S.1803: Educational Opportunity and Success Act of 2019

Educational Opportunity and Success Act (S.1803) would reauthorize funds for the TRIO Programs through 2025.

Establish more reasonable guidelines for notice of pending grant competitions by requiring to require the Department of Education to increase its notification period from 45 days to 90 days to help ensure that all prospective TRIO grant applicants have an adequate opportunity to submit a successful application.

Remove administrative burdens to ease and update the application process by directing that applications denied in error be funded directly out of funds reserved for administrative purposes.

Institute common-sense guidelines for TRIO applications by making permanent a new policy that was implemented after the Department of Education attempted to reject dozens of TRIO applications for arbitrary, non-substantive formatting criteria, such as font size and line spacing, in 2017. It would also institute a straightforward appeals process for minor errors.

Ease administrative burdens in determining income eligibility allowing TRIO administrators to work with colleges’ financial aid offices to more easily identify potential participants by virtue of their Pell-eligibility. Meanwhile, in middle and high schools, TRIO’s Talent Search and Educational Opportunity Centers programs would have the ability to serve all students at schools where more than 40 percent of attendees receive free or reduced-price lunch.

Update TRIO eligibility criteria to reflect the most recent FAFSA requirements by ensuring that TRIO administrators do not have to consult multiple sources of data, but rather may use students’ most recently completed FAFSA to determine program eligibility.

Require virtual training to reach more applicants. The bill would require at least one virtual, interactive training for interested applicants, better ensuring that all areas of the country have the chance to access the TRIO programs.

H.R. 3800 is the companion legislation introduced in the House.