COLLEGE PROMISE Most young people in foster care aspire to go to college, [1] but for many, obtaining a college degree remains an unattainable goal. Research shows that less than half enroll in a postsecondary education program by age 25, and only a fraction of those who enroll successfully obtain a credential. [2] Early parenthood, which is exceedingly common among youth in foster care, [3] may be a barrier to pursuing postsecondary education. In recent years, there has been significant momentum behind policy solutions that improve college access and success, like College Promise programs which make college tuition and fee-free and leverage wraparound student support. However, the challenges that early parenthood presents to young people in foster care with aspirations for postsecondary education have largely been absent from policy discussions. This omission is concerning because postsecondary education has become increasingly essential to economic security and upward mobility in the United States, both of which are critical for young parents in foster care. This brief draws attention to this issue by examining the disparity in access to postsecondary education between young parents in foster care and their non- parent peers using data collected from a large, national sample. It also offers recommendations for practitioners, policymakers, and educational advocates. As Promise programs continue gaining traction at the local and state level, it is essential that policy solutions be built with the unique needs of different student groups in mind in order to advance equitable educational attainment. These recommendations are designed to provide young parents in foster care with the services and supports they need to successfully enroll in and complete postsecondary education programs. MARCH 2021 Policy Brief Postsecondary Education Access among Young Parents Aging-Out of Foster Care SVETLANA SHPIEGEL, ANGELIQUE DAY & AMY DWORSKY To receive a monthly update about Promise news, events, and publications, sign up for our newsletter at www.collegepromise.org 1