I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3994 
To improve data collection related to student parents pursuing higher 
education, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 12, 2025 
Ms. ROSS (for herself, Mrs. MCBATH, and Mr. BACON) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Work-
force 
A BILL 
To improve data collection related to student parents 
pursuing higher education, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Understanding Stu-
dent Parent Outcomes Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. DATA ON STUDENT PARENTS PURSUING HIGHER 
EDUCATION. 
(a) IPEDS DATA ELEMENTS.—The Commissioner of 
Education Statistics shall carry out the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:31 Jun 18, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3994.IH
H3994
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(1)(A) To ensure consistency of the data col-
lected pursuant to paragraph (B), establish a com-
mon definition of the term ‘‘parenting student’’ that 
covers any student who identifies as a parent or 
caregiver of a dependent child, in consultation with 
groups that include— 
(i) students who are parents or caregivers 
of dependent children; 
(ii) experts in data collection related to 
such students; 
(iii) support staff at institutions of higher 
education for such students; 
(iv) financial aid administrators at institu-
tions of higher education; and 
(v) research staff at institutions of higher 
education. 
(B)(i) Not later than 2 years after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, develop data elements re-
lated to parenting students (as such term is defined 
pursuant to subparagraph (A)) attending institu-
tions of higher education for the surveys conducted 
as a part of the Integrated Postsecondary Education 
Data System (IPEDS) or any other Federal postsec-
ondary institution data collection effort, to collect 
data related to such parenting students that shall be 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:31 Jun 18, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3994.IH
H3994
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
disaggregated in accordance with clause (ii), and 
which includes data elements on— 
(I) the number of parenting students; 
(II) the enrollment, retention, and comple-
tion rates of parenting students; 
(III) the average individual net price 
charged to parenting students by institutions of 
higher education (as determined based on the 
calculation of the individual net price of an in-
stitution of higher education for a student 
under section 132(h)(2) of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1015a(h)(2))); 
(IV) the marital status of such students 
(reported in aggregate by marital status cat-
egories); 
(V) the number of such students who are 
employed for all or part of the academic year 
while enrolled; 
(VI) the median income of such students, 
and the number of such students in each in-
come category (determined in accordance with 
section 132(i)(6) of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1015a(i)(6))); 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:31 Jun 18, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3994.IH
H3994
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(VII) the number of such students who are 
enrolled in an associate, baccalaureate, or grad-
uate degree program, or a certificate program; 
(VIII) the number of such students who 
are enrolled full-time, part-time, or less than 
part-time; 
(IX) the number of such students who are 
Federal Pell grant recipients; 
(X) the number of such students who use 
campus-based childcare services; 
(XI) the number and age of dependent 
children of such students; 
(XII) the disability status of dependent 
children of such students; and 
(XIII) the transfer status of such students 
(without regard to whether such students were 
admitted as a transfer student or not). 
(ii) Any data collected using the data elements 
developed 
pursuant 
to 
clause 
(i) 
shall 
be 
disaggregated— 
(I) by students who identify as a parent of 
a dependent child; and 
(II) by students who identify as a caregiver 
of a dependent child. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:31 Jun 18, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3994.IH
H3994
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(2) Not later than 2 years after the date of en-
actment of this Act, include the experts described in 
paragraph (1)(A)(ii) in the technical and scientific 
peer-review groups and scientific program advisory 
committees authorized under section 114(g) of the 
Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 
9514(g)) to advise, on a continuous basis, the Com-
missioner on best practices related to data collection 
on parenting students (as such term is defined pur-
suant to paragraph (1)(A)). 
(3) Beginning with academic year 2026–2027 
and annually thereafter— 
(A) collect information on the data ele-
ments described in paragraph (1)(B) with re-
spect to, at a minimum, the institutions of 
higher education required to complete, pursuant 
to section 487(a)(17) of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)(17)), the sur-
veys described in paragraph (1)(B); and 
(B) disaggregate the information col-
lected— 
(i) by race and ethnicity; and 
(ii) by gender. 
(b) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary of 
Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Edu-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:31 Jun 18, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3994.IH
H3994
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB