Generation Hope Supports the Pregnant and Parenting Students Access to Education Act (HR 5894)

Generation Hope is pleased to announce its support of a new piece of legislation, the Pregnant and Parenting Students Access to Education Act (HR 5894), aimed at improving high school graduation rates and post-secondary and career opportunities for pregnant and parenting teens.  We have signed on to endorse this important and comprehensive legislation introduced by Jared Polis (D-CO) and 16 other Members of Congress.

Healthy Teen Network and the National Women’s Law Center assisted with the Act, and their websites contain Action Alerts that you can send to your Senator and members of Congress to enlist their support.  Click here for more information. 

What does this Act do?
Provides the necessary resources to states and school districts to ensure that pregnant and parenting students have equal access to educational opportunity. Specifically, the legislation:

• Enables states to create a state plan for pregnant and parenting students, provide professional development and technical assistance to school districts, coordinate services with other state agencies, and disseminate information, among other activities.
• Establishes a state coordinator and school district liaisons for the education of pregnant and parenting students.
• Requires school district grantees to provide academic support services for pregnant and parenting students; assist students in gaining access to affordable child care, early childhood education, and transportation services; engage in student outreach, recruitment and retention; provide professional development for school personnel; and revise school policies and practices to remove barriers and encourage pregnant and parenting students to continue their education.
• Allows districts to provide parenting and life skills classes; case management services; pregnancy prevention interventions; referrals to primary health care, family planning, mental health, substance abuse, housing assistance, legal aid, mentoring, or other supportive services needed by the student; as well as to address school climate issues, including illegal discrimination against and stigmatization of pregnant and parenting students.
• Collects and reports data on pregnant and parenting students annually, including educational outcomes, and requires a rigorous evaluation of the program.

(Derived from the Fact Sheet)


If HR 5894 is passed, programs like ours will be strengthened and our capacity to help pregnant and parenting teens earn their college degrees will grow. 


Imagine what a better would this would be, if we supported the college pursuits of all young people.


-  Nicole Lynn Lewis, Founder and CEO