The College Attainment for Parent Students (CAPS) program is more than a pilot—it’s now a springboard for systems change. Launched by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE), CAPS supported parenting students across five Virginia community colleges from 2023 to 2025. Beginning fall of 2025, the program expands systemwide to all 23 Virginia community colleges.
Magnolia Consulting served as the external evaluator for the CAPS pilot. Our final evaluation report documents key findings and implementation lessons that may inform similar efforts in other states or systems.
Building a Foundation for Scale
CAPS was designed as a comprehensive support model to address the intersecting challenges parenting students face—challenges that include financial insecurity, time poverty, limited access to child care, and a lack of institutional visibility. The program included five core components:
- Individualized coaching
- Financial assistance, especially to offset child care expenses
- Peer community
- Family-friendly campus environments
- Systemwide coordination and data infrastructure
Each of these components addressed a vital need, but it was the integration of supports—and how they were implemented with empathy and intentionality—that shaped the program’s impact.
What the Evaluation Found
The evaluation, which included student and community college staff surveys, focus groups, interviews, and administrative data analysis, highlighted promising outcomes:
- Credential completion rates were twice as high for CAPS participants compared to non-CAPS parent students (48% vs. 24%).
- Retention rates ranged from 74–91% for CAPS students—substantially higher than 30–62% for their peers.
- Students described coaches as essential to their persistence—providing not only logistical support, but also emotional encouragement and accountability.
- Child care support was a critical lifeline. Many students would not have been able to continue without assistance paying for before- and after-school care or summer programs.
- Family-friendly campus shifts, while still developing, created momentum around institutional awareness and inclusive policies.
- Peer community connections were valued by students, but participation was often limited by scheduling barriers—an important consideration for future implementation.
A Scalable Framework
For other institutions seeking to replicate CAPS, several design features stand out:
-
Coaching as the linchpin: Coaches helped students navigate everything from enrollment hurdles to emotional
burnout—and often acted as advocates within the college system.
- Support for parenting-related costs: Financial assistance helped students cover essentials like child care and housing—needs that directly affect their ability to stay enrolled.
- Creating visibility and belonging: Family-friendly campus environments, including updated policies and inclusive messaging, helped parenting students feel seen.
- Intentional peer engagement: While participation varied, peer community remains a core feature and may be adapted for greater accessibility.
- Systemwide coordination and data infrastructure: A dedicated statewide coordinator and consistent data collection practices are key to supporting inclusive identification of parent students, implementation fidelity, and cross-college learning.
Lessons for the Field
In addition to outcomes, the CAPS evaluation surfaced rich lessons that may guide statewide scale-up—and inform other states’ efforts. Key takeaways include:
- Institutional culture change is essential. Visible leadership, campuswide buy-in, and flexible faculty practices are key to creating a supportive environment for parent students.
- Coaching roles must be clearly defined and resourced. Coaches thrive when they have the capacity to focus on individualized support and cross-campus coordination.
- Policies matter. From “minors on campus” rules to emergency aid eligibility, policies should reflect the realities of parenting students—and allow for local flexibility.
- Ongoing data use strengthens systems. A centralized approach to tracking parent students and their outcomes supports continuous improvement and evidence of effectiveness.
As the program expands statewide, CAPS offers an example of a support model that is both student-centered and systems-aware. Its strength lies in the integration of core supports, strong implementation, and a commitment to elevating parenting students’ voices. The CAPS pilot affirms that when institutions recognize and invest in parent students, families, campuses, and communities benefit.
