The Funding History of Federal TRIO Programs: Does Economic Crisis Mean the End Is Near

“The Funding History of Federal TRIO Programs: Does Economic Crisis Mean the End is Near?”

D’Andra Mull

PID A26202115

Higher Education Finance

Marylee Davis, Ph.D., Professor

MichiganStateUniversity. KentStateUniversity. CuyahogaCommunity College. The University of Pennsylvania. The aforementioned universities, while wholly distinct in reputation, all have one thing in common. Each carries the merit of being the site of federal TRIO programs that have emerged during the last forty years. The seven programs: Upward Bound, Talent Search, Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Centers, Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs, Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program, and Upward Bound Math/Science, were all created through the federal Higher Education Act of 1965. Presently, there are more than 2,000 TRIO Programs in nearly 1,200 colleges, universities, and agencies, and more than 730,000 students are served annually ( The programs maintain their commitment to serving students of meager financial means, limited support systems, and/or first generation prospective college students by following criteria set forth in the Higher Education Act. By law, “two-thirds of the students served by TRIO programs must come from families with income under $24,000 AND where neither parent graduated from college. The remaining one-third of the students must meet only one of the two above criteria” ( The programs, designed to address invisible barriers such as those of a cultural, academic, class and social nature, are intended to help students who are accustomed to these barriers, regardless of race. TRIO programs are composed of 42% White, 33% African American, 16% Hispanic, 5% Native American, and 4% Asian students. Further, the programs also serve 16,000 physically disabled students. Ultimately, each of these highly successful programs has come to play a large role in the lives of underrepresented and disadvantaged students across the nation, regardless of any negative factors that may be present in the lives of the students served. Moreover, TRIO programs have produced more than two million college graduates ( a true testament to each program’s reason for existence. Sadly though, despite their success, TRIO programs are still under funded, and as a result serve less than 10% of their eligible population ( Now, in a time of economic crisis, we are all left asking the same question: Will the TRIO higher education programs survive when the economy is barely doing so? While the track record of the programs have shown us the reason for their existence, one must still assess the history, programs, and their role within systems of higher education to attempt to gain an understanding of the federal government’s stance on the future of the educational initiatives. From 1965 to the present, with a very rich history and legacy, TRIO programs have thrived. Now, in 2003, we are left to wonder if that very history will be enough to save not only the programs, but also the students that are served, and in many cases, saved. Ultimately, through an analysis of each individual program, its funding, and its outcomes, I assert that indeed, TRIO programs do have a crucial place within institutions of higher education, and further, are deserving of the federal funds that are necessary for them to maintain the quality, scope, and goals that were established through the Higher Education Act of 1965.

History of TRIO Programs

In all aspects, the history of TRIO is progressive. The TRIO Programs were originally established by the federal government in 1965 “to ensure equal educational opportunity for all Americans regardless of race, ethnic background, or economic circumstance” (Thomas Wolanin, NCEOA Journal, April 1997). In February of 1964, President Johnson established the “Office of Economic Opportunity Task Force” to create legislation that would be known as the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. Ultimately this piece of legislation would become the driving force in the nation’s “War on Poverty.” Later, in August of 1964, the EOA was officially signed by President Johnson, and shortly thereafter the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) was established. President Johnson, acting on the recommendations of the task force and community members who voiced discontent with lack of educational programs for underprivileged students, established Upward Bound, which began TRIO’s path to assisting underrepresented, disadvantaged students, who many felt either lacked guidance and educational opportunities, or were simply headed for disaster due to the lack of a support system. As noted, “Americans from families earning under $22,000 per year have less than a 4% chance of earning a baccalaureate degree by the time they are 24” ( fortunately, the goal of TRIO higher education programs is to, in the end, help to create new statistics.

Upward Bound

Upward Bound was established to provide fundamental support to participants in their preparation for college entrance. From the beginning, the program was set up to provide opportunities for participants to succeed in pre-college performance and ultimately in higher education pursuits. The EOE launched Upward Bound to serve high school students from low-income families, high school students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelors degree, and low-income, first-generation military veterans who are preparing to enter postsecondary education. The fundamental goal of Upward Bound, as documented by President Johnson is “to increase the rates at which participants enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education” (Arnold Mitchem, NCEOA Journal, Winter, 1997).

Talent Search

In 1965, Talent Search, the second outreach program, was created as part of the Higher Education Act. As mandated by the Office of Economic Opportunity, the Talent Search program identifies and assists individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education. The program provides academic, career, and financial counseling to its participants and encourages them to graduate from high school and continue on to the postsecondary school of their choice. Talent Search was also created to serve high school dropouts by encouraging them to reenter the educational system and complete their education. The goal of Talent Search is to increase the number of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds who complete high school and enroll in the postsecondary education institution of their choice.

Student Support Services

In 1968, Student Support Services, which was originally known as Special Services for Disadvantaged Students, was authorized by the Higher Education Amendments and became the third in a series of educational opportunity programs. The Student Support Services (SSS) program was implemented to provide opportunities for academic development, assist students with basic college requirements, and serve to motivate students towards the successful completion of their postsecondary education. The SSS program may also provide grant aid to SSS participants who are receiving Federal Pell Grants. The goal of SSS is to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants and facilitate the process of transition from one level of higher education to the next. Ultimately, by the late 1960's, the term "TRIO" was coined to describe these federal programs, the original three programs created in the War on Poverty.

Educational OpportunityCenter

Over the years, the TRIO Programs have been expanded and improved to provide a wider range of services and to reach more students who need assistance. The Higher Education Amendments of 1972 added the fourth program to the TRIO group by authorizing the Educational Opportunity Centers. The EOC program added another dimension to the federal government’s educational initiative by providing counseling and information on college admissions to qualified adults who sought to enter or continue a program of postsecondary education. An important objective of EOC, both in 1972 and present, is to counsel participants on financial aid options and to assist in the application process. The primary goal of EOC was (is) to increase the number of adult participants who enroll in postsecondary education institutions.

Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs

The 1976 Education Amendments authorized the Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs, initially known as the Training Program for Special Programs Staff and Leadership Personnel. The program provides funding to enhance the skills and expertise of project directors and staff employed in the Federal TRIO Programs. The program was created after discontent was voiced by both the federal government and TRIO employees who felt that they were not properly trained to deal with the numerous responsibilities of the programs, thus they believed that more could be done for the student population if they were more knowledgeable. Training projects include(d) conferences, seminars, internships, workshops, or publication of manuals. Training topics for the program participants were, and are “based on priorities established by the Secretary of Education and announced in the Federal Register notice for application” (Kathryn Felder, 1987, p.38)

Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program

Amendments in 1986 added the sixth program, the Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program. While the federal government had noted the success of TRIO program students in attaining baccalaureate degrees, they also noticed that disadvantaged students were greatly underrepresented in post-baccalaureate degree programs. Thus, the McNair program was established to award grants to institutions of higher education for projects designed to prepare participants for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. McNair participants hail from disadvantaged backgrounds, yet have demonstrated strong academic potential which the government and program coordinators believed serve to aid them in their doctoral studies. Institutions across the nation agree to work closely with participants through their undergraduate requirements, encourage their entrance into graduate programs, and track their progress to successful completion of advanced degrees. The goal of McNair is to increase the attainment of the Ph.D. by students from underrepresented segments of society, a goal which McNair can truly say that they have achieved.

Upward Bound Math/Science Program

Additionally, in 1990, the Department created the Upward Bound Math/Science program to address the need for specific instruction in the fields of math and science. As disadvantaged students were often found to be extremely lacking in these academic areas when compared to their classmates across the nation, the federal government decided to design a TRIO program dedicated specifically to these two areas. The ultimate goal of the program is to help students recognize and develop their potential to excel in math and science and moreover, encourage them to pursue postsecondary degrees in these fields. While the Upward Bound Math/Science program is administered under the same regulations as the regular Upward Bound program, it is funded completely separate of the forerunner program.

TRIO Dissemination Partnership Program

To complete the TRIO package, the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 authorized the TRIO Dissemination Partnership program to encourage the replication of successful practices of TRIO programs by providing incentives for institutions and agencies who choose to enact TRIO-like programs within their own institutions. TRIO grantees now have the opportunity to work with other institutions and community-based organizations that are serving low-income and first-generation college students but that do not have TRIO grants. These incentives have produced programs such as Gear Up, “an initiative aimed at middle school students who do not have access to other TRIO programs” ( While the Dissemination Partnership is barely five years old, research has shown that, indeed, the impact that the program has in the lives of the students served is tremendous.

Funding

While TRIO programs have definitely come to play a large role in the lives of many students, there is still much debate about whether the government-funded programs are necessary. Luckily for those affected, the government has asserted that indeed, trio programs are not only needed, but also critical in the lives of many students. Moreover, to show true support for TRIO, each program has been awarded a sizeable amount of money for the continued implementation of its programs and services. Such figures are as follows: For the 2002-2003 fiscal year, the federal government granted $264,189,513 to the Classic Upward Bound program. This money was disbursed among more than 800 programs, covered 56,324 participants, (average of 73 per program) and amounted to an estimated $4,691 per student. However, the federal government’s commitment to TRIO programs did not end with the funding of the forerunner program. The Educational Talent Search was awarded $143,505,809 for the year, served 475 programs ($302,117 average program grant) and 389,454 students; the average number of participants per program was 820, and the average cost per participant was an estimated $368. Student Support Services was funded $262,711,302 for the year, served 198,551 participants at an average cost of $1,323 per person, and enabled 937 programs to operate. Total funding for Educational Opportunity Centers amounted to $48,011,331, provided for $220 for 217,836 participants, and financed a total of 139 programs. This amount included $570,000 for one-time supplemental grants for technology of $10,000 each for the 57 first-time funded EOC projects. Further, in a true display of dedication to making sure that TRIO guidelines are followed and the programs are run efficiently, the Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs were granted $6,762,255, which funded 29 programs, and covered 4,164 participants (average of 149 per training program) at an average cost of $1,555 per participant. The Ronald E. McNair program also benefited due to the government’s commitment to educational initiatives; the total funding for the McNair Scholars program amounted to $38,357,300, with 156 awards for the 2002-2003 fiscal year, which supported 3,774 total participants at an average cost of $10,164 per participant. The average award for each program amounted to $245,880, and supported an average of 24 students per program. The Upward Bound Math/Science program was also awarded funding for the year, which totaled $31,772,406. The funding was disbursed among 123 programs, 6,093 participants at an average cost of $5,215 per student. The average award amount per program was $258,312, which supports 50 students per program. Lastly, in a continued and elevated show of support and dedication to TRIO programs, the federal government also funded the TRIO Dissemination Partnership Program in “an effort to expand and leverage the success of the TRIO programs” ( The program was given a grant of $3,412,575, (an estimated $200,740 per program which funded a total of 17 programs), and served 217,836 participants.

Ultimately, even while facing tough times financially, the federal government has continued to maintain its commitment to TRIO programs. As each program has met its expected outcomes, the government has also held up its end of the bargain. And while it is heartrending that not all students who are eligible for TRIO programs will be afforded the program opportunities, there are a number of others who will. Now, as we head into the 2003-2004 fiscal year, questions abound once again. Will TRIO still be funded? Are there going to be any funding cuts? If so, how much? Fortunately, the federal government must believe in TRIO, as each program has been awarded the funding amounts equivalent to the previous academic year. In fact, “Congress reauthorized the Higher Education Act for 2003 and into 2004; the Council, other higher education associations, and the Administration are developing specific legislative proposals” ( that will ensure that, for at least the next four years, TRIO programs are properly funded. Sherry A. Warren, Chair and Director of the EducationalOpportunityCenter for TRIO, notes “as outlined by the Higher Education Act of 1965’s 1998 Amendment, TRIO programs exist because there is a need for them. Society has shown us that. In addition, TRIO programs only exist where local organizations see the need for such services and have successfully applied for federal support” ( In essence, TRIO is needed in all fifty states, thousands of communities, by more than 1,200 colleges and universities, and by millions of students in line to receive some level of higher education. In the 1991 report of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources, the committee stated that “Congress has always look (ed) upon the TRIO programs as critical to the success of students….which specifically served Americans from low-income families. The Committee views the provision of the access and information services as an ongoing federal responsibility, a responsibility—like the provision of student financial assistance—shared with the states, with institutions, and with local communities” (

In conclusion, it is my findings that indeed, the federal government has maintained its commitment to TRIO programs. From the issuance of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to present, TRIO has fervently pursued its goals of creating educational opportunities for those who are in need, and further, making sure that these students not only make it to college, but also graduate. As the Council for Opportunity in Education asserts “TRIO programs provide opportunity, not a maintenance of poverty; TRIO provides tools and orientation to move individuals to economic independence…TRIO serves to improve higher education and make it more reflective of society…and most importantly, TRIO programs are focused on attainment of a college degree, not artificial assistance or support” ( Ultimately, TRIO programs exist to continue to aid in opening doors that were previously shut, locked and barred in the lives of millions of people. I know; I am a product of two TRIO programs.