New analysis from the Institute for Higher Education Policy links food insecurity to lower persistence among older, working, and caregiving college students, sharpening attention on basic needs as a retention lever. The report finds food insecurity is associated with reduced persistence, focusing specifically on student groups that often combine employment, caregiving duties, and uneven access to support services. The findings add to the growing body of evidence connecting non-academic barriers to outcomes such as enrollment continuity and completion. For campus leaders, the analysis supports prioritizing targeted basic-needs interventions—such as rapid-response assistance, expanded eligibility pathways, and tighter coordination with financial aid and student support offices—to prevent setbacks from turning into withdrawal decisions.