Krystle Pale, UC Santa Cruz graduate and advisory committee member of The California Alliance for Student Parent Success, with her family. She provided testimony for AB 2458 and also successfully advocated for her children to walk with her on stage during graduation.
Credit: Photo by Nikhil Naidu Photography / Courtesy California Competes
About 1 in 8 college students in California is a parent. For these students, college isn’t just about attending class and studying; it’s a daily juggling act that also includes managing households, raising children, and working to stay afloat. Moreover, the additional costs of child care, higher food expenses, and other necessities mean that student parents pay an additional $7,500 per child to attend college. Without significant financial aid, they would need to work at least 50 hours per week at minimum wage to cover these costs.
The precarious balancing act is more than a…
