Single Parent Students’ Credential Completion in Texas Community Colleges (Poster 44)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Friday 8:00 a.m.
  In Poster Session: Bridging Gaps: Innovative Programs and Practices for Diverse Student Populations

Abstract

Single parent students face barriers to attaining higher education degrees and credentials. Barriers may differ by single parent students’ intersecting social positions, including demographics (gender, ethnicity, age), student characteristics (enrollment intensity, financial aid, percent of price covered by aid), and special population status. This study uses an intersectional framework to explore credential completion among single parent students enrolled in Texas community colleges. Respondents included 6,132 single parent students identified from administrative records. A decision tree analysis was run predicting completion from a range of student characteristics. Results indicated that enrollment intensity and financial aid were the strongest predictors of completion. Findings suggest that multiple aspects of parenting student characteristics play a role in credential completion; implications for interventions are discussed.

Author

• Amy L. McCurdy, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board