Universities that receive federal funding must give pregnant and parenting students the same access to school programs and educational opportunities that other students have.

If a student misses class due to pregnancy, childbirth, or other related conditions, the school must allow the student to make up the missed work and provide the appropriate information to complete assignments.

If a doctor has deemed a student’s pregnancy-related absence as medically necessary (such as in the cases of bed rest, childbirth, or recovery), that student cannot be punished for missing class or another school activity (e.g. lose points for class attendance) regardless of the school’s or professor’s classroom absence policies.

If a student misses class due to pregnancy and the professor gave out class points or extra credit, the professor must provide similar opportunities to the pregnant student.

Pregnant students must be provided with any special services that are also provided to students with temporary disabilities (such as at-home tutoring).

If a student becomes pregnant and chooses to stay in school, the school cannot use the student’s pregnancy as a reason to terminate or reduce that student’s athletic, merit, or need-based scholarships.

A pregnant student cannot be kicked out of campus housing while she is pregnant. She is allowed to remain in her current housing situation for the duration of her pregnancy (after which she may be asked to move to family-friendly housing).

Unfortunately, Title IX has very little specific guidelines for parenting students. Primarily, it protects parenting students from discrimination in educational access. Such items may include:

• Parenting students cannot be denied ability to apply for an education program, financial aid, or scholarships that they would otherwise be eligible.

• Instructors cannot penalize a student because of his or her parenting status.

• Special programs (e.g. study abroad, sports teams, clubs) cannot deny a parenting student for reason of his or her parenting status.

Some schools do have policies regarding parenting students receiving an excused absence for emergency childcare (e.g. sick child), and some schools provide a student parent leave policy (e.g. after childbirth).

Improvements can certainly be made to ensure better treatment and reasonable accommodations for parenting students. If you have a concern regarding conflicts with you parenting responsibilities and your classroom participation, talk to your professors, academic advisor, or other school admin/staff about these concerns.

Student-athletes may continue participating in their sport as a pregnant and/or parenting student or apply for a red shirt season (if pregnant).

“Student-athletes cannot be discriminated against in the event of their pregnancy, childbirth, conditions related to pregnancy, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy or recovery there from, or parental or marital status; and they must be offered reinstatement to the same position after pregnancy as they held before the onset of pregnancy.”

Visit NCAA for more information.

For a comprehensive list of resources to read and distribute, these are great fact sheets on the rights of pregnant and parenting students.

• Pregnant on Campus Bill of Rights

• NWLC Pregnant and Parenting Students’ Rights Toolkit

• The Pregnant Scholar: Helpful Handouts

• Know Your Rights (U.S. Department of Education)