Families must be at the center of shaping a higher education system that delivers real opportunity, real outcomes, and real equity for every student.
Tafshier Cosby
Senior Director of the Center for Organizing and Partnerships, National Parents Union
American families are rethinking higher education and not because they’ve lost faith in its promise, but because the system has not kept pace with their realities. With enrollment down nearly 15% over the past decade and college costs continuing to rise, parents are asking a more urgent and practical question: Will higher education deliver real value for my child?
At the National Parents Union, we hear a consistent message from families across the country: College must lead to opportunity, not uncertainty or unmanageable debt. Parents are not walking away from higher education; they are demanding that it evolve.
Build an early action plan
A “kids first” approach to higher education starts with middle and high school counselors guiding students on how their strengths and interests fit with post-secondary opportunities and job market realities and what they need to do to get from where they are to where they want to be. Parents consistently tell us that despite this being a top priority for them, more often than not, it doesn’t happen.
Second and relatedly, there is the issue of affordability. Today, too many families are forced to make decisions based on cost rather than potential or return on investment. That is not a choice, it is a constraint. Policymakers and institutions must act with urgency to simplify financial aid, increase transparency in pricing, and expand need-based support so that every student has a fair shot, regardless of income, and a lower risk of going into unmanageable debt
Equally important is accessibility. First-generation students, students from low-income backgrounds, and students of color continue to face systemic barriers that make college navigation unnecessarily complex. Access cannot stop at admission. Institutions must invest in comprehensive support, from advising and mentorship to mental health services and career-connected learning that ensure students persist and graduate.
Reframe continuing education
At the same time, families are embracing a broader definition of success. Community colleges, technical programs, apprenticeships, and credentialing pathways are gaining traction, because they offer clear, affordable routes to economic mobility. This is not a departure from higher education, it is a demand for alignment between education and workforce outcomes.
Colleges and universities are beginning to respond with more flexible learning models and employer partnerships. But meaningful progress requires deeper accountability. Success should be measured not only by enrollment but by completion, career and salary outcomes, and long-term financial stability for graduates.
Parents help keep focus
Parents are essential partners in this transformation. We bring insight, urgency, and an unwavering focus on what works for our children. A system designed with families transparent, accountable, and outcomes-driven will better serve students and strengthen our economy and our children’s futures.
The path forward is clear. When we center students and families, we restore trust in higher education and ensure it remains a powerful engine of opportunity for generations to come.
