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Abstract
The following case study documents the historically tenuous working relationship between two Higher Education Act (HEA) Title IV “access” programs, GEAR UP and TRIO, with recommendations for how to reconcile the conflict.
TRIO and GEAR UP are educational access programs that work to increase post secondary educational options for low-income students. They are both well-respected programs administered through the United States Department of Education. However, despite the fact that TRIO and GEAR UP have very similar origins, goals and philosophies, tensions between the two programs have always run high.
Particularly at odds are the two lobbying/support groups that support TRIO and GEAR UP, which are the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) and the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP), respectively. The conflict between these two groups can be traced back to the inception of the GEAR UP program in 1998. Unfortunately, during the last 6 years, the conflict between the groups has steadily taken center stage, overshadowing the tremendous work that TRIO and GEAR UP are doing to support educationally disadvantaged students as they seek access to a postsecondary education.
Unfortunately, this puts both GEAR UP and TRIO at risk, especially as the programs politically position themselves for the next Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. This is especially crucial for the upcoming Reauthorization, because educational experts already predict that access and opportunity, the foundations of the HEA in decades past, are being threatened by changing federal policy trends, conflicting national priorities and budget shortfalls.
As an advocate of both GEAR UP and TRIO, this dissertation was designed to assist both NCCEP and COE in solving this educational problem. Using an action research methodology and the exploration of six themes, this case study reveals the causes that have led to the discourse between the GEAR UP and TRIO programs. It also includes an action plan outlining ways in which the GEAR UP and TRIO programs can work together to serve educationally disadvantaged students while solidifying their roles as advocates for access and opportunity, the philosophies on which both programs are based.
