Understanding Student Parent Outcomes Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]
Introduced
Summary
Creates consistent federal data on student parents. This bill would standardize who counts as a parenting student and require new, detailed data elements and a national study to learn what helps them succeed.
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- Families and student parents: Student parents would be counted and tracked on enrollment, retention, completion, income, work status, Pell receipt, campus childcare use, number and age of dependent children, and whether they identify as a parent or a caregiver.
- Colleges and states: Institutions required to complete federal postsecondary surveys would begin reporting the new data by the 2026-2027 academic year and get technical assistance from the Department of Education to build systems and protect privacy.
- Policymakers and researchers: The Secretary would run a demographically and geographically representative study and report findings to Congress within 2 years, identifying best practices like campus childcare and joined services with SNAP, TANF, WIC, Head Start, and workforce programs.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
National study and support for student parents
The Department of Education would run a national study on what helps students who are parents or caregivers stay enrolled and graduate. The sample would reflect different regions and demographics. The study would review campus childcare, outcomes by race, gender, income, and program, and how colleges connect students to SNAP, TANF, WIC, workforce programs, and Head Start/Early Head Start. The Secretary would report to Congress and publish the results within 2 years of enactment. Within 2 years, experts would join federal advisory groups, and the Department would give states and colleges technical help on privacy, data systems, and how to explain data use to students.
New college data on student parents
This bill would create a standard definition of “parenting student.” Within 2 years, federal college surveys would add new data fields. Starting in academic year 2026–2027, covered colleges would report them each year. Data would be broken out by parent vs caregiver, race and ethnicity, and gender. Measures would include counts; enrollment, retention, and completion; net price; income and Pell status; program and attendance level; campus childcare use; number and ages of kids; kids’ disability status; transfer status; marital status; and work while enrolled.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]
NC • D
Cosponsors
McBath
GA • D
Sponsored 6/12/2025
Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]
NE • R
Sponsored 6/12/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov