TRIO History
The TRIO programs were the first national college access and retention programs to
address the serious social and cultural barriers to education in America. (Previously,
only college financing had been on policymakers' radar.) The history of TRIO is progressive;
it began as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's War on Poverty. The Educational/Economic
Opportunity Act of 1964 established an experimental program known as Upward Bound.
Then, in 1965, the Higher Education Act created Talent Search, the second outreach
program. Finally, another program, Special Services for Disadvantaged Students (later
known as Student Support Services), was launched in 1968, authorized by the Higher
Education Amendments and became the third in a series of educational opportunity programs.
By the late 1960s, the term “TRIO” was coined to describe these federally funded programs
that encouraged access to higher education for low-income students.
Over the years, the TRIO Programs have been expanded and improved to provide a wider
range of services to reach more students who need assistance. By 1998, the TRIO programs
had become a vital pipeline to opportunity, serving traditional students, displaced
workers, and veterans. The original three programs had grown to eight. The Higher
Education Amendments of 1972 added the fourth program by authorizing the Educational
Opportunity Centers. Training Programs for Special Programs Staff and Leadership Personnel
were added due to the Education Amendments of 1976.
Amendments in 1986 added the sixth program, the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate
Achievement Program. Additionally, in 1990, the Department of Education created Upward
Bound Math/Science to address the need for specific instruction in the fields of math
and science. The Upward Bound Math/Science program is administered under the same
regulations as the regular Upward Bound program from 1964, but it must be applied
for separately. The TRIO Dissemination Partnership came about in 1998. Finally, the
Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2001 amended the Student Support Services
(SSS) program to permit the use of program funds for direct financial assistance (Grant
Aid) for current SSS participants who are receiving Federal Pell Grants.
The legislative requirements for all Federal TRIO Programs can be found in the Higher
Education Act of 1965, Title IV, Part A, Subpart 2. The requirements for the SSS Grant
Aid can be found in Public Law 106-554.
TRIO Programs at a Glance
The Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) are federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRIO includes eight programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post-baccalaureate programs. TRIO also includes a training program for directors and staff of TRIO projects. As mandated by Congress, two-thirds of the students served must come from families with incomes at 150% or less of the federal poverty level and in which neither parent graduated from college.
Upward Bound (1964)
Upward Bound provides fundamental support to participants in their preparation for
college entrance. The program provides opportunities for participants to succeed in
their precollege performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits. Upward
Bound serves: high school students from low-income families; and high school students
from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor's degree. The goal of Upward
Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and
enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education.
Talent Search (1965)
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 and complete their postsecondary education. The
program publicizes the availability of financial aid and assists participants with
the postsecondary application process. Talent Search also encourages persons who have
not completed education programs at the secondary or postsecondary level to enter
or reenter and complete postsecondary education. The goal of Talent Search is to increase
the number of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds who complete high school and enroll
in and complete their postsecondary education.
Student Support Services (1968)
Through a grant competition, funds are awarded to institutions of higher education
to provide opportunities for academic development, assist students with basic college
requirements, and to motivate students toward the successful completion of their postsecondary
education. Student Support Services (SSS) projects also may provide grant aid to current
SSS participants who are receiving Federal Pell Grants. The goal of SSS is to increase
the college retention and graduation rates of its participants.
Educational Opportunity Centers (1972)
The Educational Opportunity Centers program provides counseling and information on
college admissions to qualified adults who want to enter or continue a program of
postsecondary education. The program also provides services to improve the financial
and economic literacy of participants. An important objective of the program is to
counsel participants on financial aid options, including basic financial planning
skills, and to assist in the application process. The goal of the EOC program is to
increase the number of adult participants who enroll in postsecondary education institutions.
Veterans Upward Bound (1972)
Veterans Upward Bound is designed to motivate and assist veterans in the development
of academic and other requisite skills necessary for acceptance and success in a program
of postsecondary education. The program provides assessment and enhancement of basic
skills through counseling, mentoring, tutoring and academic instruction in the core
subject areas. The primary goal of the program is to increase the rate at which participants
enroll in and complete postsecondary education programs.
Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs (1976)
Through a grant competition, funds are awarded to institutions of higher education
and other public and private nonprofit institutions and organizations to support training
to enhance the skills and expertise of project directors and staff employed in the
Federal TRIO Programs. Funds may be used for conferences, seminars, internships, workshops,
or the publication of manuals. Training topics are based on priorities established
by the Secretary of Education and announced in Federal Register notices inviting applications.
Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement (1986)
Through a grant competition, funds are awarded to institutions of higher education
to prepare eligible participants for doctoral studies through involvement in research
and other scholarly activities. Participants are from disadvantaged backgrounds and
have demonstrated strong academic potential. Institutions work closely with participants
as they complete their undergraduate requirements. Institutions encourage participants
to enroll in graduate programs and then track their progress through to the successful
completion of advanced degrees. The goal is to increase the attainment of Ph.D. degrees
by students from underrepresented segments of society.
Upward Bound Math/Science (1990)
The Upward Bound Math/Science program is designed to strengthen the math and science
skills of participating students. The goal of the program is to help students recognize
and develop their potential to excel in math and science and to encourage them to
pursue postsecondary degrees in math and science, and ultimately careers in a math
or science profession.