Policy & Advocacy
We build upon our direct work with our Scholars to drive policies that accelerate the economic
and social mobility of parenting college students and their families nationwide.
As an advocate and activist, Generation Hope elevates the experiences of teen/student parents at the intersection of race and education to pursue national and local policy change. We believe in the power of teen/student parents — including teen/student parents of color — and know that they are the best advocates for themselves and those similarly positioned. To that end, Generation Hope will deploy, support, and lean on teen/student parents as subject matter experts as we seek to eliminate, modify, and create public policies that best support them. We will illuminate the challenges facing student parents, centering and power-building with them and other stakeholders. We will engage in advocacy that recognizes student parents’ tremendous assets and strengths as well as the intersectionality of their experiences including race, ethnicity, immigration status, socioeconomic status, gender identity, and more.
Find out how Generation Hope is taking action for student parents regionally and nationally in 2025.
Our Policy Priorities
Higher Education Affordability and Support
Generation Hope is dedicated to breaking down financial barriers that prevent student parents from earning post-secondary credentials. We advocate for initiatives that enhance access to tailored financial aid, promote cost transparency, and foster family-friendly campus environments. Additionally, we work to amplify awareness of the unique challenges faced by parenting college students, ensuring their voices and experiences drive meaningful change in higher education policies and practices.
Childcare Access and Affordability
Generation Hope is committed to expanding access to affordable, high-quality childcare that meets the diverse needs of student parent families. We advocate for solutions like campus-based childcare, state-supported programs, and policies that reduce systemic barriers, ensuring every family can access reliable childcare that supports their educational and economic goals.
Upward Economic Mobility
Generation Hope works to create pathways from education to family-sustaining careers by advocating for federally funded programs that combine career preparation with family-friendly policies, like paid internships and flexible work options. We also promote state-level initiatives that focus on high-demand industries, accessible training, and partnerships with local businesses to provide flexible job opportunities. By expanding access to mentorship and professional networks, we empower student parents to build generational wealth and achieve lasting economic stability.
Explore our 2026 National and State Policy and Advocacy Agenda
Each year, Generation Hope develops a National and State Policy and Advocacy Agenda grounded in student parents’ lived experiences, research, and direct engagement with families. The 2026 agenda is shaped by insights from our Scholar Program Basic Needs Survey, the Student Parent Advocacy Alliance, and FamilyU Cohort Impact Reports, bringing together both data and lived experience from student parents across the country.
These findings make clear that public policy plays a defining role in whether student parents can remain enrolled and complete their degrees. Access to food, healthcare, housing, childcare, and consistent financial aid policies are fundamental to their success in college. The 2026 agenda outlines the policy changes needed to create greater stability within these systems, recognizing that addressing these conditions is essential to strengthening outcomes for student parents and their families, particularly in communities of color.
Download Our
Policy & Advocacy Priorities
Join Us and Take Action
Generation Hope is moving the needle on student parent educational equity, expanding into policy and advocacy efforts that impact young mothers and fathers and student parents nationwide.
Against the backdrop of the nation's capital, our policy priorities are local and national in scope and consider the challenges faced by rural and urban student parents alike. Through this work, we aim to increase our impact on the educational landscape, creating stronger institutional, local, state, and federal policies that center the needs of student parents.
This advocacy work centers and is powered by our incredible community. Join us in calling for policy change that will make a difference for student parents and their families. Sign up to learn about opportunities to advocate for parenting students across the country.
Select “Policy & Advocacy” under “Get Involved.”
Other Resources
If you have questions about Generation Hope’s policy work, please contact us at policy@generationhope.org.