Student Engagement: Successful Outcomes for Students with Dependent Children 5/28/2015 Presented by Tara Voit and Katherine Madison
Presenters Tara Voit, MBA Katherine Madison, M.ED • • Johnson City, TN Boston, MA • Montessori Certified 2 ½ to 6 • Highly Qualified year of age Certification in Pre-K • Private/Public Pre-k through 8 th grades in TN experience 15 years and NC • State of TN-PTA Chair of • Public school teacher 15+ Healthy Children and Families • Former Executive Director years Scarboro Learning Center • Current Early Childhood • Current Early Childhood doctoral student at ETSU doctoral student at ETSU
Project Directors Dr. John Wheeler Julia Herwig Coordinator of Services/Center of Excellence Director of the Center for Excellence
Enrollment 14,000 About Serves Upper 11 East Tennessee Academic and ETSU Surrounding colleges States 125 Degree Programs
The Tennessee Board of Regents Grant Providing Support to Students with Dependents to Increase Student Engagement, Retention, and Success
Project Design • Literature Review • Review of ETSU website to assess availability of information for students with dependents • Gather Data On-line survey with responses from 168 students with dependents • Focus Groups • Parent Interviews of students who use or had used Little Bucs Student Child Care • Fiscal information and return on investment • Quantitative analysis of survey • Analyze Data Qualitative analysis of Focus Groups and Parent Interviews • Analysis of fiscal information in process Implement New • Evening care Supports • Incentive payment
Literature Review
Literature Review Miller and colleagues (2011) describe this specific population of non-traditional students as being different from traditional students in many ways. • Age range • First generation college students • More likely to have lower incomes • More likely to hold full-time employment
Literature Review Miller et al. (2011) also reported that 71 percent of students with dependent children are women and many are students of color.
Literature Review McDermott (2013) noted that a letter from the U.S. Department of Education sent to higher educational institutions… • “Just 2% of women who have a child before age 18 earn a college degree by age 30” (Students section, para. 2).
Literature Review – Personal Stories D. K. Estes (2011) reported parents listed many benefits of being a student in spite of the many challenges they encounter daily.
Personal Reflection Annie, a twenty four year old African American single mother of a three year old boy said, “I want him to look at me and be proud, be inspired to go to school himself”(Estes 2011 p. 210).
Personal Reflection Molly, a twenty-one year old African American single mother of a two year old, noted “I will know more stuff to help her out in the long run” (Estes, 2011 , p. 210).
Personal Reflection Lilith, a twenty year old Caucasian, sophomore, single mother, of a newborn said, “After I had my son going to college now is all about learning as much as I can to do the best for the children I am going to care for”(Estes, 2011, p.210).
Literature Review Colleges and universities are encountering an increase in undergraduate students who are parents with dependent children (Miller, Gault, & Thorman, 2011). Nontraditional Undergraduate 17,600,000 Students 38% Nontraditional Undergraduate Students with Dependents 24,715,789 Traditional Undergraduate 53% Students 4,000,000 9%
Literature Review Low income 53% of parents college students will leave with dependents college without are 25% less likely to obtain a a degree vs. degree than low 31% of non income college Parent students parents students maintain higher GPA than non parents in the same age group 50% spend 30 40% of student hours per week parents work on care-giving fulltime jobs for dependents
Literature Review Many studies document the positive impact of maternal level of education on the development and education of their children (Burchinal, et.al. 2002)
ETSU Study/Survey Results
Marital Status 160 Responses
Are You Employed ? 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Full Time Part Time
Bachelor Degree Students Age of Student 30% Hours Completed 25% 23% 25% 19% 17% <30 20% 16% 31% 30 -60 43% 15% 60-75 14% >75 10% 11% 5% 0% 18-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 40+ 160 Responses
Degree Being Pursued 3% Associate/Certificate 15% Doctoral Certificate/Associate 18% Bachelor Masters Masters 64% Doctoral Bachelor
Data gathered in Fall of 2014 Responses from 103 students
Type of Care Utilized Relative care Family Child Center based Campus Child Public School After School Spouse/Partner outside of Care Home Child Care Off Babysitters Care program home (non relative) Campus Infants and 62% 20% 13% 16% 13% 2% 0% 18% Toddlers 46% 37% 7% 24% 17% 13% 2% 20% Preschool Early 41% 35% 4% 0% 0% 62% 23% 16% Elementary 44% 28% 5% 3% 0% 56% 13% 0% High School
Motivation to Pursue Higher Education 100.00% 80.00% 60.00% 40.00% 20.00% 0.00%
Issues in Balancing 45% 40% Not an Issue/barrier 35% 30% Occassional issue/barrier 25% 20% 15% Frequent issue/barrier 10% 5% 0% Major issue/barrier School and Studying and Studying and Maintaining employment personal social domestic healthy sleep responsibilities or leisure responsibilities and eating activities habits
Student Perception 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% Not an Issue 40% Occassional Issue 30% Frequent Issue 20% Major Issue 10% 0% Lack of Lack of Feeling Lack of confidence motivation isolated academic skills
10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 0% 5% Impact of Issues and/or Barriers on Higher Education Took Fewer classes per semester Increased motivation to persist in degree completion Frequency of Response Took a break in Experience pursuit of degree Under performance Less motivation to persist Accelerated performance in academics Took more classes per semester
Focus Groups
Focus Group Analysis Affordability Balancing School and Parenting Campus based activities and supports Parenting as a Student 12% 22% 34% 32%
Affordability “…I’d say finances and time management there’s not enough hours in the day.” “I looked into it “Accessing affordable child care has been difficult now. (campus childcare) If I don’t get an education, - way out of my it is going to be even more budget” difficult...” “I take out max loans and I even got a warning from financial aid…” “…cause they get “I definitely could not have grants and that finished my Bachelor degree helps with the without it (childcare) and now it is too expensive.” price, but still…”
Campus Based Activities and Support “…she (professor) came to the service, she called me, she let other people in my cohort know. The entire department sent me a card, a gift card…” “…I am in a “As long as I keep communication relationship open, my with a man “…the food pantry was supervisors and an option for me…” who has kids my professors are too, so he very helps a lot…” encouraging…” “…I had to apply for assistance for the YMCA afterschool program, and they did help me…”
Balancing School and Parenting “ I guess it was challenging (being a parent) because I had more to think about, but I knew it would be worth it not just for us but for her.” “I had to manage my “More responsibility time better. Before I and I do not have a had her, I had free time desire to party…..Last “…my husband died last for naps, lunch with thing on my mind. year…I have three friends. But having her I The main reason that had to use my time children…” I have continued my wisely, between classes education is because I used to do homework of my daughter and I or studied.” want to push...” “I know when I filled out the application to go back I just held my breath (deep breath in) and clicked that submit button…”
Benefits of Parenting “I have to put extra effort in.” “Learning about “Just knowing “Motivation, showing stage (sic) of when I finish it learning, him that learning is will be better motivation for me important, education to be excited and for both of us.” is important.” finish school.” “I have a real life case study at home…I can see in her development…”
Next Steps • Complete Fiscal Analysis • Gather information about impact of new and expanded services implemented at ETSU • Continue to seek new ideas from other institutions • Questions and Answers
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