The Student Single Parent

Rene Copeland  is a  single mother  returning  to  school  hoping  to earn a degree  to ensure a better  future  for  her daughter and herself.   She has a full-time school  schedule and relies on help from state and college resources to  obtain her education and care for her daughter. Rene is often  going to class short on sleep having to care for her daughter  at night with little time to study and do homework.  She relies  on  her mother  to  help when  she  is  able  to,  but  uses many  resources throughout her school days as well.     

Due to the economy, many single parents believe they are  unable  to  receive  an  education.  Single  parents  believe  that  because  of  the  fnancial  setbacks,  they  have  to  work  and  not  attend  school  in  order  to  care  for  themselves  and  their  children. Single parents need to be able to live independently  and receive an education. But in order to receive one they also  need child care and a place to live with some sort of income.  Colleges and many non-proft organizations across the country  have been providing resources for single parents to help them  earn their degrees.  

One resource is EOPS (Extended Opportunities Programs and  Services) which is a statewide program that qualifes students  based on economic disadvantages. One service they provide  is money for a student’s books each semester. In addition, they  provide support and guidance, to help students transfer.    

Financial Aid is a statewide program and, if students qualify,  may be entitled to a larger sum for being a single parent with  no  income. Students  that  are  provided fnancial  aid  receive  their funds one time a semester so that they can budget their  lifestyle.       

Many colleges also have a child development center on  campus  available  to  students  to  help  care  for  their  children  while  in school.  It’s  free  for students  that attend  the college  but there are waiting lists that students can be put on to receive  these  services  for  their children. For more  information visit  the EOPS, Financial Aid, and on-site child care center offces  at the college you attend.     An organization called Children’s Home Society is a non- proft organization  that provides quality services  to children  and  families.   Their developmental and child care programs  provide  services  to  those  who  qualify.  Their  alternative  payment program provides paid child care to parents attending  college full and part-time.     

Medi-Cal,  Healthy  Families,  and  Kaiser  Permanente’s  Child Health  Plan  provide  health  care  services  to  children  including  routine  physicals  and  prescriptions.  Medi-Cal  is  fnanced by the state and provides public health insurance. If  the requirements are met, the program can provide free health  care services to those in need of medical services. For more  information  please  visit  www.healthyfamilies.ca.gov  and  www.info.kp.org-overview/childhealthplan.        

Being  a  single  parent  and  supporting  yourself while  in  college is a struggle, but one you can overcome.