Bill > HR3994

This bill aims to improve data collection and understanding of student parents in higher education by requiring the Commissioner of Education Statistics to develop a standardized definition of "parenting student" and establish comprehensive data collection through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The bill mandates collecting detailed information about student parents, including enrollment, retention, completion rates, employment status, income levels, degree program types, childcare usage, and other demographic characteristics, with data to be disaggregated by parental status, race, ethnicity, and gender. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of Education to conduct a study on best practices for supporting student parents, examining factors like campus-based childcare services, institutional support, and strategies for integrating campus services with other state and federal support programs. The study will analyze enrollment trends, persistence rates, and outcomes for student parents across different types of educational institutions, with a requirement to report findings to Congress within two years of the Act's enactment. The ultimate goal is to better understand and improve educational opportunities and success for students who are also parents or caregivers.

Education

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3994/all-info