HEOA Implications on Talent Search Texas Association of Student Special Services Programs 36 th Annual Conference March 8 – 11, 2009

Presenter Elizabeth C. Retamozo, Executive Director NOSOTROS Education Center Phone:

Presentation Materials PowerPoint Slide Handouts Additional Documents & Materials located at: –Go to Resources Page –Register Your Address –Click the Presentations & Links Tab –Click TASSSP 2009 HEOA Implications on TS Session 3

Higher Education Opportunity Act Reauthorizes the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 as amended Provisions of the HEOA were effective upon enactment, August 14, 2008, unless otherwise noted in the law. Introduces a number of provisions designed to:  Strengthen TRIO Services  Ensure Greater Opportunities for LI & FG students to Excel Academically  Achieve Greater Access to Higher Education. 4

Negotiated Rulemaking Process As required by HEA, DE will issue regulations for programs affected by the HEOA through the negotiated rulemaking process DE will assemble 5 committees including Team IV – Discretionary Grants: TRIO, GEAR UP, & special ed programs for migrant students. Committee will address branch campuses & different populations, PE points, new appeals process for TRIO, funding rules, partnership guidelines, & allowable activities for GEAR UP. 5

Negotiated Rulemaking Process DE published a notice in the FR on 12/31/08 announcing plan to establish negotiated rulemaking committees to write new regulations to implement HEOA. Nominations for negotiators (students, public & private institutions of higher education, state higher education officials, & organizations representing the interest of students) were due on 01/23/09. DE expects meetings in DC to begin in Feb with goal of publishing final regulations by 11/01/09 & impacting grant competitions in FY

Immediate HEOA Impact on TRIO Moves Prior Experience from being regulatory (i.e., defined by ED) to legislative (i.e., defined by Congress). Extends all grant terms to five years. Increases minimum program grant to $200,000 Removes the “in exceptional circumstances” limitation on grant applications from secondary schools. Creates an appeals process for TRIO applicants involving a re-reading by a second peer review panel. 7

Immediate HEOA Impact on TRIO Instructs the Secretary to “rigorously evaluate the effectiveness” of TRIO programs (including Upward Bound), but mandates that in doing so the Secretary shall not (A) require programs to recruit more students than normal or (B) deny services to eligible students. Additionally, in designing an evaluation, the Secretary must consider (A) the burden placed on program participants and institutions and; (B) whether the evaluation meets the standards of institutional review boards. 8

Immediate HEOA Impact on TRIO Allows grantees to target “students who are limited English proficient, students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education, students with disabilities, students who are homeless children and youths, students who are in foster care or aging out of the foster care system, or other disconnected students.” 9

HEOA Impact on TS For competitions for grants under this chapter that begin on or after January 1, 2009: 1)Created legislation that has modified the purpose of the program to include College Completion; 2)Created an expanded definition of Prior Experience; 10

HEOA Impact on TS 3)Created Required Services section that specifies the types of information and assistance that Talent Search projects must provide for students and; 4)Enhanced the Permissible Services section to include a broader range of project formats and participants. 11

Broader Range of Program Offerings New Required Services section expands the types of services to be offered by TS to include:  Targeted info on federal student aid programs, including Pell Grants and loan forgiveness  Assistance with secondary school reentry, alternative ed programs, general ed development (GED) program  Information about financial literacy & financial planning for higher ed for students & their families 12

More Intensive Services Requires the enhancement of current counseling services to:  Encourage continued secondary school enrollment  Prepare students for more rigorous coursework & ultimately college completion. 13

More Emphasis on Student Outcomes Prior experience will now evaluate TS projects on the extent to which they provide: “High Quality Services” as manifested, in part, by how projects fare in preparing students to complete Rigorous Secondary School Curricula that make them eligible for programs such as the Academic Competitiveness Grant Program. 14

More Emphasis on Student Outcomes Prior experience will now evaluate TS projects on the extent to which they:  Report the rates at which their students graduate from high school on time  Enroll in & graduate from postsecondary education programs. 15

Expected Changes? Increase the intensity and, quite likely, the frequency of counseling sessions for each participant. Reduction in minimum # of participants from 600 in order to allow TS projects to provide more targeted services. Alter the APR completed by TS projects to reflect the altered prior experience criteria. 16

HEOA Impact on TS Comparison of Old & New Language Governing TS 17

Questions & Answers 18