I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6309 
To improve data collection related to student parents pursuing higher 
education, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 8, 2023 
Ms. ROSS (for herself and Mrs. MCBATH) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
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 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. DATA ON STUDENT PARENTS PURSUING HIGHER 
EDUCATION. 
(a) IPEDS DATA ELEMENTS.—The Commissioner of 
Education Statistics shall— 
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(1) not later than 2 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, develop data elements related 
to the parental status of students attending institu-
tions of higher education for the surveys conducted 
as a part of the Integrated Postsecondary Education 
Data System (IPEDS) to collect data related to stu-
dents who are parents or caregivers of dependent 
children, including— 
(A) the number of students who identify as 
a parent; 
(B) the number of students who identify as 
a caregiver; 
(C) the enrollment, retention, and comple-
tion rates of students who are a parent or care-
giver; 
(D) the average individual net price (cal-
culated in the same manner as the average indi-
vidual net price of such institution is calculated 
under section 132(h)(2) of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1015a(h)(2))) 
charged to students who are a parent or care-
giver; 
(E) with respect to students who are a 
parent or caregiver— 
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(i) the marital status of such students 
(reported in aggregate by marital status 
categories); 
(ii) the number of such students who 
are employed for all or part of the aca-
demic year while enrolled; 
(iii) the median income of such stu-
dents, and the number of such students in 
each income category (determined in ac-
cordance with section 132(i)(6) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1015a(i)(6)); 
(iv) the total number of such students 
who are enrolled in an associate, bacca-
laureate, or graduate degree program, or a 
certificate program; 
(v) the total number of such students 
who are enrolled full-time, part-time, or 
less than part-time; 
(vi) the total number of such students 
who are Federal Pell grant recipients; and 
(vii) the total number of such stu-
dents who use campus-based childcare 
services; and 
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(2) beginning with academic year 2024–2025 
and annually thereafter, collect information regard-
ing the data elements described in paragraph (1) 
with respect to at least all institutions of higher edu-
cation participating in programs under title IV of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 
et seq.). 
(b) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary of 
Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Edu-
cation Statistics, shall provide technical assistance to 
States and institutions of higher education related to de-
veloping and carrying out State and institutional data col-
lection mechanisms for data on the parental status of stu-
dents collected in accordance with subsection (a), includ-
ing— 
(1) how to leverage existing systems, surveys, 
and other data collection mechanisms to collect and 
report such data, and examples and best practices 
related to data collection and privacy; 
(2) integration and reporting of such data with 
State information systems, including Statewide Lon-
gitudinal Data Systems; 
(3) how to account for data elements that 
change over time; and 
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(4) recommendations of best practices to insti-
tutions of higher education related to communicating 
with students about data use and privacy, including 
how data will be used to help students who are par-
ents or caregivers of dependent children. 
SEC. 3. STUDY ON IMPROVING STUDENT PARENT OUT-
COMES. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Education shall con-
duct a study of a demographically and geographically rep-
resentative sample of institutions of higher education (as 
determined by the Secretary) on best practices of institu-
tions of higher education that improve outcomes for stu-
dents attending institutions of higher education who are 
parents or caregivers of dependent children. Such study 
shall include qualitative and quantitative research on— 
(1) the enrollment, persistence, and retention of 
students attending institutions of higher education 
who are parents or caregivers of dependent children, 
disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, income, and 
the type of program in which such students are en-
rolled (such as an associate, baccalaureate, or grad-
uate degree program, or a certificate program); 
(2) the effects of the availability of campus- 
based childcare services on such outcomes of stu-
dents who are parents or caregivers of dependent 
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ciate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree pro-
gram, or a certificate program); and 
(5) the strategies used by institutions of higher 
education for integration of on-campus services for 
students who are parents or caregivers of dependent 
children with other State and institution-provided 
services, such as the supplemental nutrition assist-
ance program established under the Food and Nutri-
tion Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the pro-
gram of block grants for States for temporary as-
sistance for needy families established under part A 
of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 
et seq.), the special supplemental nutrition program 
for women, infants, and children under the Child 
Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), workforce 
programs including adult education and literacy ac-
tivities (as defined in section 203 of the Workforce 
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3272)), 
and Head Start and Early Head Start programs 
carried out under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9831 et seq.). 
(b) REPORT AND DISSEMINATION OF FINDINGS.— 
Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Education shall report the 
findings of the study conducted under subsection (a) to 
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Congress, and make such findings publicly available. Such 
findings shall include information on the best practices 
identified by the Secretary to be most effective at improv-
ing outcomes for students attending institutions of higher 
education who are parents or caregivers of dependent chil-
dren. 
Æ 
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