WASHINGTON, DC (April 2, 2026) - The concerns raised by the Council for Opportunity in Education regarding the proposed changes to TRIO’s Talent Search program reflect a critical moment for the future of college access in the United States—particularly for first-generation and low-income students.

Talent Search was created in 1965 as part of the Higher Education Act (HEA 1965) with the purpose of growing pre-college access programs. As reported by the U.S. Department of Education, Talent Search serves 350,000 first-generation and low-income students annually. Further, Talent Search has demonstrated college entrance rates (80 percent) that nearly double the national average (45-50 percent). These proposed changes risk significantly reducing access to college preparation supports and destabilizing programs that have long served as a gateway to higher education.

These concerns are compounded by the U.S. Department of Education’s FY 2026 TRIO Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) grant application. As highlighted by the Council for Opportunity in Education, the proposal would cut EOC grantees from 160 to 55—a more than 65% reduction—while shifting focus toward workforce pathways. Together, the changes to Talent Search and EOC signal a broader shift that risks narrowing TRIO’s core mission of expanding access to higher education for historically underrepresented students. Reducing program reach while redefining services limits—not expands—opportunity, particularly for first-generation students, who make up over half of all college-going students, navigating complex systems.

FirstGen Forward strongly believes that expanding—not limiting—early exposure to postsecondary pathways is essential. Providing first-generation students with opportunities to explore their academic and career interests early is a key driver of postsecondary success. Talent Search is reaching hundreds of thousands of students each year, demonstrating the scale and importance of this work.

This is especially urgent now, because projections indicate that, by 2031, 72% of jobs in the U.S. will require some form of postsecondary credential. The After Everything Lumina report further quantifies this demand, projecting an average of 18.5 million job openings between now and 2031. Approximately 12.5 million of these roles will require some form of postsecondary education, ranging from certificates and associate degrees to bachelor’s and graduate credentials. These data make clear that access to, persistence in, and completion of postsecondary education are not just individual aspirations—they are national economic imperatives. Protecting and strengthening the connection between education and the future workforce must remain a national priority.

At the same time, that connection must be approached thoughtfully. Workforce needs differ significantly by state and region, and institutions—including colleges, universities, and career and technical education providers—have varying capacities to deliver career-readiness experiences. Ensuring that all students, particularly those who are first-generation, have meaningful access to both college pathways and career exploration opportunities is essential. If we lose sight of higher education’s role, we miss something fundamental—higher education is not just a pathway to existing jobs, it’s where entirely new fields and careers are created. And critically, it’s where learners are centered, developing the capacity to explore, adapt, and ultimately succeed in a rapidly changing workforce.

The earlier this exposure begins, the stronger the long-term outcomes for students and communities alike.

FirstGen Forward remains committed to supporting institutions in becoming more student-ready through a first-generation lens—ensuring that systems, policies, and practices are designed to meet students where they are and expand, rather than limit, their options.

We remain aligned with the important work of the Council for Opportunity in Education and our TRIO colleagues and share in the urgency of safeguarding programs that have long served as a gateway to higher education. At a time when access should be expanding, it is essential that federal policy continues to uphold and strengthen the pathways that enable first-generation students to thrive.

FirstGen Forward and the Council for Opportunity in Education have maintained a strong partnership since 2017, particularly through co-creating the First-Generation College Celebration and First-Generation College Celebration Grant Opportunity.

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ABOUT FIRSTGEN FORWARD
FirstGen Forward is the center for first-generation student success– your premier source for evidence-based approaches, data-informed strategies, professional development, and research. Together, we are building community and belonging through the FirstGen Forward Network, knowledge creation and evidence-based practices, and thought leadership and advocacy, transforming higher education and the student success landscape guided by a first-gen lens.

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¹U.S. Department of Education. (2025). Federal TRIO Programs: Talent Search Program—FY 2025–26 awards (PDF). https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-higher-education/federal-trio-programs/talent-search-program#awards

²Cahalan, Margaret W., Brunt, Nicole, Vaughan III, Terry, Montenegro, Erick, Breen, Stephanie, Ruffin, Esosa, & Perna, Laura W. (2024). Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States 2024: 50-Year Historical Trend Report. Washington, DC: The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education, Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) and Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy of the University of Pennsylvania (Penn AHEAD).

³RTI International. (2023). First-generation College Students in 2020: Demographic Characteristics and Postsecondary Enrollment. Washington, DC: FirstGen Forward.

⁴Carnevale, A.P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M.C.(2023). After Everything: Projections of Jobs, Education, and Training Requirements through 2031: https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031