College Pathways for Low Income, Single Parent Students

Income inequality

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Approximately one-third of students enrolled in the Los Angeles Community College District are parents. While LACCD doesn’t track their success, state and national data confirm what we know anecdotally: parenting students are less likely to complete postsecondary education than their peers. California has nearly 490,000 undergraduate student parents - 37% of them single mothers. Nationally, just 8% of single mothers earn a degree within six years, compared to nearly 50% of women without children (IWPR, 2019).
From campuses lacking child-friendly spaces to financial aid that overlooks childcare costs, student parents navigate a system not designed for them. In California, single-parent students report food and housing insecurity rates as high as 72% and 86% - much higher than their non-parenting peers (Real College Survey, 2023). In LA, the affordable housing crisis intensifies these challenges, placing greater pressure on student parents striving to graduate and support their families.

Raise The Barr (RTB) takes a whole-family approach to supporting low-income single-parent students, primarily single moms. In response to rising housing costs, we launched our Stable Housing Cohort at Long Beach City College in 2022, providing $1,000 per month for up to 20 months to help families cover rent or other basic needs.
The program uses a guaranteed basic income model to help student parents stay enrolled and succeed. Unlike traditional aid, RTB stipends go directly to students with no restrictions, empowering them to make choices that best support their families. This flexibility allows families to remain in their homes, keep kids in familiar schools, and stay connected to local support networks - all while building community through RTB programming.
Each scholar is paired with a Whole Family Coordinator for one-on-one coaching using the trauma-informed Mobility Mentoring® model. Scholars join monthly workshops focused on leadership development, career planning, financial empowerment, and family wellness—often led by fellow parenting students. These spaces offer connection and belonging for student parents, who often feel isolated and unseen on campus.
In 2024, we began expanding the Stable Housing Cohort to Los Angeles Valley, Mission, and Pierce Colleges. This model makes a deep, upfront investment in families—unlocking opportunity and multigenerational mobility while building a more inclusive LA workforce.

At RTB, we envision an LA where single parents have equitable access to resources and support they need to complete a postsecondary education. The grant will let us expand our Stable Housing Cohort ahead of schedule - adding four families in Fall 2025 - and reduce financial stress so parents stay focused on school and family. Recruitment will target younger scholars, with a goal to add families led by parents between the ages of 18-26.
Long-term, we aim to grow the cohort across LA to reach hundreds of student parents. As more RTB scholars earn credentials and enter the workforce, we will see ripple effects in household stability, child wellbeing, and regional economic growth. A 2024 study by the LA Regional Consortium shows that for every $1 spent on community college, taxpayers earn a 2.4% return, while students see a 22.9% return through increased earnings. RTB’s model helps families access these life-changing outcomes - building generational opportunity and growth for our region.