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Council for Opportunity in Education

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The Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) is a nonprofit organization, established in 1981, dedicated to furthering the expansion of college opportunities for low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., the Pacific Islands, and Puerto Rico. Its membership includes more than 1,000 colleges and agencies. Through its numerous membership services, the Council works in conjunction with colleges, universities, and agencies to help low-income students enter college and graduate. Over a million low-income students and students with disabilities each year receive college access and retention services through our member colleges and agencies.

We believe every young person and adult should have an equal opportunity to prepare for, attend, and graduate from college. Graduation from any category of postsecondary institution should be achievable and not limited by economic status, family background, or disability.

COE and TRIO Programs
The Council offers training and services to student support staff at more than 1,000 colleges, universities, and agencies to help low-income students enter college and graduate. Our members and their efforts make all the difference to hundreds of thousands of students participating in TRIO every single year.

TRIO PROGRAMS

TRIO programs provide academic tutoring, personal counseling, mentoring, financial guidance, and other supports necessary for educational access and retention. TRIO programs provide direct support services for students, and relevant training for directors and staff. Through our numerous membership services, the Council works in conjunction with colleges, universities, and agencies to help low-income students enter college and graduate. Nearly a million low-income students and students with disabilities each year receive college access and retention services through our member colleges and agencies.

What Are TRIO Programs?
Federal TRIO Programs (Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math/Science, Veterans’ Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Centers, and the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program) help students to overcome economic, social, academic, and cultural barriers to higher education.

Congress mandates that two-thirds of TRIO students must come from families with incomes no greater than 150% of federal poverty levels and in which neither parent graduated from college. More than 3,500 TRIO programs currently serve nearly 875,000 low-income students ranging from sixth-grade through adult education.

How It Works
More than 1,000 colleges, universities, and agencies now offer TRIO Programs in America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands. TRIO funds are distributed to institutions through competitive grants. Every five years, TRIO programs at institutions must reapply for a federal grant to continue. Although colleges and other institutions run TRIO programs, students can enroll in certain programs in elementary or high school.

Why Are TRIO Programs Important?
Giving a helping hand to low-income students is both the right thing to do and in our national self-interest. Too many promising, even brilliant students grow up in low-income surroundings with little family wealth to help smooth their paths. Helping them is a significant investment; the United States needs students of every background who are academically prepared and motivated to achieve success to remain competitive with other nations. But many challenges remain. And like it or not, family wealth makes all the difference. Lack of money is one reason why low-income students are being left behind. Once enrolled, low-income students earn bachelor’s degrees at a rate that is less than half of their high-income peers — 21% compared with 45%. America’s highest and lowest-income students may have similar talents and potential, but there is a wide gap between the groups in college attendance. Few low-income students achieve a college degree, no matter how talented they are. That is why TRIO is so essential. TRIO programs step in the gap for many individuals, but many more are not served as budget dollars are limited.

HOW COE SUPPORTS TRIO PROGRAMS
We work hard on Capitol Hill to expand the number of students served by TRIO and with the institutions and agencies sponsoring TRIO programs to ensure they’re as innovative and effective as possible.

The Council offers training and services to student support staff at more than 1,000 colleges, universities, and agencies to help low-income students enter college and graduate. Our members and their efforts make all the difference to hundreds of thousands of students every single year.

President Lyndon Baines Johnson never forgot his experience as a young man teaching impoverished children in a Texas elementary school. It may have been a motivation behind including the Upward Bound program in the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act, part of his War on Poverty. It was undoubtedly behind signing the 1965 Higher Education Act that included the Talent Search program. For the first time, the federal government would help low-income students reach for educational equity and enter college. In addition to these two programs, in 1968, Student Support Services was rolled out as part of the Higher Education Amendments. Together, the three programs became known as “TRIO” but grew to include four more student programs that followed over the next few decades: Veterans Upward Bound, Educational Opportunity Centers, the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Program, and Upward Bound Math/Science. In 1976 the federal government added, as part of TRIO, a Training Program for Federal TRIO programs for professional staff. In the 1970s, student support professionals who staffed these programs began to form associations to pool training and ideas on how best to serve the students.

More than four decades later, COE’s membership includes more than 1,000 colleges and agencies. The Council offers webinars, courses, and other services to its members, all in the cause of helping low-income students enter college and graduate. More than a million low-income students and students with disabilities receive college access and retention services through our member colleges and agencies.

COE has, from the beginning, advocated for more federal money for TRIO programs. COE staff, member colleges, and students themselves visit Capitol Hill every year to testify to the effectiveness of TRIO programs. They point out that the budget for TRIO covers less than 5 percent of eligible students and ask for increases to the TRIO budget. Progress has been slow but steady. Just as important, COE efforts and proven results from TRIO programs have inspired bipartisan support in Congress.

Through it all, COE has helped grow the federal budget for TRIO from less than $200 million in 1985 to $1.1 billion today, enough to cover more than 875,000 students. But COE won’t rest until there are places in these programs for all who need the help to attain educational equity.

TRIO SERVICES:
> assistance in choosing a college
> tutoring
> personal and financial counseling
> career counseling
> assistance in applying to college
> workplace and college visits
> special instruction in reading, writing, study skills, and mathematics
> assistance in applying for financial aid
> high school academic assistance
> assistance to reenter high school or college

Partner With Us
Through strategic collaborations, COE works to strengthen access to educational opportunity for all students. Together, We Can Help Ensure Equitable Educational Outcomes For All Students.

College access and success services, like the TRIO programs, are vital to ensure equitable educational outcomes for low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities. Through strategic partnerships focused on advancing education and career success, COE helps ensure all students receive the support they need and its partners achieve mutual goals.

Why Partner With COE?
Invest in a diverse talent pipeline. You want to ensure the modern workforce has a highly educated and diverse pool of talent. COE is committed to preparing students to make the most of their education by providing interview prep, essential skill development, and access to competitive internships.

Advance the holistic development of students. You want students to have the skills and opportunities to become well-rounded leaders. COE aims to provide opportunities for first-generation and low-income to develop as leaders, entrepreneurs, and global citizens.

Access our network of professionals who serve over 840K students. You want to have an impact on the professionals who work tirelessly to ensure students have equal access to higher education and the resources necessary for completion. COE connects professionals with the latest insights and evidence-based best practices for college access and success. Help ensure first-generation success!

Provide equitable educational opportunities. You want to support COE as we continue educating and advocating for the needs of first-generation, low-income, and students with disabilities. Support COE’s larger mission and initiatives so we can expand our services and impact by donating to our Educational Opportunity Campaign.

TRIO CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Helping To Reduce Income And Wealth Disparities Between First-Generation, Low-Income College Students And Their More Affluent Peers

The TRIO Career Development Program (TCDP) provides TRIO Student Support Services and TRIO McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program students with the skills and knowledge they need to land competitive jobs successfully.

Program Services:

* Targeted, intentional coaching from paid Career Development Mentors trained to deliver supportive accountability using goal-focused tools.
* Opportunities for supplemental skill development (virtual, self-paced) aimed at preparing students to compete for paid internships successfully, career acceleration programs (CAPs), and other employment opportunities.
* Career exploration, planning, strengths assessment.
* Connections to employers, TRIO alumni, and other professionals.
* COE endorsement of students who successfully meet TCDP benchmarks.

Become A COI Talent Sourcing Partner

COE invites all TRIO Student Support Services and TRIO McNair Scholar programs to become talent-sourcing partners for the TRIO Career Development Program. As a talent-sourcing partner, your students will be eligible to apply to participate in the Career Development Program and other COI-sponsored activities. For more information contact Tommy Walls, COE director of Alumni Affairs and Career Opportunities, at tommy.walls@coenet.org or (202) 347-7430, ext. 306.

Support Us
For over four decades, COE has defended educational equity for low-income and first-generation students, veterans, adult learners, and students with disabilities.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND COMMITMENT TO EDUCATIONAL EQUITY
Join us in empowering change and supporting these critical initiatives. Your donation, no matter the size, will have a profound impact on the lives of countless students, providing them with the tools and opportunities they need to thrive academically and beyond.

Support the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) by making a Personal Contribution!
When you donate, you support the mission and vision of COE and its efforts in providing professional development, research, advocacy, and student opportunities for low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., the Pacific Islands, and Puerto Rico.

** One-Time, and Ongoing Monthly Donations will be counted towards your regions 10 for 10 Campaign goals if your total donation equals $100 or more by June 30. **

** Your donation is tax-deductible. A tax letter will be sent to individuals who donate $250 or more. **

** COE is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization under the Internal Revenue Code. **

Questions? Contact Vanessa Ramirez, Director of Membership Services at vanessa.ramirez@coenet.org

CONTACT COE:

The Council for Opportunity in Education is located at: 1025 Vermont Avenue N.W., Suite 400; Washington, D.C. 20005-3516.

Tele: (202) 347-7430
Fax: (202) 347-0786

For questions about membership, please contact Vanessa Ramirez at (202) 347-7430 or e-mail (vanessa.ramirez@coenet.org).

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TALENT SEARCH

Talent Search projects serve young people in grades six through 12. In addition to counseling, participants receive information about college admissions requirements, scholarships, and various student financial aid programs. This early intervention program helps youth from low-income families to better understand their educational opportunities and options. More than 312,000 students are enrolled in 473 Talent Search TRIO projects. According to the more recent data collected by the U.S. Department of Education, 80% of Talent Search participants enrolled in postsecondary institutions immediately following high school graduation.

UPWARD BOUND

Upward Bound (UB) is an intensive intervention program that prepares students for higher education through various enrichment courses. Campus-based UB programs provide students instruction in literature, composition, mathematics, science, and foreign language during the school year and the summer. UB also offers intensive mentoring and support for students as they prepare for college entrance exams and tackle admission applications, financial aid, and scholarship forms. 956 Upward Bound projects are serving more than 70,000 students. Recent analysis from the U.S. Department of Education showed that 86 percent of Upward Bound students in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort enrolled immediately in college following high school graduation.

UPWARD BOUND MATH-SCIENCE

Using a similar model to Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math-Science provides students with a rigorous math and science curriculum in high school to encourage and enable them to successfully major in critically important science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines in college. Currently, there are 211 projects serving more than 13,100 students. Indeed, 70% of Upward Bound Math-Science programs have postsecondary enrollments of 80% or higher.

VETERANS UPWARD BOUND

The Veterans Upward Bound program provides intensive basic skills development and short-term remedial courses for military veterans to help them successfully transition to postsecondary education. Veterans learn to secure support from available resources such as the Veterans Administration, veterans associations, and various state and local agencies that serve veterans. There are 64 Veterans Upward Bound projects serving more than 8,400 students. According to the National Association of Veterans Upward Bound Program Personnel, in 2010-2011, more than 60% of recent program participants were enrolled in postsecondary education programs.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Student Support Services projects work to enable low-income students to stay in college until they earn their baccalaureate degrees. Participants, who include disabled college students, receive tutoring, counseling, and remedial instruction. More than 202,000 students are now being served by 1,069 Student Support Service programs at colleges and universities nationwide. Recent studies of Student Support Services found that program participation resulted in statistically significant higher student retention and transfer rates, improved grade point averages, and credit accumulation. Program participants also bested their similarly situated peers in degree completion at two-year colleges (41% vs. 28%) and four-year colleges (48% vs. 40%).

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTERS

Educational Opportunity Centers serve displaced or underemployed workers from families. These Centers help individuals choose a college and a suitable financial aid program. There are 142 Educational Opportunity Centers in America, serving more than 199,000 individuals. A recent analysis of performance data of the Educational Opportunity Centers found that more than half (57.6%) of “college-ready” students enrolled in institutions of higher learning and 71% of eligible EOC participants (high school seniors, postsecondary dropouts) applied to college.

Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program

Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program The Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement program encourages low-income students and minority undergraduates to consider careers in college teaching and prepare for doctoral study. Students who participate in this program are provided with research opportunities and faculty mentors. This program was named in honor of the astronaut who died in the 1986 space-shuttle explosion. Currently, there are 187 projects serving more than 5,200 students. According to recent performance data, in 2013-14, 69% of McNair participants who graduated in 2010-11 were enrolled in graduate school; meanwhile, 83% of students who first enrolled in graduate school in 2012-2013 persisted in their studies.

Career Opportunities Initiative

Work-based learning experiences can have a powerful impact on student’s career outcomes. Specific practices have been proven to help students get the education and training they need to secure a good job and lead a fulfilling life, including guidance and coaching, career skill building, exploration and immersion, connections to employment, and financial and other resources that help make education affordable.

Professional Development

Learn more about COE’s customized technical assistance, in-person and virtual seminars, online courses, webinars, communities of practice, proposal writing workshops, COE’s annual conference, and other idea exchanges.

Student Opportunities

COE sponsors a range of student opportunities, from a national book club and the annual National Student Leadership Congress for pre-college TRIO students to Washington, D.C. internships and short-term Keith Sherin Global Leaders study abroad for TRIO college students.

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