News and Events

SPARK Officially Opens

SPARK offers tools, resources, and spaces for individuals and organizations nationwide to build evidence and take action to support parenting students. In September 2024, we hosted a virtual opening event unveiling SPARK’s website’s core features, including a comprehensive resource library and regional/topical constellation groups. Read the press release and watch our recording here

Student Parent Perspectives Blog

Aligning with SPARK’s mission of fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and amplifying student parents’ and caregivers’ voices, we’re dedicated to illuminating promising practices and building bridges between institutions supporting student parents while recognizing the challenges that persist. This space is specifically for current and recent student parents to share their hearts, wisdom, experiences, and the resources that support them and their families' personal and academic journeys. 

Check out our blog!

Beyond Compliance: What California’s Student-Parent Data Reveal About Policy Implementation

California passed AB 2881 in 2022, promising student parents better access to resources and ensuring eligibility for priority registration across two of the state’s three public higher education systems. A few years later, how well are institutions actually delivering on these commitments?

Student Parents in Conversation: Raheem Jackson

There are nearly 150,000 Black undergraduate student fathers across the country. Raheem Jackson’s story, while uniquely his own, also reflects the everyday experiences of Black student fathers. I invite you to read some highlights of our conversation.

Promoting Success: Student Parents At Mānoa (SPAM)

In this inaugural SPARK blog post, we highlight an initiative to support student parents at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Profiling a program does not imply endorsement by the SPARK Collaborative.

In The News

Read the latest news and research centering student parents.

SPARK Launches Publication Support Services

SPARK is thrilled to announce the launch of our Publication Support Services! Take a peek at our newest webpage and consider submitting an interest form to move your ideas and drafts to publications today!

Ross, Bacon, McBath Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Parenting Students Pursuing College Degrees

Representatives Deborah Ross (NC-02), Don Bacon (NE-02), and Lucy McBath (GA-06) introduced their Understanding Student Parent Outcomes Act.

SPARK Launches Its Inaugural Blog

If you're a student parent, this blog is for you! In this space, you'll hear from current and recent student parents sharing their hearts, wisdom, experiences, and resources they've found to support their journey.

New Resource to Support Family Voice: Ascend's Parent Advisor Microsite

Ascend at the Aspen Institute launches it's new Parent Advisor Program Microsite, a resource co-created with 11 student parents to support organizations hoping to better center parent voice.
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Events

See what’s coming up in the student-parent space!

Fron Parent Voice to Action: Centering Student Parents in POstsecondary Education

Getting into the Details of Student-Parent Data Collection

Why It’s Critical to Support Student Parents’ Success Using Data

Pregnant & Parenting Students Implementation Plan
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Newsletters

Every month, we share events, insights, and resources from the field, student parents in the media, SPARK Collaborative updates, and celebrations in our newsletter. Check out previous newsletters by clicking the links below. Sign up to stay in the know!

Sign Up for the Newsletter!

August 2025 SPARK Update

Gearing Up for Fall with New SPARK Resources & More

July 2025 SPARK Update

Student Parents Exist and Persist in the Summer

June 2025 SPARK Update

Honoring Our Student Fathers

May 2025 SPARK Update

Building Momentum into Summer
Newsletters

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SPARK is a values-driven, action-oriented, big-tent collaboration. We offer tools and joint spaces for those committed to supporting parents as they pursue their education goals.
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SPARK is a values-driven, action-oriented, big-tent collaboration. We offer tools and joint spaces for those committed to supporting parents as they pursue their education goals.
©2024 SPARK Collaborative, some rights reserved.