention, leading to a recommendation in this year’s annual report about strengthening oversight of children registered for home education in Queensland. This recommendation was informed by home-schooling data, research highlighting the protective factors that education provides in a child’s life, and the outcomes of child death reviews completed by the board. While many children will have a positive experience of home schooling, an improved legislative framework provides better safeguards to identify and respond to children at risk of harm. Read more about this and the other recommendations in the Child Death Review Board’s Annual Report 2022–23 at: https://lnkd.in/gZ83AGeP

"Students are trying to figure out how to fit college-going into their lives. And that might involve a lot of different factors,” he said. “Depending on how you ask the question, they might call it a cost consideration. They might call it a debt consideration. They might call it a childcare consideration. But it’s this overall puzzle that students are trying to assemble as they think about whether they can go to their local college or university.” https://lnkd.in/gnq3F_Gr #highereducation #studentsuccess

By understanding these three challenges that our enrollment management teams face in #HigherEd, we can offer helpful perspective for students and families as they navigate their #admissions journey. #emchat #applyingtocollege https://lnkd.in/gU6anCAz

Being a nontraditional student is HARD. 👩🎓👨🎓 When you're an adult learner going back to school, you'll have to take on a lot of additional costs, ESPECIALLY if you have children at home. What's worse, your income might be lower if you take on less hours at work to go to school. New from me: For Bankrate, I broke down how adult learners will face a lot more costs than their younger peers this back-to-school season. Nontraditional students will have to handle work, school and their home life all at the same time. That difficult juggling act can, in turn, make them miss financial milestones like buying a house or reaching retirement. 🏡 Story time: my partner is a nursing student, and it wasn't until she started school that the two of us realized how much her going back to school would affect our finances. Aside from the cost of school, she had to take on far less hours at work, and it made a big impact on our budget. I knew I wasn't alone, and that inspired me to write this piece. (Also, huge shoutout to nurses! It's a lot of hard work.) Have any of you guys had to change your budget because you went back to school? I would love to hear from you, and hear if you have any tips on managing it! #education #highered #adultlearning #economy

This is a great analysis that I deeply relate to. I was a single student-parent. It took a village for me to get a PhD, plus a job, and tons in student debt that I’m now paying back. It would be great to break this down by race. My hypothesis is that Hispanic and Asian student-parents are more likely to live in multigenerational households, which can help with the cost of childcare and their synergies also help with the cost of living. (I looked at something tangentially related in one of my dissertation chapters). So I hypothesize that African American populations, traditionally less wealthy and not as likely to live in multigenerational households, might be the most affected by the student-parent burden.

Do You Have a College Student? Maintaining Decision-Making Rights During Unexpected Situations by Kerry L. Spindler from Goulston & Storrs Parents with young children often hear that “the days are long but the years are short.” However, this phrase may not truly resonate until their children get older and experience certain milestones. Starting college is one of these milestones. #college #fatherhood #motherhood #kids #decision https://lnkd.in/dVjUvs9t

Public #TK12 enrollment in CA fell by almost 15,000 students—about a quarter of a percent—in 2023–24. What else did our #K12 learn about CA's #PublicSchool enrollment picture? Find out in our latest analysis👇

The cost of a higher education is daunting for a #StudentParent in the U.S., as they need to work 52 hours per week, on average, to cover childcare & tuition costs at a 4-yr public college or university. In a report in partnership w/ Generation Hope, we highlight the ever increasing #AffordabilityGap for student parents in pursuit of a higher education. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gBPFp5mZ