Connect, Discuss, and Learn with COE – College Programs
Federal shift hands expanded TRIO oversight to the Department of Labor in late 2025, risking disruptions to support for hundreds of thousands of low-income college students.
Key takeaways
- •In November 2025, the U.S. Department of Education initiated partnerships transferring key administrative roles for TRIO programs to the Department of Labor while retaining oversight, aiming to better link education to workforce demands.
- •This change follows funding uncertainties including delayed 2025-2026 grant notifications and advocacy for sustained $1.2 billion FY 2026 levels, directly affecting program stability and student services.
- •The move creates tensions between TRIO's traditional focus on academic success for disadvantaged students and DOL's workforce-oriented priorities, with unclear compliance and adaptation timelines potentially impacting retention and equity outcomes.
TRIO Under Transition
TRIO programs, authorized by the Higher Education Act, provide essential support services to low-income, first-generation, and disabled college students through initiatives like Student Support Services. These efforts help participants persist and graduate, addressing persistent equity gaps in postsecondary completion.
Late 2025 brought a significant development: the Department of Education announced interagency agreements, including a Postsecondary Education Partnership with the Department of Labor. This shifts expanded administrative responsibilities for TRIO and select Higher Education Act programs to DOL, though ED maintains overall oversight. The stated goal is breaking bureaucratic silos to strengthen workforce alignment.
The timing amplifies stakes. TRIO funding hovered around $1.2 billion in recent proposals for FY 2026, yet programs encountered grant award notification delays and partial cancellations earlier in 2025 cycles. Institutions rely on consistent resources for advising, tutoring, and mentoring; administrative upheaval could slow disbursements or force mid-year adjustments.
Less visible are potential misalignments. TRIO emphasizes comprehensive student development and degree attainment, while DOL's lens prioritizes job placement and skills training. This could subtly redirect resources or metrics, challenging programs to balance both without diluting core missions. Advocacy continues for funding stability and clarity on new operational rules.
For the roughly 800,000 annual TRIO participants, mostly from underrepresented backgrounds, continuity matters acutely. Service interruptions risk higher dropout rates in an era when college completion already lags for these groups.
Sources
- https://access.coenet.org/COE/Event_display.aspx?EventKey=CDL022326
- https://coenet.org/news-impact/blog/ed-announces-major-interagency-shift-department-of-labor-to-assume-expanded-role-over-trio-programs
- https://coenet.org/conferences-events/connect-discuss-and-learn-with-coe-college-programs-5
- https://council.org/
- https://coenet.org/news-impact/advocacy-update/coe-president-presses-education-secretary-mcmahon-on-2025-2026-gans-and-grant-cancellations/