Parenting Adult Learners’ Experiences in Higher Education (2023)

Pursuing postsecondary education is complicated for adult learners with children, also known as parenting adult learners (PALs). PALs must consider family expenses in addition to college expenses and make tough decisions about how to spend their time across their academic, work, and family responsibilities. Nonetheless, PALs are highly motivated, are resilient, and feel that earning a credential will improve the economic outlook for their family. Despite the fact that PALs make up a sizable proportion of the postsecondary student population, their circumstances are often overlooked in postsecondary policies, programs, and practices. About one in three undergraduates in the United States are adult learners (i.e., 25 years old or older), and nearly half of these students have at least one dependent child. At public 2-year colleges, four in 10 students are adult learners, and 46.5% of students have a dependent child. Yet adult learners and parenting students do not receive adequate support. This was especially evident during the pandemic, when many parents lost access to childcare, making it difficult for them to keep their jobs and attend their classes, particularly for mothers who were often the main, if not only, caretakers in the family. It is worth noting, however, that access to affordable, quality childcare and family-friendly spaces on campus was challenging prior to the pandemic and continues to be an obstacle for many. Even when childcare is available, its costs are not always accounted for in financial aid packages of adult learners.