[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 839 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 839

    Designating September 2024 as ``National Student Parent Month''.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 23, 2024

    Mr. Moran (for himself and Mr. Carper) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

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                               RESOLUTION


 
    Designating September 2024 as ``National Student Parent Month''.

Whereas student parents are individuals who have children and who attend 
        postsecondary educational institutions;
Whereas student parents make up roughly \1/5\ of the postsecondary student 
        population, totaling nearly 4,000,000 individuals;
Whereas 70 percent of student parents are women, and 62 percent of student 
        mothers are single parents;
Whereas 54 percent of single mothers who are enrolled at an institution of 
        higher education work 20 hours or more per week and 43 percent work 30 
        hours or more per week, which requires those individuals to balance 
        school, work, and caring for their dependents;
Whereas 51 percent of student parents are students of color, particularly female 
        students of color, with mothers representing--

    (1) 40 percent of Black postsecondary students;

    (2) 36 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native postsecondary 
students;

    (3) 35 percent of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander postsecondary 
students; and

    (4) 26 percent of Hispanic postsecondary students;

Whereas 47 percent of student parents are military-connected students;
Whereas approximately 813 surviving military spouses are using education 
        benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs for surviving 
        dependents;
Whereas 84 percent of military spouses have some college education or credential 
        and, on average, make 25 percent less than their civilian counterparts;
Whereas 42 percent of student parents attend community colleges and 30 percent 
        attend public or private nonprofit 4-year institutions of higher 
        education;
Whereas the cohort of single mothers currently enrolled in higher education will 
        save approximately $19,900,000,000 in public assistance spending;
Whereas 44 percent of student parents report food insecurity, and 60 percent 
        report housing insecurity;
Whereas \2/3\ of student parents live at or near the poverty line and 52 percent 
        of student parents are Federal Pell Grant recipients;
Whereas, on average, student parents have higher grade point averages than their 
        non-parenting peers, but student parents are 10 times less likely to 
        complete a bachelor's degree within 5 years than students without 
        children;
Whereas a low-income student parent who earns a degree or credential boosts the 
        income of that individual and the earning potential of the children of 
        that individual when those children become adults; and
Whereas student parents are uniquely motivated to excel in their courses of 
        study but often face challenges, including lack of affordable child care 
        and balancing work responsibilities while attending postsecondary 
        educational institutions: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) expresses support for the contributions and 
        achievements of student parents in seeking and completing a 
        postsecondary education; and
            (2) designates September 2024 as ``National Student Parent 
        Month''.
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