Real change for youth programs

By Katherine Whitsitt

In today's America, “change” seems to be the word of choice. It represents some of the most transformative events in recent history all across our nation. President Barack Obama - who many credit with bringing new meaning to the word - and his successful bid to the White House has demonstrated the power of this six-letter word.

However, the spirit of change seems to be missing in the halls of Congress and in Des Moines.

Policymakers are missing the mark when it comes to balancing priorities that are critical to the postsecondary success of our nation's youth. This is particularly true for disadvantaged youth, especially those who come from low-income backgrounds.

Rather than finding opportunities to best leverage federal funding, lawmakers are choosing to overlook the distinctive needs of these students who already have to overcome class, social, academic and cultural barriers.

For example, Congress's generous $17 billion commitment to the Pell Grant Program in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act is commendable. This act is a significant investment in federal grant aid. Yet it neglects to reinvest in crucial educational support programs such as TRIO and GEAR UP that are proven to provide low-income, first-generation, and/or disabled

students with the academic and social support they need to access and succeed in higher education.

For the last 45 years, the federal government has played a unique role in furthering higher education opportunities through targeted legislation such as the Higher Education Act of 1965, in which the Pell Grant and TRIO programs were created.

Despite having established this goal, policymakers nearly 45 years later are failing to see the big picture when it comes to low-income and first-generation students. They continue to make decisions that limit the vital, necessary resources needed to help these students make it through college and break generational cycles.

This is exactly what TRIO and GEAR UP are designed to do. Therefore, they need significant financial increases in order to ensure successful postsecondary readiness and completion.

Sadly, the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which our own Sen. Tom Harkin is a senior member, recently voted to level-fund TRIO and GEAR UP at $848.1 million and $313.2 million, respectively. This is unacceptable because these programs have not seen a substantial increase since FY 2002. Between FY 2005 and FY 2009, TRIO lost $77.7 million in funding and 34,396 students nationally. This amounts to a 4 percent loss overall of existing students and programs. Nearly 25,000 current TRIO students will lose access to services this year without additional funds from Congress.

In Iowa, there are 53 TRIO programs, serving 16,250 students from middle school through doctoral programs. The high school graduation rate for students participating in an Iowa TRIO program is 98 percent, compared to a national average of 83 percent.

Iowa TRIO is making a significant difference, as are TRIO programs across the country, in raising the rate of high school completion, postsecondary enrollment and successful completion of postsecondary education for these students.

If President Obama is to reach his goal to produce the most college graduates in the world by 2020, Congress must start investing more in the necessary support services for students, including those provided by TRIO and GEAR UP, not simply the aid necessary for them to gain access.

Katherine Whitsitt is director of the TRIO Upward Bound Program at Northeast Iowa Community College-Calmar campus.