About COE
The Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) represents more than 1,000 colleges, universities, community colleges and agencies that offer federally-funded TRIO programs to expand college opportunity for low-income, first-generation and disabled students.
Founded in 1981, the non-profit COE provides a voice for low-income, first-generation and disabled students in the United States, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands. COE specializes in vital research, program improvement and advocacy for the TRIO community and its nearly 1 million students, two-thirds of whom live at or below 150% of the poverty level ..
TRIO is a pipeline of federal programs that encourage students of all ages to aspire to, attend and complete college. TRIO serves pre-college students, college students, veterans and returning adult students, supplying the mentoring, academic support and college admissions and financial aid information needed to obtain a college education.
COE promotes college access through :
- Conferences, seminars, workshops, publications, distance education programs and a website all designed to enhance and improve the delivery of educational services to TRIO students and families;
- An aggressive advocacy program providing clear, consistent and compelling arguments. For more than two decades COE has been an effective and highly-credible advocate for the needs of low-income first-generation and disabled students.
- The Pell Institute, COE’s research arm, which examines issues of college access and poverty, identifying, evaluating and encouraging strategies that expand opportunity;
COE and its government, non-profit, corporate and foundation partners:
- Sponsor international programs and exchanges to give low-income, first-generation and disabled students the full range of higher educational experiences;
- Are working to improve mathematics, science and technology preparation of TRIO students (with the General Electric Foundation and ASPIRA);
- Are working to support the families of TRIO students to encourage educational aspirations(with the St. Paul Travelers Foundation);
- Are increasing involvement of TRIO alumni with current students;
- Are developing specialized higher ed services for students in the foster care system, for students from immigrant families and for adults seeking to advance in the workforce.
TRIO works:
- An estimated two million TRIO students have graduated from college.
- Nearly one-third of all low-income high school graduates who enroll in college are served by a TRIO program.
- TRIO’s Student Support Services program participants (college students) have a 22% greater chance of entering their third year of college than similar students who do not have the benefit of TRIO.
- More than 90 percent of Upward Bound students who graduate from high school immediately enroll in college.
1/11/2006