Higher Education Linked to Family Mobility

A U.S. Department of Treasury report released last week includes interesting statistics about the importance of higher education for intergenerational mobility.

Without a degree, children born to parents in the bottom income quintile have a 45 percent chance of remaining there as adults. With a degree, they have less than a 20 percent chance of staying in the bottom quintile of the income distribution.

That’s why NCFL, through the generous support of MetLife Foundation, created a set of multi-media resources for first generation college students. Five distinct resources are available free of charge at www.famlit.org/myfamilygoestocollege to help adult students transition into postsecondary education as well as create a path toward higher education for their children. The materials are designed for Hispanic parents who are learning the English language, first generation college students, as well as community and college leaders and policy-makers.

Higher education is crucial for the well-being and stability not only of families, but also entire communities. Parents are a key to our nation reaching its educational goals. In order to produce five million new degrees in a decade, we need to ensure that more nontraditional adults are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education and that parents are well prepared to inform and nurture the educational aspirations of their children.