TRIO on Trump’s chopping block

A Southwestern Community College program assisting students in eight local schools is teetering on the edge of extinction, a cut that would result in the loss of seven full-time positions.

TRIO, an educational program that officially began almost 60 years ago, is on a list of recommendations by President Donald Trump to be cut in fiscal year 2026.

In a letter sent Friday to the Committee on Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought referred to the educational programs on the list as “spending contrary to the needs of ordinary working Americans” and “tilted toward funding institutions of higher education committed to radical gender and climate ideologies antithetical to the American way of life.”

In specific reference to TRIO, the report referred to the program as “a relic of the past,” saying access to college is no longer an obstacle for students of limited means.

“A renewed focus on academics and scholastic accomplishment by institutions of higher education, rather than engaging in woke ideology with federal taxpayer subsidies, would be a welcome change for students and the future of the nation,” the report states.

Another program, Gear Up, is listed with TRIO on the report. Together, the programs received nearly $1.6 billion in fiscal year 2024, all of which would be cut under Trump’s recommendation.

What is TRIO?

Simply put, TRIO is an educational opportunity for first-generation, low-income and disabled Americans.

The title, TRIO, refers to the three original programs that were merged in 1968: Upward Bound, Student Support Services and Talent Search. While the federal program now has eight total options, SWCC offers two of the original three — Student Support Services and Talent Search.

Southwestern’s program supports students in Creston, East Union, Lenox, Orient-Macksburg, Southwest Valley, Murray, Clarke and Bedford. The SSS program employs three — a director, office manager and advisor/tutor specialist. Talent Services employs four — a director, office manager and two outreach advisors.

“The TRIO-Student Support Services program at Southwestern Community College enhances the institution’s commitment to first-generation, low-income students and students with disabilities by encouraging students to strive toward their academic and personal goals. SSS provides support services designed to increase retention, graduation and transfer rates,” SWCC’s SSS mission statement says.

Each year, the 100% federally-funded local program serves 180 participants. The U.S. Department of Education provides $325,051 in funding.

To be eligible for the program, students must be either a first-generation college student, a low income individual or a student with a documented disability. SSS provides tutoring, academic/career advising, academic skills workshops, transfer assistance, scholarship/grand assistance and cultural/social activities.

SWCC’s Talent Search is funded by an annual $425,783 grant by the Department of Education. It provides 800 eligible junior high students, high school students and adults with services to help them enroll in and graduate from an institute of higher learning.

“Our focus is to encourage and assist students to reach their academic and personal goals by helping them stay in school, enroll in a post-secondary school of their choice or help them complete the high school equivalency diploma,” SWCC’s website states.

TRIO Impact

According to Department of Education reports, TRIO participants rank higher than the national average in enrolling in college and earning a college degree.

In 2024, 62% of students nationally and 61% of Iowa students enrolled in college. When looking at only TRIO Talent Search participants nationally, 96% enrolled in college.

Nationally 62% earned their college degree while 47% of Iowans did. In contrast, 74% of TRIO students earned theirs.

Though the Trump administration stated “access to college is not the obstacle it was for students of limited means,” a Pell Institute survey shows only 15% of students in the bottom 25% of income graduate college by 24. On the other hand, 62% of those from the top quartile of income will graduate by the same age — four times more students.

Pushback

In a push to keep the program alive, more than 800 students from all eight schools served by TRIO wrote handwritten letters to Iowa’s Representative Zach Nunn, sharing what TRIO means to them and how it’s shaping their future.

“These amazing notes — full of dreams, gratitude and determination — are on their way to Rep. Nunn, reminding him just how powerful TRIO programs are. Let’s keep the momentum going and show why TRIO deserves every bit of support," a post Monday states on the TRIO Talent Search at SWCC Facebook page.

Dozens of reasons were given in support of TRIO. “I love TRIO because of the opportunities, activities and candy,” a young student wrote.

An older student wrote, “Dear Congressman Nunn, please do not take away our funds. We need TRIO to have a career.”

One TRIO student said, “TRIO has helped me so much with the questions I have about what classes I should be taking, if there are any SWCC classes I should take to progress in my education.”

On Wednesday from 4-5 p.m., the Council of Opportunity in Education is convening a virtual Government Relations Town Hall for the entire TRIO community.

“We encourage you to make participation a top priority,” COE states. “As many of you know, on Friday, May 2, the President released his Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal, and the news is serious. The proposal calls for the complete elimination of TRIO and GEAR UP as part of its overall plan to reduce federal spending by $163 billion or 22.6%. We’ve long understood that a direct attack on TRIO could come. That moment is no longer hypothetical — it is here.”

Registration can be completed on the Council for Opportunity in Education website under Conferences & Events.

Now that OMB has submitted the budget proposal, proposed funding is divided among 12 subcommittees for hearings and review.

From there, the House and Senate create their own budget resolutions which much be negotiated and merged. After both groups pass a single version of each funding bill, it goes to the president to sign or veto.

Congress is expected to pass all appropriations bills by the end of the fiscal year (Sept. 30), but this often does not happen in time.