ACE and the Council for Opportunity in Education sent a joint letter to the departments of Education and Labor last week, raising concerns about proposed changes to the TRIO Talent Search and Educational Opportunity Centers competitions.The letter warns that the Department of Education's plan to shift eligibility and administrative responsibility to the states would move TRIO away from its established purpose and disregard clear statutory and congressional intent.
TRIO has provided academic advising, mentoring, tutoring, financial aid counseling, and college preparation services to low-income and first-generation students since the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 established the first TRIO program. Today, roughly 3,400 TRIO programs serve more than 817,000 students each year.
The letter highlights strong outcomes for the two programs targeted by the proposed changes. Talent Search participants enroll in postsecondary education at a considerably higher rate than their low-income peers, and the program's cost per successful outcome has continued to fall year over year. Educational Opportunity Centers have shown similar gains, with postsecondary enrollment rates and cost-effectiveness both improving in the most recent reporting period.
ACE and COE argue that many state entities lack the operational infrastructure to administer TRIO grants while complying with the program's statutory and regulatory demands, including eligibility verification for citizenship, income, and first-generation status, along with long-term participant outcome tracking. It also points to recent action in the House, where the FY 2027 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations markup included an amendment increasing TRIO funding, a signal of Congress's continued bipartisan commitment to the program's existing structure and mission.
"This action alone underscores Congress’ disapproval of the proposed changes and clear view that TRIO should remain focused on college access, student support, and educational attainment," the letter concludes.