Supporting Success for Parenting Students at Rural-Serving Institutions

This report, developed as part of TICAS’ Rural Reconnect Initiative, examines systemic reforms that state policymakers can advance to strengthen re-enrollment pathways for rural adult learners in the South and Southwest, drawing on a set of state case studies of Alabama and New Mexico that illustrate both promising practices and persistent challenges.  

This guide, created as part of the TICAS Rural Reconnect Initiative, outlines five promising strategies that emerged from the initiative and provides practice-based examples that colleges can use at various stages of their rural reengagement efforts.  

This brief synthesizes our recommendations from the TICAS Rural Reconnect Initiative for institutional, state, and federal policymakers to allow rural students with SCNC to complete their credentials and achieve economic mobility.  

In 2025, TICAS launched the Rural Reconnect Initiative, an effort to advance college completion and economic mobility for residents of rural communities in the South and Southwest by identifying promising postsecondary education strategies and policies to reengage students with some college and no credential (SCNC).

Federal investments in TRIO and MSI programs have long formed the backbone of student success at rural-serving institutions. As policymakers consider the future of federal higher education investments, funding stability must remain a priority.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, President Trump released his Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) “skinny” budget which proposes $1.5…