Department of Education

HIGHER EDUCATION

Fiscal Year 2021 Request

CONTENTS

Appropriations Language ........................................................................................... S-1

Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes.......................................................... S-3

Appropriation, Adjustments, and Transfers ................................................................ S-6

Summary of Changes ................................................................................................ S-7

Authorizing Legislation............................................................................................. S-12

Appropriations History.............................................................................................. S-18

Significant Items in FY 2020 Appropriations Reports................................................ S-19

Summary of Request ............................................................................................... S-22

Activities:

Aid for institutional development .......................................................................... S-25

Aid for Hispanic-serving institutions ..................................................................... S-56

Consolidated Minority-Serving Institutions Grant ................................................. S-66

Other aid for institutions:

International education and foreign language studies: 

Domestic programs........................................................................................ S-70

Overseas programs ....................................................................................... S-82

Model transition programs for students with intellectual disabilities into higher 

education ......................................................................................................... S-87

Tribally controlled postsecondary career and technical institutions ................... S-91

Assistance for students:

Federal TRIO programs.................................................................................... S-97

Gaining early awareness and readiness for undergraduate programs ............ S-109

Graduate assistance in areas of national need ............................................... S-116

Child care access means parents in school .................................................... S-121

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education..................................... S-126

Teacher quality partnership ............................................................................... S-130

S-1 

Appropriation s L angu age HIGHER EDUCATION

For carrying out, to the extent not otherwise provided, titles [II, ]1 III, IV, V, [VI,]2 and VII[,

and VIII]

3 of the HEA, [the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961,]4 and 

section 117 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, 

[$2,475,792,000, of which $24,500,000 shall remain available through December 31, 

2020:

5

 Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds made available in 

this Act to carry out title VI of the HEA and section 102(b)(6) of the Mutual Educational and 

Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 may be used to support visits and study in foreign countries 

by individuals who are participating in advanced foreign language training and international 

studies in areas that are vital to United States national security and who plan to apply their 

language skills and knowledge of these countries in the fields of government, the 

professions, or international development:6

 Provided further, That of the funds referred to 

in the preceding proviso up to 1 percent may be used for program evaluation, national 

outreach, and information dissemination activities:7

 Provided further, That up to 1.5 percent 

of the funds made available under chapter 2 of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the HEA 

may be used for evaluation]8

$1,788,634,000. (Department of Education Appropriations 

Act, 2020.)

TITLE III GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 304. (a) An institution of higher education that maintains an endowment fund 

supported with funds appropriated for title III or V of the HEA for fiscal year [2020]2021 may 

use the income from that fund to award scholarships to students, subject to the limitation in 

section 331(c)(3)(B)(i) of the HEA. The use of such income for such purposes, prior to the 

enactment of this Act, shall be considered to have been an allowable use of that income, 

subject to that limitation.9
S-2 

(b) Subsection (a) shall be in effect until titles III and V of the HEA are reauthorized.10 

SEC. 307. Section 402H(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–

18(b)) is amended — 

(a) in paragraph (2) — 

(1) by striking "shall" and inserting "may" in the material before clause (i) in

subparagraph (A); and

(2) by inserting "the rigorous evaluation of the programs authorized by this

chapter, which may also include" after "primary purpose" in subparagraph (B);

and

(b) by striking paragraph (3) in its entirety and redesignating paragraph (4) as

paragraph (3).11

NOTE

Each language provision that is followed by a footnote reference is explained in the Analysis of Language 

Provisions and Changes document, which follows the appropriations language.
HIGHER EDUCATION

S-3 

Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes

Language Provision Explanation

1 ...[II,] This citation is deleted because no funds are 

requested for Teacher Quality Partnership in 

fiscal year 2021. 

2...[VI,] This citation is deleted because no funds are 

requested for the Title VI International 

Education and Foreign Language Studies

(IEFLS): Domestic Programs in fiscal year 

2021.

3...[, and VIII] This citation is deleted because no funds are 

requested for Centers of Excellence for 

Veterans Student Success in fiscal year 

2021.

4 [the Mutual Educational and Cultural 

Exchange Act of 1961,]

This citation is deleted because no funds are 

requested for the International Education and 

Foreign Language Studies (IEFLS): 

Overseas Programs in fiscal year 2021.

5 [... of which $24,500,000 shall remain 

available through December 31, 2020...]:

This language gives the Department an 

additional 3 months beyond the end of fiscal 

year 2020 to obligate these funds for the 

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary 

Education (FIPSE). It is deleted because no 

funds are requested for FIPSE in fiscal year 

2021.
HIGHER EDUCATION

S-4 

Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes

Language Provision Explanation

6 [...Provided further, That notwithstanding 

any other provision of law, funds made 

available in this Act to carry out title VI of the 

HEA and section 102(b)(6) of the Mutual 

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 

1961 may be used to support visits and study 

in foreign countries by individuals who are 

participating in advanced foreign language 

training and international studies in areas that 

are vital to United States national security 

and who plan to apply their language skills 

and knowledge of these countries in the fields 

of government, the professions, or 

international development:...]

This language permits International 

Education and Foreign Language Studies 

(IEFLS) program grantees to use funds for 

visits and study in foreign countries by 

individuals (in addition to teachers and 

prospective teachers) who plan to apply their 

language skills and knowledge in world areas 

that are vital to United States national 

security in the fields of government, the 

professions, or international development. 

This citation is deleted because no funds are 

requested for the IEFLS programs in fiscal 

year 2021. 

7 [...Provided further, That of the funds 

referred to in the preceding proviso up to 1 

percent may be used for program evaluation, 

national outreach, and information 

dissemination activities:...] 

This language authorizes the use of up to 1 

percent of the amounts appropriated for the 

IEFLS programs for evaluation, national 

outreach, and information dissemination 

activities. This citation is deleted because no 

funds are requested for these programs in 

fiscal year 2021.

8 [...Provided further, That up to 1.5 percent 

of the funds made available under chapter 2 

of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the HEA 

may be used for evaluation:...]

This language permits the Department to use 

up to 1.5 percent of the funds appropriated 

for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness 

for Undergraduate Programs for evaluation. 

This citation is deleted because no funds are 

requested for GEAR UP in fiscal year 2021. 
HIGHER EDUCATION

S-5 

Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes

Language Provision Explanation

TITILE III GENERAL PROVISIONS

9 SEC. 304. (a) An institution of higher 

education that maintains an endowment fund 

supported with funds appropriated for title III 

or V of the HEA for fiscal year [2020]2021 

may use the income from that fund to award 

scholarships to students, subject to the 

limitation in section 331(c)(3)(B)(i) of the 

HEA. The use of such income for such

purposes, prior to the enactment of this Act, 

shall be considered to have been an 

allowable use of that income, subject to that 

limitation.

This language permits institutions of higher 

education supported by funds authorized by 

title III or V of the HEA to use the income 

from their endowment funds to award 

scholarships to students.

10 (b) Subsection (a) shall be in effect until 

titles III and V of the HEA are reauthorized.

This language recognizes that the preceding 

proviso shall remain in effect until the HEA is 

reauthorized.

11 SEC. 307. Section 402H(b) of the Higher 

Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–

18(b)) is amended — 

(a) in paragraph (2) — 

(1) by striking "shall" and inserting "may" in 

the material before clause (i) in

subparagraph (A); and

(2) by inserting "the rigorous evaluation of the 

programs authorized by this

chapter, which may also include" after 

"primary purpose" in subparagraph (B); and

(b) by striking paragraph (3) in its entirety and 

redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3).

This language would restore the 

Department’s ability to conduct impact 

evaluations to assess overall program 

effectiveness of the Federal TRIO Programs 

using the most rigorous methodological 

approaches.
HIGHER EDUCATION

S-6 

Appropriation, Adjustments, and Transfers

(dollars in thousands)

Appropriation/Adjustments/Transfers 2019 2020 2021

Discretionary:

Disc apprAppropriation............................................... $2,312,356 $2,475,792 $1,788,634

Mandatory: 

Mand apprAppropriation.............................................. 255,000 255,000 255,000

Mand apprSequester (P.L. 112-25)........................... -15,810 -15,045 0

Total, adjusted mandatory appropriation... 239,190 239,955 255,000

Total, adjusted discretionary and 

mandatory appropriation........................ 2,551,546 2,715,747 2,043,634
HIGHER EDUCATION

S-7 

Summary of Changes

(dollars in thousands)

2020 Discretionary.......................................................... $2,475,792

2020 Mandatory.............................................................. 239,955

2021 Discretionary.......................................................... 1,788,634

2021 Mandatory.............................................................. 255,000 

Net change ............................................................... -672,113

Discretionary: 

2020 base

Change

from base

Increases:

Program:

Discretionary: Increase funding for the Minority Science and Engineering 

Improvement Program to enhance and expand the 

program for HBCUs and minority serving institutions 

located in Opportunity Zones. $12,635 $137,365

Provide funding for a proposed Consolidated MinorityServing Institution (MSI) Grant to merge six existing HEA 

Title III and V programs that have similar purposes and

activities into a single new authority that would continue to 

provide funding for programs that specifically serve large 

numbers of minority students. 0 196,324

Subtotal, discretionary increases +333,689

Decreases:

Program:

Discretionary: Decrease funding for individual HEA Title III and V 

program authorities because funding is requested under 

new MSI Consolidated Grant proposal.

• Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiianserving Institutions 18,320 -18,320

• Strengthening Predominantly Black Institutions 13,197 -13,197

• Strengthening Asian American and Native 

American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions 4,444 -4,444

• Strengthening Native American-serving Nontribal

Institutions 4,444 -4,444

• Developing Hispanic-serving Institutions 143,081 -143,081

• Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for 

Hispanic Americans 12,838 -12,838
HIGHER EDUCATION

S-8 

Summary of Changes—Continued

(dollars in thousands)

Discretionary: 2020 base

Change

from base

Decreases:

Program:

Discretionary: Eliminate funding for the Strengthening Institutions 

Program (SIP) because the Administration believes the 

SIP program is duplicative of approximately nine other 

Title III and V programs that provide both discretionary 

and mandatory funding for a wide range of authorized 

institutional support activities including strengthening 

infrastructure and enhancing fiscal stability. $107,854 -$107,854 

Discretionary: Eliminate funding for International Education and Foreign 

Language Studies: Domestic Programs to refocus 

Federal education investments on flexible formula grant

programs serving the Nation’s most vulnerable student 

populations while reducing or eliminating funding for 

programs that are duplicative, ineffective, or more 

appropriately supported with State, local or private funds. 68,103 -68,103

Discretionary: Eliminate funding for International Education and Foreign 

Language: Overseas Programs to refocus Federal 

education investments on flexible formula grant programs

serving the Nation’s most vulnerable student populations

while reducing or eliminating funding for programs that 

are duplicative, ineffective, or more appropriately 

supported with State, local or private funds. 8,061 -8,061

Discretionary: Decrease funding for the Federal TRIO Programs to a 

level at which the Department would still be able to fully 

fund all TRIO continuation awards and allocate significant 

funding to States through the proposal to transition TRIO 

from a series of competitive grant programs to a proposed 

State formula grant program. 1,090,000 -140,000

Discretionary: Eliminate funding for Gaining Early Awareness and 

Readiness for Undergraduate Programs because many of 

the activities supported under GEAR UP can be 

supported through other programs, and there is limited 

rigorous evidence that the program is effective. 365,000 -365,000
HIGHER EDUCATION

S-9 

Summary of Changes—Continued

(dollars in thousands)

Discretionary: 2019 base

Change

from base

Decreases:

Program:

Discretionary: Eliminate funding for Graduate Assistance in Areas of 

National Need program because it is a high cost program 

that serves a small number of graduate students and is 

more appropriately supported through other Federal 

programs, as well as through institutional and other 

non-Federal resources. $23,047 -$23,047 

Discretionary: Decrease funding for the Child Care Access Means 

Parents in School program to return the program to its 

funding level before the increases enabled by the 

Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. 53,000 -37,866

Discretionary: Eliminate funding under the Fund for the Improvement of 

Postsecondary Education to reflect the completion of 

one-time demonstration activities funded in fiscal year 

2020. 24,500 -24,500

Discretionary: Eliminate separate funding for the Teacher Quality 

Partnership program to reflect the proposed consolidation 

of this program into the Elementary and Secondary 

Education for the Disadvantaged Block Grant. 50,092 -50,092

Subtotal, discretionary decreases -1,020,847
HIGHER EDUCATION

S-10

Summary of Changes—Continued

(dollars in thousands)

Mandatory: 2020 base

Change

from base

Increases:

Program:

Mandatory: Increase funding for the mandatory Strengthening Tribally 

Controlled Colleges and Universities program to return funding 

to the authorized level.

$28,230

+$1,770

Mandatory: Increase funding for the mandatory Strengthening Historically 

Black Colleges and Universities program to return funding to 

the authorized level.

79,985

+5,015

Mandatory: Increase, beginning with fiscal year 2020 carryover funds,

mandatory appropriations for Strengthening Alaska Native and 

Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions, Strengthening

Predominantly Black Institutions, Strengthening Asian 

American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving 

Institutions, Strengthening Native American-serving Nontribal 

Institutions, and Developing HSI STEM and Articulation 

Programs to the Consolidated MSI Grant.

0 +140,000

Subtotal, mandatory increases +146,785

Mandatory: 

Decreases:

Program:

Mandatory: Redirect, beginning with fiscal year 2020 carryover funds,

funding for individual HEA Title III program mandatory 

authorities because funding is requested under the new MSI 

Consolidated Grant proposal.

• Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiianserving Institutions

14,115 -14,115

• Strengthening Predominantly Black Institutions 14,115 -14,115

• Strengthening Asian American and Native American 

Pacific Islander-serving Institutions

4,705 -4,705

• Strengthening Native American-serving Nontribal 

Institutions

4,705 -4,705

• Developing HSI STEM and Articulation Programs 94,100 -94,100

Subtotal, mandatory decreases -131,740
HIGHER EDUCATION

S-11

Net change -672,113
HIGHER EDUCATION

Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

HIGHER EDUCAT ION

S-12

Authorizing Leg islation

Activity

2020

Authorized

footnote 2020 

Appropriation

Footnot

e 2021

Authorized

Footnot

e 2021

Request

Footnot

e 

Aid for institutional development:

Strengthening institutions (HEA-III-A-311)............................. 0 $107,854 0 0

Strengthening tribally controlled colleges and universities 

(HEA-III-A-316)................................................................... 0 36,633 To be determined1 $36,633

Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving 

institutions (HEA-III-A-317)................................................. 0 18,320 0 0

Strengthening predominantly Black institutions 

(HEA-III-A-318)................................................................... 0 13,197 0 0

Strengthening Native American-serving Nontribal institutions 

(HEA-III-A-319)................................................................... 0 4,444 0 0

Strengthening Asian American and Native American Pacific 

Islander-serving institutions (HEA-III-A-320)....................... 0 4,444 0 0

Strengthening historically Black colleges and universities 

(HEA-III-B-323) .................................................................. 0 324,792 To be determined1 324,792

Strengthening historically Black graduate institutions

(HEA-III-B-326)................................................................... 0 83,995 To be determined1 83,995

Strengthening HBCU Master’s Program (HEA-VII-A-4-723) 0 9,956 To be determined1 9,956

Minority science and engineering improvement 

(HEA-III-E-1) ....................................................................... 0 12,635 To be determined1 150,000

Strengthening tribally controlled colleges and Universities 

(HEA-III-F-371) (mandatory)............................................... 30,0002 28,2302 30,0002 30,0002

Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving 

institutions (HEA-III-F-371) (mandatory) ............................. 15,000 2 14,1152 15,0002 02

Strengthening historically Black colleges and universities 

(HEA-III-F-371) (mandatory)............................................... 85,0002 79,9852 85,0002 85,0002
HIGHER EDUCATION

Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Authorizing Leg islation

Activity

2020

Authorized

footnote 2020 

Appropriation

Footnot

e 2021

Authorized

Footnot

e 2021

Request

Footnot

e 

Strengthening predominantly Black institutions 

(HEA-III-F-371) (mandatory).............................................. $15,000 2 $14,1152 $15,0002 02

Strengthening Asian American and Native American Pacific 

Islander-serving institutions (HEA-III-F-371)(mandatory) .... 5,000 2 4,7052 5,0002 02

Strengthening Native American-serving Nontribal 

institutions (HEA-III-F-371) (mandatory) .......................... 5,0002 4,7052 5,0002 02

Aid for Hispanic-serving institutions:

Developing Hispanic-serving institutions (HEA-V-A) .............. 0 143,081 0 0

Promoting postbaccalaureate opportunities for Hispanic 

Americans (HEA-V-B-512) (discretionary) .......................... 0 12,838 0 0 

Mandatory developing HSI STEM and articulation programs 

(HEA III-F-371(b)(2)(B)) (mandatory).................................. 100,0002 94,1002 100,0002 02

Other aid for institutions:

International education and foreign language studies:

Domestic programs (HEA-VI-A and B)................................. 0 68,103 0 0

Overseas programs (MECEA-102(b)(6)).............................. Indefinite 8,061 Indefinite 0

Model comprehensive transition and postsecondary 

programs for students with intellectual disabilities into higher 

education (HEA-VII-D-2) ....................................................... 0 11,800 To be determined 1 $11,800

Tribally controlled postsecondary career and technical

institutions (Carl D. Perkins CTEA section 117) .................... 9,899 10,000 10,038 10,000

Assistance for students:

Federal TRIO programs (HEA IV-A-2-1)................................. 0 1,090,000 To be determined1 950,000

Gaining early awareness and readiness for undergraduate 

programs (HEA-IV-A-2-2)...................................................... 0 365,000 3 0 0

Graduate assistance in areas of national need (HEA-VII-A-2) 0 23,047 0 0

S-13
HIGHER EDUCATION

Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Authorizing Leg islation

Activity

2020

Authorized

footnote 2020 

Appropriation

Footnot

e 2021

Authorized

Footnot

e 2021

Request

Footnot

e 

Child care access means parents in school (HEA-IV-A-7) ........ 0 $53,000 To be determined1 $15,134

Teacher quality partnership (HEA II-A) ..................................... 0 50,092 0 0

Fund for the improvement of postsecondary education

(HEA-VII-B) ........................................................................... 0 24,500 0 0

Consolidated MSI Grant (proposed legislation)......................... 0 0 To be determined1 336,324

Unfunded authorizations

Interest subsidy grants (HEA-I-121).......................................... 0 0 0 0

Hawkins Centers of Excellence (HEA-II-B-2) (discretionary)..... 0 0 0 0

Aid for institutional development:

Endowment challenge grants (HEA-III-C-331) ....................... 0 0 0 0

Programs in STEM Fields (HEA-III-E-2)................................. 0 0 0 0

Assistance for students:

Byrd honors scholarships (HEA-IV-A-6)................................. 0 0 0 0

Loan repayment for civil legal assistance attorneys 

(HEA-IV-B, section 428L) ................................................... 0 0 0 0

Aid for Hispanic-serving institutions:

Institute for international public policy (HEA-VI-C) ................. 0 0 0 0

Science and technology advanced foreign language 

Education (HEA-VI-D-637).................................................. 0 0 0 0

Javits fellowships (HEA-VII-A-1) ............................................... 0 0 0 0

Thurgood Marshall legal educational opportunity program

(HEA-VII-A-3) ........................................................................ 0 0 0 0

National Technical Assistance Center (HEA-VII-D-4(a)) ........... 0 0 0 0

College access challenge grant program

(HEA-VII-E) (discretionary) .................................................... 0 0 0 0

S-14
HIGHER EDUCATION

Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Authorizing Leg islation

Activity

2020

Authorized

footnote 2020 

Appropriation

Footnot

e 2021

Authorized

Footnot

e 2021

Request

Footnot

e 

Unfunded authorizations

College access challenge grants program (HEA-VII-E) 

(mandatory)........................................................................... 0 0 0 0

Project GRAD (HEA-VIII-A) ...................................................... 0 0 0 0

Mathematics and science scholars program (HEA-VIII-B)......... 0 0 0 0

Business workforce partnerships for job skill training in high 

growth occupations or industries (HEA-VIII-C)....................... 0 0 0 0

Capacity for nursing students and faculty (HEA-VIII-D)............. 0 0 0 0

American history for freedom (HEA-VIII-E) ............................... 0 0 0 0

Patsy T. Mink fellowship program (HEA-VIII-G) ........................ 0 0 0 0

Improving college enrollment by secondary schools 

(HEA-VIII-H) .......................................................................... 0 0 0 0

Early childhood education professional development and 

career task force (HEA-VIII-I)................................................. 0 0 0 0

Improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 

education with a focus on Alaska Native and Native 

Hawaiian students (HEA-VIII-J) ............................................. 0 0 0 0

Pilot programs to increase college persistence and success 

(HEA-VIII-K)........................................................................... 0 0 0 0

Student safety and campus emergency management

(HEA-VIII-L-821).................................................................... 0 0 0 0

Education disaster and emergency relief loan program

(HEA-VIII-L-824).................................................................... 0 0 0 0

Low tuition (HEA-VIII-M)........................................................... 0 0 0 0

Cooperative education (HEA-VIII-N)......................................... 0 0 0 0

College partnership grants (HEA-VIII-O)................................... 0 0 0 0

Jobs to careers (HEA-VIII-P) .................................................... 0 0 0 0

S-15
HIGHER EDUCATION

Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Authorizing Leg islation

Activity

2020

Authorized

footnote 2020 

Appropriation

Footnot

e 2021

Authorized

Footnot

e 2021

Request

Footnot

e 

Unfunded authorizations

Rural development grants for rural-serving colleges and 

universities (HEA-VIII-Q)........................................................ 0 0 0 0

Campus-based digital theft prevention (HEA-VIII-R)................. 0 0 0 0

University sustainability programs (HEA-VIII-U-881)................. 0 0 0 0

Modeling and simulation programs (HEA-VIII-V)....................... 0 0 0 0

Math to success program (HEA-VIII-W).................................... 0 0 0 0

School of veterinary medicine competitive grant program

(HEA-VIII-X)........................................................................... 0 0 0 0

Early Federal Pell Grant commitment demonstration

program (HEA-VIII-Y) ............................................................ 0 0 0 0

Master’s degree programs at HBCUs and PBIs

(HEA VIII-AA-897) ................................................................. 0 0 0 0

Promoting postbaccalaureate opportunities for Hispanic 

Americans (HEA-VIII-AA-898) ............................................... 0 0 0 0

Grants to states for workplace and community transition 

training for incarcerated individuals (Higher Education 

Amendments of 1998-VIII-D) ................................................. 0 0 0 0

B.J. Stupak Olympic scholarships (Higher Education 

Amendments of 1992, Section 1543)..................................... 0 0 0 0

Underground railroad program (Higher Education 

Amendments of 1998-VIII-H) ................................................. 0 0 0 0

Total definite authorization........................................................ $264,899 $265,038

Total appropriation.................................................................... $2,475,792 $1,788,634

Total discretionary appropriation............................................... 2,475,792 1,788,634

Portion of discretionary request subject to reauthorization.... 2,475,792 1,788,634

Portion of the discretionary request not authorized ............... 0 1,788,634

S-16
HIGHER EDUCATION

Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Authorizing Leg islation

Activity

2020

Authorized

footnote 2020 

Appropriation

Footnot

e 2021

Authorized

Footnot

e 2021

Request

Footnot

e 

Total mandatory appropriation .................................................. $239,190 $255,000

Portion of the mandatory request not authorized .................. 0 0

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2015; reauthorizing legislation is sought for fiscal year 2021. 2 Mandatory funds made available in fiscal year 2009 and each succeeding fiscal year through 2019. In December 2019, the President signed 

Public Law 116-91, Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) providing permanent mandatory 

appropriations for HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions under Part F of Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (133 Stat. 1189). 3 Of the amount appropriated, not less than 33 percent shall be used for State Grants and not less than 33 percent shall be used for 

Partnership Grants.

S-17
HIGHER EDUCATION

S-18

Appropriations History

(dollars in thousands)

Year

Budget 

Estimate to 

Congress footnot

e

House 

Allowance foot

note

Senate 

Allowance

Foo

tnot

e

Appropriationote

2012 Discretionary 2,277,069 1,628,0521 1,903,9461 1,869,656

2012 Mandatory 428,000 428,000 428,000 428,000

2013 Discretionary 1,950,590 1,869,6562 1,911,3482 1,881,098

2013 Mandatory 428,000 428,000 428,000 406,173

2014 Discretionary 2,182,799 N/A3 1,906,3941 1,925,408

2014 Mandatory 428,000 428,000 397,184

2015 Discretionary 2,025,457 N/A3 1,968,7994 1,924,839

2015 Mandatory 4,902,000 255,000 236,385

2016 Discretionary 2,072,045 1,909,0425 2,038,5105 1,982,185

2016 Mandatory 2,266,842 255,000 255,000 237,660

2017 Discretionary 2,189,2006 1,976,6666 1,986,7926 2,055,4396

2017 Mandatory 2,060,121 2,060,121 2,060,121 237,405

2018 Discretionary 1,545,305 2,038,1267 2,048,4397 2,246,551 7

2018 Mandatory 255,000 255,000 255,000 238,170

2019 Discretionary 1,485,848 2,300,5518 2,260,5518 2,312,356 8

2019 Mandatory 255,000 255,000 255,000 239,190

2020 Discretionary 1,534,487 2,748,533 2,313,3569 2,475,792 9

2020 Mandatory 255,000 255,000 255,000 239,955

2021 Discretionary 1,788,634

2021 Mandatory 255,000

1 The level for the House allowance reflects an introduced bill; the level for the Senate allowance reflects Senate 

Committee Action only.

2 The levels for the House and Senate allowance reflect action on the regular annual 2013 appropriations bill, which 

proceeded in the 112th Congress only through the House Subcommittee and the Senate Committee. 3 The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action.

4 The level for the Senate allowance reflects Senate Subcommittee action only.

5 The levels for House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2016 appropriations bills, which 

proceeded in the 14th Congress only through the House Committee and Senate Committee. 6 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2017 

appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017.

7 The level for the House allowance reflects floor action on the Omnibus appropriations bill; the Senate allowance 

reflects Committee action on the regular annual 2018 appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141). 8 The levels for the House and Senate allowance reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2019 appropriations 

bill; the Appropriation reflects enactment of the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and 

Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 115-245). 9 The Senate allowance reflects the Chairman’s mark; the Appropriation reflects the Further Consolidated 

Appropriation Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-94).
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Significant Items in FY 2020 Appropriations Reports

Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities

House: The Committee encourages the Secretary to explore strategies for expanding 

Physician Assistant (PA) programs at HBCUs, Predominantly Black Institutions 

(PBIs) and HSIs. Developing PA programs at these higher education institutions 

will ensure a more diverse PA workforce to promote health equity and more 

effectively provide care in recognition of the changing demographics of the 

nation's patient populations. The Committee directs the Secretary to provide a 

report to Committees on Appropriations, no later than 180 days after enactment 

of this Act, detailing recommendations for promoting PA programs at HBCUs, 

PBIs, and HSIs through the Department's grant initiatives.

Response: The Department will comply with this directive.

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education

House: Of these funds, the Committee directs the Secretary to issue grants to institutions 

of higher education or consortia of institutions of higher education seeking to 

establish, maintain, or improve Veteran Student Centers--a dedicated physical 

meeting space on the campus of an institution of higher education that provides 

student veterans, members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty, or 

members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces with a centralized office 

for veteran student support services, including comprehensive academic and 

tutoring services, peer-to-peer tutoring and academic mentorship, and is staffed 

by at-least one trained veteran employee.

Such centers must also provide student-veterans with assistance relating to 

transitioning from the military to student life or civilian workforce, networking 

opportunities with other veterans in the community, understanding and obtaining 

benefits provided by the institution of higher education, federal government, and 

State for which such students may be eligible, understanding how to succeed in 

the institution of higher education, including by understanding academic policies,

the course selection process, and institutional policies and practices related to 

the transfer of academic credits, and provide an understanding of disabilityrelated rights and protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 

and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Committee directs the 

Department to brief the Committees on Appropriations no later than 60 days after 

enactment of this Act on its plan to carry out this competition and to notify the 

Committees no later than 15 days in advance of making awards to grantees.
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Significant Items in FY 2020 Appropriations Reports

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (cont’d)

House: In addition, the Committee includes $5,000,000 to continue the Open Textbooks 

Pilot program. The Secretary is directed to award funds through a new 

competition, with individual grants amounting to not less than $100,000 and not 

more than $1,000,000.

Response: The Department will brief the Committee on its plans to recompete the Centers of 

Excellence for Veteran Student Success in fiscal year 2020 in accordance with 

the deadline in report language. The Department also plans to hold a new Open 

Textbooks competition in fiscal year 2020 consistent with Committee’s 

recommendation.

Senate: Any eligible entity receiving a grant through the Open Textbooks Pilot, upon 

completion of the supported project, shall report to the Secretary regarding the 

effectiveness of the project in expanding the use of open textbooks and in 

achieving savings for students; the impact of the project on expanding the use of 

open textbooks at institutions of higher education outside of the institution 

receiving the grant; open textbooks created or adapted under the grant, including 

instructions on where the public can access each open textbook; the impact of 

the project on instruction and student learning outcomes; and all project costs, 

including the value of any volunteer labor and institutional capital used for the 

project. The Secretary shall make such reports publicly available.

Response: The Department will collect and report data on the outcomes of the Open 

Textbooks Pilot.

Federal TRIO Programs

Explanatory 

Statement: The Department is directed to allocate any grant funding not needed for noncompetitive continuation awards or for programs up for re-competition in fiscal 

year 2020 to provide inflationary increases for current grantees and to increase 

the number and size of new awards in the Student Support Services grant

competition. The Department is further directed to include proposed funding 

levels for each of the TRIO programs in the operating plan required under 

section 516 of this Act. There is great concern and disappointment that the 

Department has yet to issue a notice inviting applications for new awards for 

TRIO Student Support Services grants. The Department is directed to publish 

such notice inviting applications for new awards for TRIO Student Support 

Services grants no later than December 30, 2019 and take steps necessary to 

award funding as early as possible before the beginning of the academic year.

Response: The notice inviting applications for the Student Support Services program was 

published in the Federal Register on December 17, 2019.
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Significant Items in FY 2020 Appropriations Reports

Federal TRIO Programs (cont’d)

Senate: The Committee directs the Department to allocate any grant funding not needed 

for non-competitive continuation awards or for programs up for re-competition in 

fiscal year 2020 to provide inflationary increases for current grantees and to 

increase the number and size of new awards in the Student Support Services 

grant competition. The Committee directs the Department to include proposed 

funding levels for each of the TRIO programs in the operating plan required 

under section 516 of this act, and to brief the Committees on Appropriations of 

the House of Representatives and the Senate prior to issuing a Notice Inviting 

Applications.

Response: As directed, the Department plans to increase the number and size of new 

awards in the fiscal year 2020 Student Support Services competition. Any 

remaining funds will be used to provide all TRIO grantees an across-the-board 

increase. The Department estimates that every TRIO grantee will receive an 

increase of approximately 2.81 percent. The size of the increase will depend in 

part on the number of fundable applications in the Student Support Services 

competition and will be determined after the Department has funded new awards.

The Department published the Student Support Services NIA in in the Federal 

Register on December 17, 2019. Finally, the Department provides the proposed 

funding levels for each TRIO program in the output measures table in the TRIO 

program justification.

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs

Explanatory

Statement: The agreement directs the Department to uphold the long-standing guidance that 

States may only administer one active State grant at a time. The Secretary is 

directed to provide written guidance in the Federal Register notifying applicants 

that only States without an active State grant, or States that have an active State 

grant that is scheduled to end prior to October 1, 2020, will be eligible to receive 

a new State award funded in whole or in part by this appropriation.

The agreement directs the Department to provide a briefing to the Committees 

within 90 days of enactment of this Act on this program and any planned 

competitions for fiscal year 2020.

Response: In fiscal year 2020, the Department plans to award new State and Partnership 

GEAR UP awards to high-scoring applications from previous competitions and 

will brief the Committee on the plan for doing so. The Department will not make 

any new awards to States with an active GEAR UP State grant consistent with 

language included in the Federal Register for the fiscal year 2019 GEAR UP 

competition.
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Summary of R equ est 

Click here for accessi ble versi on

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FISCAL YEAR 2021 PRESIDENT'S BUDGET

(in thousands of dollars)

Cat 

Code

2019

Appropriation

2020

Appropriation

2021 President's 

Budget

2021 President's Budget Compared to 

2020 Appropriation

Amount Percent

1. Aid for institutional development:

(a) Strengthening institutions (HEA III-A, section 311) D 99,875 107,854 0 (107,854) -100.00%

(b) Strengthening tribally controlled colleges and universities (HEA III-A, section 316) D 31,854 36,633 36,633 0 0.00%

(c) Mandatory strengthening tribally controlled colleges and universities

(HEA III-F, section 371) M 28,140 28,230 30,000 1,770 6.27%

Subtotal 59,994 64,863 66,633 1,770 2.73%

(d) Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions (HEA III-A,

section 317) D 15,930 18,320 0 (18,320) -100.00%

(e) Mandatory strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving

institutions (HEA III-F, section 371) M 14,070 14,115 0 (14,115) -100.00%

Subtotal 30,000 32,435 0 (32,435) -100.00%

(f) Strengthening HBCUs (HEA III-B, section 323) D 282,420 324,792 324,792 0 0.00%

(g) Mandatory strengthening HBCUs (HEA III-F, section 371) M 79,730 79,985 85,000 5,015 6.27%

Subtotal 362,150 404,777 409,792 5,015 1.24%

(h) Strengthening historically Black graduate institutions (HEA III-B, section 326) D 73,037 83,995 83,995 0 0.00%

(i) Strengthening HBCU masters program (HEA,Title VII, section 723) D 8,657 9,956 9,956 0 0.00%

(j) Strengthening predominantly Black institutions (HEA III-A, section 318) D 11,475 13,197 0 (13,197) -100.00%

(k) Mandatory strengthening predominantly Black institutions (HEA III-F, section 371) M 14,070 14,115 0 (14,115) -100.00%

Subtotal 25,545 27,312 0 (27,312) -100.00%

(l) Strengthening Asian American- and Native American Pacific Islander-serving

institutions (HEA III-A, section 320) D 3,864 4,444 0 (4,444) -100.00%

(m) Mandatory strengthening Asian American- and Native American Pacific

Islander-serving institutions (HEA III-F, section 371) M 4,690 4,705 0 (4,705) -100.00%

Subtotal 8,554 9,149 0 (9,149) -100.00%

(n) Strengthening Native American-serving nontribal institutions (HEA III-A, section 319) D 3,864 4,444 0 (4,444) -100.00%

(o) Mandatory strengthening Native American-serving nontribal institutions (HEA III-F, section 371) M 4,690 4,705 0 (4,705) -100.00%

Subtotal 8,554 9,149 0 (9,149) -100.00%

(p) Minority science and engineering improvement (HEA III-E-1) D 11,135 12,635 150,000 137,365 1087.18%

Subtotal, Aid for institutional development 687,501 762,125 720,376 (41,749) -5.48%

Discretionary D 542,111 616,270 605,376 (10,894) -1.77%

Mandatory M 145,390 145,855 115,000 (30,855) -21.15%

NOTES: D = discretionary program; M = mandatory program

Detail may not add to totals due to rounding.

Note: Pursuant to the Budget Control Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-25), most mandatory programs, with the exception of Pell Grants, Credit Liquidating, and Credit Reestimates, the levels shown in the 2019 Appropriation column 

reflect the 6.2 percent reduction that went into effect on October 1, 2018; and the levels shown in the 2020 Appropriation column reflect the 5.9 percent reduction that went into effect on October 1, 2019.

Higher Education

Click here for accessible version
HIGHER EDUCATION

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FISCAL YEAR 2021 PRESIDENT'S BUDGET

(in thousands of dollars)

Cat 

Code

2019

Appropriation

2020

Appropriation

2021 President's 

Budget

2021 President's Budget Compared to 

2020 Appropriation

Amount Percent

2.

Subtotal 229,378 250,019 0 (250,019) -100.00%

Discretionary 135,578 155,919 0 (155,919) -100.00%

Mandatory 93,800 94,100 0 (94,100) -100.00%

3.

4.

Subtotal 72,164 76,164 0 (76,164) -100.00%

(b)

(c)

5.

6.

7.

Total 2,551,546 2,715,747 2,043,634 (672,113) -24.75%

Discretionary 2,312,356 2,475,792 1,788,634 (687,158) -27.76%

Mandatory 239,190 239,955 255,000 15,045 6.27%

NOTES: D = discretionary program; M = mandatory program 

Detail may not add to totals due to rounding.

Note: Pursuant to the Budget Control Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-25), most mandatory programs, with the exception of Pell Grants, Credit Liquidating, and Credit Reestimates, the levels shown in the 2019 Appropriation column 

reflect the 6.2 percent reduction that went into effect on October 1, 2018; and the levels shown in the 2020 Appropriation column reflect the 5.9 percent reduction that went into effect on October 1, 2019.

Higher Education (continued)

Aid for Hispanic-serving institutions:

(a)

(b)

(c)

Developing Hispanic-serving institutions (HEA V-A) D 124,415 143,081 0 (143,081) -100.00%

Mandatory developing HSI STEM and articulation programs (HEA III-F, section 371(b)(2)(B)) M 93,800 94,100 0 (94,100) -100.00%

Promoting postbaccalaureate opportunities for Hispanic Americans (HEA V, section 512) D 11,163 12,838 0 (12,838) -100.00%

Consolidated MSI Grant (proposed legislation)

(a)

(b)

Consolidated MSI Grant D 0 0 196,324 196,324 ---

Mandatory Consolidated MSI Grant M 0 0 140,000 140,000 ---

Subtotal 0 0 336,324 336,324 ---

Other aid for institutions:

(a) International education and foreign language studies:

(1)

(2)

Domestic programs (HEA VI-A and B) D 65,103 68,103 0 (68,103) -100.00%

Overseas programs (MECEA section 102(b)(6)) D 7,061 8,061 0 (8,061) -100.00%

Model transition programs for students with intellectual disabilities into

higher education (HEA VII-D-2) D 11,800 11,800 11,800 0 0.00%

Tribally controlled postsecondary career and technical institutions (CTEA section 117) D 9,564 10,000 10,000 0 0.00%

Assistance for students: 0

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Federal TRIO programs (HEA IV-A-2, Chapter 1) D 1,060,000 1,090,000 950,000 (140,000) -12.84%

Gaining early awareness and readiness for undergraduate programs

(GEAR UP) (HEA IV-A-2, Chapter 2) D 360,000 365,000 0 (365,000) -100.00%

Graduate assistance in areas of national need (HEA VII-A-2) D 23,047 23,047 0 (23,047) -100.00%

Child care access means parents in school (HEA IV-A-7) D 50,000 53,000 15,134 (37,866) -71.45%

Fund for the improvement of post secondary education (FIPSE) (HEA VII-B) D 5,000 24,500 0 (24,500) -100.00%

Teacher quality partnership (HEA II-A) D 43,092 50,092 0 (50,092) -100.00%
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Summary of Request

The Administration’s fiscal year 2021 Request includes $1.8 billion in discretionary funds for 

Higher Education Programs aimed at improving student achievement and increasing access 

to a high-quality education for all students.

To help close gaps among racial and socioeconomic groups in college enrollment and 

degree attainment, the Request includes $1.1 billion in discretionary and mandatory funding 

authorized under Titles III and V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

• The Request includes $455.4 million to provide funding for the HEA Title III Aid for

Institutional Development programs. These programs would continue as separate line

items in the fiscal year 2021 budget: Strengthening Historically Black Colleges

and Universities (HBCUs), Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutions,

Strengthening Master’s Degree Programs at HBCUs, and Strengthening Tribally

Controlled Colleges and Universities. In addition, $115 million is available for

mandatory Strengthening HBCUs and mandatory Strengthening TCCUs in

fiscal year 2021.

• A highlight of the 2021 Request for HBCUs and MSIs is a dramatically expanded Minority

Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP). The $150 million request

for the MSEIP, an increase of $137.4 million over the 2020 appropriation, would support a

HBCU/MSI STEM Opportunity Zones initiative that would fund STEM-based projects led

by HBCUs and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) located in Opportunity Zones. Funds

would be used to create or expand STEM academic pipelines aligned with the local

business community; improve public-private STEM partnerships; launch STEM-focused

entrepreneurship incubators; and incentivize or complete investment from Opportunity

Funds for STEM-focused capital projects (e.g., facilities for incubators) that will help

prepare the future generation of STEM professionals. The expanded MSEIP would target

$50 million to HBCUs, $50 million Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and $50 million to all other

MSIs.

The Request also includes a total of $336.3 million for the proposed Consolidated MSI Grant 

program, including $196.3 million in discretionary funds and $131.7 million in mandatory funds. 

The new program would consolidate 11 existing HEA Title III Aid for Institutional 

Development and HEA Title V Aid for Hispanic-Serving Institutions program funding 

authorities into a single institutional formula grant program. The discretionary portion of the 

Request is the same as the 2020 appropriation for the six antecedent discretionary programs, 

while the $131.7 million proposed for mandatory funding would be carried over from funds 

appropriated in fiscal year 2020. The Request does not fund the Strengthening Institutions 

program, which is duplicative of other program funding for institutional support activities.
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The Request would provide $950 million in fiscal year 2021 for the Federal TRIO Programs, 

$140 million less than the fiscal year 2020 appropriation, to support a transition of these 

programs from a set of competitive grant programs to a formula-driven Student Supports 

Block Grant to States. This proposal would shift authority and responsibility from the Federal 

Government to the States, improve alignment between Federal resources and need, and 

enable the Department to re-allocate limited staff resources from competition-related activities 

to grant monitoring, performance improvement, and program evaluation.

The Request also includes $11.8 million for model comprehensive transition programs through 

the Model Transition Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) 

program, $10 million for the Tribally Controlled Postsecondary Career and Technical 

Institutions (TCPCTI) program, and $15.1 million for the Child Care Access Means 

Parents in School program. 

The Request also proposes through appropriations language a new HEA pooled evaluation 

authority, similar to that of the ESEA, that would permit the Department to reserve up to 

0.5 percent of funding appropriated for each HEA program, with the exception of the Pell 

Grant program, to support rigorous independent evaluations and data collection and analysis 

of student outcomes of all HEA programs.

Lastly, the Administration’s Request for fiscal year 2021 eliminates several Higher Education 

Programs that duplicate other programs, are more appropriately supported with State, local, 

institutional, or private funds, are outside of the Department’s core mission, or have not shown 

evidence of effectiveness. These programs include the Strengthening Institutions 

Program, the International Education and Foreign Language Studies programs, Gaining 

Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, the Fund for the 

Improvement of Postsecondary Education, and Graduate Assistance in Areas of 

National Need.
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Activities:

Aid for institutional development 

(Higher Education Act of 1965, Title III and Title VII, Section 723) 

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2021 Authorization: To be determined (discretionary)1 ; $115,000 (mandatory)2

Budget Authority:

N am e

Program footnote 

2020

Appropriation Footnote

2021

Request Footn

ote

Change from

2020 to 2021

Footn

ote

Discretionary:

Strengthening Institutions SIP (Part A) $107,854 0 -$107,854

Strengthening Tribally Controlled Colleges 

and Universities (TCCUs) (Part A) 36,633 $36,633 0

Strengthening Alaska Native and Native 

Hawaiian-serving Institutions (ANNHs) 

(Part A) 18,320 0

3

-18,320

Strengthening Historically Black Colleges 

and Universities (HBCUs) (Part B) 324,792 324,792 0

Strengthening Historically Black Graduate 

Institutions (HBGIs) (Part B) 83,995 83,995 0

Strengthening HBCU Master’s Degree 

Program (Section 723) 9,956 9,956 0

Strengthening Predominantly Black 

Institutions (PBIs) (Part A) 13,197 0

3

-13,197

Strengthening Asian American and Native 

American Pacific Islander-serving 

Institutions (AANAPISIs) (Part A) 4,444 0 3 -4,444

Strengthening Native American-serving 

Nontribal Institutions (NASNTIs) (Part A) 4,444 0 3 -4,444

Minority Science and Engineering 

Improvement Program (MSEIP) (Part E) 12,635 150,000 +137,365

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2015; reauthorizing legislation is sought for fiscal year 2021. 2 Mandatory funds made available in fiscal year 2009 and each succeeding fiscal year through 2019. In 

December 2019, the President signed Public Law 116-91, Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking 

Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act providing permanent mandatory appropriations for HBCUs and other 

minority-serving institutions under Part F of Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (133 Stat. 1189). 3 This program is part of the Administration’s Consolidated MSI Grant proposal for fiscal year 2021. 
HIGHER EDUCATION

Aid for institutional development

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N am e

Program footnote 

2020

Appropriation Footnote

2021

Request Footn

ote

Change from

2020 to 2021

Footn

ote

Budget Authority (cont’d):

Mandatory (Part F, Section 371):

Strengthening TCCUs $28,230 $30,000 +$1,770

Strengthening ANNHs 14,115 0 1 -14,115

Strengthening HBCUs 79,985 85,000 +5,015

Strengthening PBIs 14,115 0 1 -14,115

Strengthening AANAPISIs 4,705 0 1 -4,705

Strengthening NASNTIs 4,705 0 1 -4,705

Discretionary $616,270 $605,376 -$10,894

Mandatory 145,855 2 115,000 2 -30,855

1 The Administration is proposing to redirect these mandatory funds, available in fiscal year 2021 from the 

fiscal year 2020 appropriation, to the proposed Consolidated MSI Grant. 2 Mandatory funds made available in fiscal year 2009 and each succeeding fiscal year through 2019. In 

December 2019, the President signed Public Law 116-91, Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking 

Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act providing permanent mandatory appropriations for HBCUs and other 

minority-serving institutions under Part F of Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (133 Stat. 1189).

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 

The Aid for Institutional Development (AID) programs, commonly referred to as the Title III 

programs, are designed to promote equity across U.S. postsecondary education by 

strengthening institutions of higher education (IHEs) that serve high percentages of minority 

students and students from low-income backgrounds. A low-income individual is defined as 

an individual from a family whose taxable income for the preceding year did not exceed 

150 percent of the Census poverty level. Federal grants made under these programs to 

eligible institutions support, among other activities, improvements in academic quality, 

institutional management, and administrative capacity and fiscal stability; infrastructure; and 

student support services. Specifically, the Title III programs help institutions improve 

student graduation rates by expanding student support services; improve their management 

and fiscal operations; build endowments; and make effective use of academic and 

technological resources. Funding is targeted to minority-serving and other institutions that 

enroll large proportions of financially disadvantaged students and have low per-student 

expenditures.

From its inception in 1965, one of the primary missions of the Title III programs has been 

to strengthen the Nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The 

Higher Education Amendments of 1998 extended that mission to include programs to 

strengthen Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) and Alaska Native and 

Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions (ANNHs). In addition, the Higher Education Opportunity 

Act of 2008 (HEOA), which reauthorized the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), 

established the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions 
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S-27

program (AANAPISI), the Native American-serving Nontribal Institutions program (NASNTI), 

and the Predominantly Black Institutions program (PBIs).

Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP)

Strengthening Institutions (Part A, Section 311) authorizes competitions for 1-year planning 

grants and 5-year development grants. Under SIP, special consideration is given to 

institutions that (1) have endowment funds with a market value per full-time equivalent 

student less than the market value of endowment funds per full-time equivalent student at 

similar institutions, and (2) have below-average educational and general expenditures per 

full-time equivalent undergraduate student. Institutions receiving a 5-year grant under this 

part are not eligible to receive an additional grant under this part until 2 years after the 

5-year grant has expired. Institutions may apply to use their SIP funds to: plan, develop, 

and implement activities that encourage faculty and academic program development; 

support improvement in fund and administrative management; support joint use of libraries 

and laboratories; support construction, maintenance, renovation, and improvement of 

instructional facilities; support student services; and provide education or counseling 

services designed to improve the financial literacy and economic literacy of students or the 

students’ families. To further facilitate the development of eligible institutions, funds may be 

used to support activities that strengthen an institution’s technological capabilities. 

Institutions may use no more than 20 percent of grant funds to establish or increase an 

institution’s endowment fund. These endowment funds must be matched dollar for dollar 

with non-Federal funds. 

To participate in SIP, an institution must award bachelor’s degrees or be a junior or 

community college, provide an education program legally authorized by the State in which it 

is located, and be accredited or be making reasonable progress toward accreditation. An 

institution must also have below-average educational and general expenditures per full-time 

equivalent undergraduate student and include in its enrollment a significant percentage of 

financially needy students, as measured by enrollment of Pell Grant recipients or other

Title IV need-based aid recipients.

Strengthening Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)

The TCCUs program, authorized by Part A, Section 316 of the HEA, awards 5-year 

formula-based discretionary grants that enable TCCUs to improve and expand their capacity 

to serve American Indian students. The term “Tribal College or University” means an 

institution that qualifies for funding under the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities 

Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) or the Navajo Community College Act 

(25 U.S.C. 640a note); or is cited in Section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant 

Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note). TCCUs do not have to wait 2 years between grants 

and thus may be funded continuously. 

The Department may reserve 30 percent of the funds appropriated to award 1-year grants of 

at least $1 million for institutional construction, maintenance, and renovation needs at 

eligible institutions, with a preference given to institutions that did not receive an award in a 

prior fiscal year. The remaining funds must be allocated using a formula, with 60 percent 
HIGHER EDUCATION

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allocated on the basis of Indian student counts at eligible institutions and the other 

40 percent distributed equally among eligible TCCUs. The minimum grant size is $500,000.

Institutions may apply to use their funds to plan, develop, and implement a wide range of 

authorized activities that include: faculty and academic program development; improvement 

in fund and administrative management; construction, maintenance, renovation, and 

improvement of instructional facilities, including the acquisition of real property; student 

services; teacher education programs with an emphasis on qualifying students to teach 

Indian children; community outreach programs that encourage Indian elementary and 

secondary school students to pursue postsecondary education; improving the financial 

literacy and economic literacy of students or the students’ families; and facilities for Internet 

use or other distance education technologies.

Institutions may use no more than 20 percent of grant funds to establish or increase an 

endowment fund, with funds matched dollar for dollar with non-Federal funds. 

Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions (ANNH)

The ANNH program, authorized by Part A, Section 317 of the HEA, makes competitive

5-year development grants that enable these institutions to improve and expand their 

capacity to serve Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students. Like TCCUs, institutions 

receiving grants under Section 317 do not have to wait 2 years between grants and thus 

may be funded continuously. Uses of funds are similar to those authorized under SIP. 

Alaska Native-serving institutions and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions are institutions 

that meet the definition of an eligible institution under Section 312(b) of the HEA and have, 

respectively, undergraduate enrollments that are at least 20 percent Alaska Native students 

or 10 percent Native Hawaiian students.

Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

The Strengthening HBCUs program, authorized by Part B, Section 323 of the HEA, makes

5-year formula-based discretionary grants to help HBCUs strengthen their infrastructure and 

achieve greater financial stability. HBCUs may use their funds to plan, develop, and

implement activities that support: faculty and academic program development; fund and 

administrative management; construction, maintenance, renovation, and improvement of 

instructional facilities, including the acquisition of real property; student services; teacher 

education programs designed to qualify students to teach in public schools; community 

outreach programs that will encourage elementary and secondary school students to pursue 

postsecondary education; and improving financial literacy and economic literacy of students 

or the students’ families, especially with regard to loan and grant programs under Title IV.

HBCUs may use no more than 20 percent of the grant funds provided under Part B—which 

must be matched at a rate of one institutional dollar for each Federal dollar—to establish or 

increase an institution’s endowment fund.
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A Part B eligible institution is defined as any accredited, legally authorized HBCU that was 

established prior to 1964 and whose principal mission was, and is, the education of African 

Americans. Funds are allocated among HBCUs based on the number of Pell Grant 

recipients enrolled, the number of graduates, and the percentage of graduates who are 

attending graduate or professional school in degree programs in which African Americans 

are underrepresented. The statute provides for a $250,000 minimum grant for each eligible 

institution.

Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutions (HBGIs)

The Strengthening HBGIs program, authorized under Part B, Section 326 of the HEA, 

makes 5-year formula-based discretionary grants to 24 postgraduate institutions that are 

identified in the HEA.

A grant under this Section can be used for a wide range of activities, including: scholarships 

and fellowships for needy graduate and professional students; construction, maintenance, 

renovation, and improvement of instructional facilities; establishment or maintenance of an 

endowment fund; establishment or improvement of a development office to strengthen and 

increase contributions from alumni and the private sector; improvement in fund and 

administrative management; and tutoring, counseling, and student service programs 

designed to improve academic success.

HBGI grants are limited to $1 million, unless the HBGI agrees to match 50 percent of the 

grant funding in excess of $1 million with non-Federal resources. Institutions are not 

required to match any portion of the first $1 million of their award. 

An HBGI that received a grant under this Section in fiscal year 2008 (and that is eligible to 

receive a grant after fiscal year 2008) may not receive a grant in subsequent fiscal years 

that is less than the grant amount received in fiscal year 2008. No institution or university 

system may receive more than one grant in any fiscal year.

Of the amount appropriated: the first $56.9 million (or any lesser amount appropriated) must 

be used to make grants to the first 18 HBGIs listed in the HEA; any amount appropriated in 

excess of $56.9 million but less than $62.9 million must be used to make grants to the six 

remaining HBGIs listed in the HEA. Any appropriated amount in excess of $62.9 million 

must be made available to each of the 24 HBGIs pursuant to a formula that is based on: 

(1) an institution’s ability to match funds; (2) the number of students enrolled in the 

postgraduate program; (3) the average cost of education per student enrolled in the 

postgraduate program; (4) the number of students who received a degree from the 

postgraduate program in the previous year; and (5) the contribution of the institution as 

calculated by the ratio of programs for which the institution is eligible to receive funds to the 

number of African Americans receiving graduate or professional degrees in those programs.
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Strengthening HBCU Master’s Program

This program, authorized under Section 723 of the HEA, provides grants of up to 6 years in 

duration to specified eligible institutions to improve graduate education opportunities at the 

master's level in mathematics, engineering, physical or natural sciences, computer science, 

information technology, nursing, allied health or other scientific disciplines where African 

American students are underrepresented.

From the amount appropriated to carry out the program or any fiscal year: the first $9 million (or 

any lesser amount appropriated) must be used to make minimum grant awards of $500,000 to 

each eligible institution. If the amount appropriated is not sufficient to cover minimum grants to 

eligible institutions, each institution’s grant award is ratably reduced. Any appropriated amount in 

excess of $9 million must be made available to each of the eligible institutions identified in the 

statute based on: (1) the ability of the institution to match Federal funds with non-Federal funds; 

(2) the number of students enrolled in the qualified master’s degree program at the eligible 

institution in the previous academic year; (3) the average cost of attendance per student, for all 

full-time students enrolled in the qualified master’s degree program; (4) the number of students 

who received a degree in the qualified master’s degree program in the previous year; and (5) the 

contribution of the institution as calculated by the ratio of programs for which the institution is 

eligible to receive funds to the number of African Americans receiving master’s degrees in 

disciplines related to the program.

A grant under this Section can be used for a wide range of activities, including: purchase, rental, 

or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes; construction, 

maintenance, renovation, and improvement in instructional facilities; scholarships, fellowships, 

and other financial assistance for students pursuing a master’s degree in mathematics, 

engineering, the physical or natural sciences, computer science, information technology, 

nursing, allied health, or other scientific disciplines in which African Americans are 

underrepresented; establishment or maintenance of an institutional endowment; funds and 

administrative management; improving the financial literacy and economic literacy of students or 

the students' families; tutoring, counseling, and student service programs; and faculty 

professional development.

Grants from the Strengthening HBCU Master’s Degree Program go to 18 specified HBCUs that

make a substantial contribution to graduate education opportunities for African Americans at the 

master’s level in mathematics, engineering, the physical or natural sciences, computer science, 

information technology, nursing, allied health, or other scientific disciplines.

Strengthening Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs)

The Strengthening PBIs program, authorized by Part A, Section 318 of the HEA, makes 5-year 

formula-based discretionary grants to support activities outlined in Section 311(c) of the HEA, 

which include: academic instruction in disciplines in which Black Americans are 

underrepresented; teacher education programs designed to qualify students to teach in public 

elementary or secondary schools; and community outreach programs that will encourage 

elementary and secondary school students to pursue postsecondary education. No more than 

50 percent of grant funds awarded may be used for construction or maintenance of classroom, 
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library, laboratory, or other instructional facilities. Institutions may use no more than 20 percent 

of grant funds to establish or increase an institution’s endowment fund. Institutions must 

provide matching funds from non-Federal sources in an amount that is equal to or greater than 

the Federal funds used for PBI program activities.

Funding is allocated among PBIs according to a formula that is based on: (1) the number of Pell 

Grant recipients enrolled; (2) the number of graduates; and (3) the percentage of graduates who 

are attending a baccalaureate degree-granting institution or a graduate or professional school in 

degree programs in which Black American students are underrepresented. The statute 

provides for a $250,000 minimum grant for each eligible institution.

The term “Predominantly Black institution” is defined as an IHE that:

• Has a high enrollment of needy students;

• Has an average educational and general expenditure per full-time equivalent undergraduate 

student that is low in comparison with the average educational and general expenditure per 

full-time equivalent undergraduate student of institutions of higher education that offer 

similar instruction;

• Has an enrollment of undergraduate students:

o That is at least 40 percent Black American students;

o Consisting of at least 1,000 undergraduate students;

o Of which not less than 50 percent are low-income individuals or first-generation college 

students (as defined in Section 402A(h) of the HEA); and 

o Of which not less than 50 percent are enrolled in an educational program leading to a 

bachelor's or associate's degree that the institution is licensed to award by the State in 

which the institution is located;

• Is legally authorized to provide, and provides within the State, an educational program for 

which the institution of higher education awards a bachelor's degree, or in the case of a 

junior or community college, an associate's degree;

• Is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the 

Department to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered, or is, according to 

such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation; and

• Is not receiving assistance under Part B of Title III or Part A of Title V of the HEA.

Strengthening Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions 

(AANAPISI)

The AANAPISI program, authorized by Part A, Section 320 of the HEA, makes 5-year 

competitive grants to eligible IHEs, as defined under Section 312(b) of the HEA, that have, at 

the time of application, an enrollment of undergraduate students that is at least 10 percent Asian 

American or Native American Pacific Islander students. The term “Asian American” means a 

person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the 

Indian subcontinent (including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, 

Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam) as defined in the Office of Management 

and Budget’s Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and 

Ethnicity as published on October 30, 1997 (62 Federal Register 58789). The term “Native 

American Pacific Islander” means any descendant of the aboriginal people of any island in the 
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Pacific Ocean that is a territory or possession of the U.S. ANNAPISIs do not have to wait 

2 years between grants and thus may be funded continuously. 

Grants help these institutions to improve and expand their capacity to serve Asian American 

and Native American Pacific Islander students and low-income individuals. Funds may be used 

for a range of activities, including: the purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or laboratory 

equipment for educational purposes; renovation and improvement of instructional facilities; 

faculty exchanges, faculty development, and faculty fellowships to assist in attaining advanced 

degrees in the faculty’s field of instruction; curriculum development and academic instruction; 

endowment funds; and academic instruction in disciplines in which Asian American and Native 

American Pacific Islanders are underrepresented. 

Strengthening Native American-serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI)

The NASNTI program, authorized by Part A, Section 319 of the HEA, provides 5-year 

competitive grants to eligible IHEs, as defined under Section 312(b) of the HEA, that are not a 

Tribal College or University (as defined in Section 316 of the HEA) and have, at the time of 

application, an enrollment of undergraduate students that is not less than 10 percent Native 

American students. The term “Native American” means an individual who is of a tribe, people, 

or culture that is indigenous to the United States. NASNTIs do not have to wait 2 years 

between grants and thus may be funded continuously. 

Funds generally may be used to plan, develop, undertake, and carry out activities to improve 

and expand the institutions' capacity to serve Native Americans and low-income individuals. 

More specifically, allowable activities include: purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or 

laboratory equipment for educational purposes, including instruction and research; renovation 

and improvement of instructional facilities; faculty exchanges, faculty development, and faculty 

fellowships to assist faculty in attaining advanced degrees in the faculty's field of instruction; 

curriculum development and academic instruction; funds and administrative management, and 

acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening funds management; academic tutoring and 

counseling programs and support services; and improving the financial and economic literacy of 

students or the students’ families.

The statute requires a $200,000 minimum grant for each eligible institution. Participating 

institutions are not eligible to receive funding under Part A or Part B of Title III or Part A of 

Title V of the HEA.

Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP)

The MSEIP, authorized by Part E, Subpart 1 of the HEA, supports competitive 3-year grants to 

IHEs that are designed to promote long-range improvement in science and engineering 

education at predominantly minority institutions and increase the participation of 

underrepresented ethnic and racial minorities in scientific and technological careers. Only 

colleges and universities with minority enrollments of greater than 50 percent are eligible to 

receive assistance under MSEIP. MSEIP allows grantee institutions to support a variety of 

innovative and customized projects. Typically, MSEIP projects are designed to implement one, 

or a combination of, educational projects, such as curriculum development, purchase of 

scientific equipment, or development of research capabilities.
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Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2016 .........................................................................$606,6561

2017 ...........................................................................614,0012

2018 ...........................................................................681,5143

2019 ...........................................................................687,5014

2020 ...........................................................................762,1255

1 Includes $144,460 thousand in mandatory funds provided under the HEA.

2 Includes $144,305 thousand in mandatory funds provided under the HEA.

3 Includes $144,770 thousand in mandatory funds provided under the HEA.

4 Includes $145,390 thousand in mandatory funds provided under the HEA.

5 Includes $145,855 thousand in mandatory funds provided under the HEA.

FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2021, the Administration requests a total of $605.4 million for the Aid for 

Institutional Development programs authorized under Title III of the Higher Education Act of 

1965, as amended (HEA), $10.9 million less than the fiscal year 2020 appropriation. In addition 

to these discretionary requested levels, $115 million is available in mandatory funding in fiscal 

year 2021 for these programs under the recently passed Fostering Undergraduate Talent by 

Unlocking Resources (FUTURE) Act (Section 371 of the HEA). Including discretionary and 

mandatory funding, $720.4 million would be available if the request is enacted.

Title III, Part B (HBCU Funding)

The Administration’s Request would maintain strong support for Historically Black Colleges and 

Universities (HBCUs), consist consistent with the President's Executive Order on HBCUs, which 

calls for efforts to strengthen the capacity of HBCUs to provide the highest-quality education 

and to provide new opportunities for HBCU participation in Federal programs. HBCUs enroll 

over 9 percent of all African American students in higher education. Figures compiled by 

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) indicate that an estimated 226,843 African 

American students were enrolled at HBCUs in 2017. In addition, approximately 15 percent of 

African Americans who currently hold undergraduate degrees earned their credential from an 

HBCU. Grants provided under the Title III, Part B programs enable HBCUs and HBGIs to 

continue serving this population of students, encourage and prepare more African American 

students to pursue advanced study, and improve their academic quality, institutional 

management, and fiscal stability.

HBCU programs, including Howard University, would receive an overall total of $749.2 million in 

discretionary funding for fiscal year 2021, an increase of $44 million over the comparable fiscal 

year 2020 enacted level (including the $50 million HBCU share of the Minority Science and 

Engineering Program (MSEIP) funds proposed for fiscal year 2021 and described below). 

Specific requests for HBCUs authorized under Title III, Part B of the HEA include the following: 
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• $324.8 million for the Strengthening HBCUs program, the same as the fiscal year 2020 

appropriation;

• $84 million for the Strengthening HBGIs program, the same as the fiscal year 2020 

appropriation;

• $10 million for the Strengthening HBCU Master’s Degree Program, the same as the 2020 

appropriation. 

The Budget also includes $85 million in mandatory funding for the Strengthening HBCUs 

program authorized by the recently passed FUTURE Act. For the requests for the other HBCU 

programs, please see the requests for Howard University and HBCU Capital Financing. 

Title III, Part A (Other MSI Programs)

The Request also would provide $36.6 million for the Strengthening TCCUs program, the same 

as the 2020 appropriation. Funding would support 35 fully accredited Tribal Colleges and 

Universities. The majority of TCCUs are 2-year schools, primarily located in regions of the 

Midwest and Southwest not served by other postsecondary education institutions. TCCUs play 

a critical role by offering a broad range of degree and vocational certificate programs to students 

for whom these educational opportunities would otherwise be geographically and culturally 

inaccessible.

The Administration’s fiscal year 2021 budget renews and expands the proposal to create the 

Consolidated Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) Grant program, which for 2021 would 

consolidate 11 Title III and V funding authorities into a single institutional formula grant program. 

The new Consolidated Minority-Serving Institution Grant program would allocate combined 

discretionary and mandatory funding by formula to ensure that Alaska Native and Native 

Hawaiian-serving Institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving 

Institutions, Native American-serving Nontribal Institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions, and 

Hispanic-Serving Institutions continue to receive support for critical investments in infrastructure, 

curricula, student services, and other activities currently authorized under Titles III and V.

Under this proposal, the Administration would seek appropriations language to redirect, 

mandatory funds authorized by the FUTURE ACT, available in fiscal year 2021 from the 

fiscal year 2020 appropriation for the ANNH, PBI, AANAPISI, NASNTI, and HSI STEM and 

Articulation programs to the Consolidated MSI Grant. Fiscal year 2021 discretionary funds 

would first be used to fully pay all continuation awards to existing grantees under the 

consolidated grant programs; remaining discretionary and mandatory funds would be allocated 

through the proposed institutional formula. Additional information on the proposed consolidation 

may be found under the Consolidated MSI Grant justification on page S-66. 

The request continues to propose the elimination of the Strengthening Institutions Program, 

which largely duplicates the other Title III and V programs funded under the request that more 

appropriately target limited Federal funds on institutions that enroll large numbers and 

percentages of underserved, first-generation, minority college students.
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Title III, Part E (MSEIP)

Finally, the 2021 request includes $150 million for the MSEIP, $137.4 million more than the 

fiscal year 2020 appropriation, to fund STEM-based projects led by HBCUs and MSIs located in 

Opportunity Zones. The HBCU/MSI STEM Opportunity Zones Initiative would help these 

institutions bolster STEM academic pipelines aligned with the local business community, 

improve public-private STEM partnerships, launch STEM entrepreneurship incubators, and 

incentivize or complement investment from Opportunity Funds for STEM-focused capital 

projects (e.g. facilities for incubators) that will help prepare the future generation of STEM 

professionals. The transformed MSEIP would target $50 million to HBCUs, and $100 million to 

all other MSIs located in Opportunity Zones.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 Footnote

2020 Footno

te

2021 Footnote

Strengthening Institutions

Strengthening Institutions Program : Number of new development awards 64 551 0

Strengthening Institutions Program : Average new development awards $441 $465 0

Strengthening Institutions Program : Total new development award funding $28,228 $25,571 0

Strengthening Institutions Program : Number of NCC development awards 51 115 0

Strengthening Institutions Program : Average NCC development award $439 $436 0

Strengthening Institutions Program : Total NCC development award funding $22,403 $50,181 0

Strengthening Institutions Program : Number of NCC evidence awards 110 70 0

Strengthening Institutions Program : Average NCC evidence award $444 $459 0

Strengthening Institutions Program : Total NCC evidence award funding $48,828 $32,102 0

Strengthening Institutions Program : Peer review of new award applications $416 0 0

Strengthening Institutions Program : Total award funding (Section 311) $99,875 $107,854 0

Strengthening Institutions Program : Total number of awards 225 240 0

Strengthening TCCUs Triball y Controll ed Coll eges and Universities

TCCUsDiscretionary funding:

rengthening TCCU s - Discr etionary F unding: Number of new development awards 0 31 2

rengthening TCCU s - Discr etionary F unding: Average new development award 0 $1,104 $700

rengthening TCCU s - Discr etionary F unding: Total new development award funding 0 $34,233 $1,400

rengthening TCCU s - Discr etionary F unding: Number of NCC development awards 35 4 33

rengthening TCCU s - Discr etionary F unding: Average NCC development award $910 $600 $1,068

rengthening TCCU s - Discr etionary F unding: Total NCC development award funding $31,854 $2,400 $35,233

1 The Department plans to fund down the fiscal year 2019 grant slate to make new awards in fiscal year 2020.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)
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Output Measures 2019 Footnote

2020 Footnote2021 Footnote

Strengthening TCCUs (cont’d)

TCCU Mandatory funding:

rengthening TCCU s – Mandatory funding: Number of NCC development awards 35 35 35

rengthening TCCU s – Mandatory funding: Average NCC development award $804 $807 $857

rengthening TCCU s – Mandatory funding: Total NCC development award funding $28,140 $28,230 $30,000

Total award funding TCCUs discretionary and mandatory funding $59,994 $64,863 $66,633

TCCUs funding: Discretionary (Section 316) $31,854 $36,633 $36,633

TCCUs funding: Mandatory (Section 371) $28,140 $28,230 $30,000

TCCUs Total number of awards (discretionary and 

mandatory)

70 70 70

Strengthening ANNHs

Discretionary funding: Strengthening Alaska Nat ive and N ative Hawaiian-serving Inst itutions

Strengthening ANNH - Discr eti onary F undi ng: Number of new development awards 13 30 0

Strengthening ANNH - Discr eti onary F undi ng: Average new development award $395 $430 0

Strengthening ANNH - Discr eti onary F undi ng: Total new development award funding $5,132 $12,885 0

Strengthening ANNH - Discr eti onary F undi ng: Number of NCC development awards 12 13 0

Strengthening ANNH - Discr eti onary F undi ng: Average NCC development award $772 $406 0

Strengthening ANNH - Discr eti onary F undi ng: Total NCC development award funding $9,260 $5,276 0

Strengthening ANNH - Discr eti onary F undi ng: Total unobligated funding $1,523 0 0

Discretionary ANNH - Peer review of new award applications $15 $159 0

ning ANNHs - Mandatory funding:

Strengthening ANNHs - Total mandatory (Section 371) funds available 

for obligation at the start of the fiscal year $14,070 $23,461 0

Strengthening ANNHs - M andatory ANNH F undi ng: Number of new development awards 7 8 0

Strengthening ANNHs - M andatory ANNH F undi ng: Average new development award $388 $592 0

Strengthening ANNHs - M andatory ANNH F undi ng: Total new development award funding $2,713 $4,737 0
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 Footnote2020 Footnote2021 Footnote

Strengthening ANNHs (cont’d)

Mandatory funding: Strengthening Alaska N ative and N ative H awaiian- serving Institution s

Strengthening ANNHs – M andatory F unding: Number of NCC development awards 3 10 0

Strengthening ANNHs – M andatory F unding: Average NCC development award $665 $461 0

Strengthening ANNHs – M andatory F unding: Total NCC development award funding $1,996 $4,609 0

Mandatory ANNH - Peer review of new award applications $15 0 0

Total award funding Strengtheni ng ANNHs $20,654 $27,666 0

ANNH F unding: Discretionary (Section 317) $15,930 $18,320 0

ANNH F unding: Mandatory (Section 371) $4,724 $9,346 0

ANNH Mandatory(Section 371) estimated carryover 

(funds remaining at the end of the fiscal year) $9,3461 $14,1151 0

Total number of awards (discretionary and 

mandatory) Strengthening ANNHs

35 61 0

Strengthening HBCUs

HBCU Discretionary funding:

Strengthening H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Number of NCC awards 97 97 97

Strengthening H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Average NCC award $2,912 $3,348 $3,348

Strengthening H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Total NCC award funding $282,420 $324,792 $324,792

HBCU Mandatory funding:

Strengthening H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Number of new awards 0 97 0

Strengthening H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Average new award 0 $825 0

Strengthening H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Total new award funding 0 $79,985 0

ning H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Number of NCC awards 97 0 97

Strengthening H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Average NCC award $822 0 $876

Strengthening H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Total NCC award funding $79,730 0 $85,000

Total award funding Strengtheni ng PBIs $362,150 $404,777 $409,792

PBI Funding: Discretionary (Section 318) $282,420 $324,792 $324,792

PBI Funding: Mandatory (Section 371) $79,730 $79,985 $85,000

Total number of awards (discretionary and 

mandatory) Strengthening PBIs 194 194 194

1 Unobligated mandatory funding will be carried over for obligation in the succeeding fiscal year, the 2021 request 

would redirect fiscal year 2020 carryover funds to the Consolidated MSI Grant proposal. 
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 Footnote

2020 Footnote2021 Footnote

Strengthening HBGIs

Strengthening H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Number of new awards 24 0 0

Strengthening H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Average new award $3,043 0 0

Strengthening H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Total new award funding $73,037 0 0

Strengthening H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Number of NCC awards 0 24 24

Strengthening H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Average NCC award 0 $3,500 $3,500

Strengthening H BCUs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Total NCC award funding 0 $83,995 $83,995

Total award funding Strengtheni ng PBIs $73,037 $83,995 $83,995

Total number of awards (Section 326) 24 24 24

Strengthening HBCU Master’s Program

Number of NCC awards 18 18 18

Average NCC award $481 $553 $553

Total NCC awards $8,657 $9,956 $9,956

Strengthening PBIs

PBI Discretionary funding:

Strengthening PBIs – Discr etionary F undi ng: Number of NCC development awards 10 10 0

Strengthening PBIs – Discr etionary F undi ng: Average NCC development award $1,148 $1,320 0

Strengthening PBIs – Discr etionary F undi ng: Total NCC development award funding $11,475 $13,197 0

Mandatory funding (competitive):

PBIs Total mandatory (Section 371) funds available 

for obligation at the start of the fiscal year $28,080 $28,185 0

Strengthening PBIs - Number of new awards 0 0 0

Strengthening PBIs - Average of new award 0 0 0

Strengthening PBIs – Total new award funding 0 0 0

Strengthening PBIs – M andatory Funding: Number of NCC development awards 24 24 0

Strengthening PBIs – M andatory Funding: Average NCC development award $578 $586 0

Strengthening PBIs – M andatory Funding: Total NCC development award funding $13,883 $14,070 0

PBIs Mandatory Funding: Total unobligated funding $127 0 0

Total award funding Strengtheni ng PBIs $25,485 $27,267 0

PBI Funding: Discretionary (Section 318) $11,475 $13,197 0

PBI Funding: Mandatory (Section 371) $14,010 $14,070 0
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 Footnote

2020 Footnote2021 Footnote

Strengthening PBIs (cont’d)

Mandatory funding (competitive):

PBIs Mandatory (Section 371) estimated carryover 

(funds remaining at the end of the fiscal year) $14,070 1 $14,11510

Total number of awards (discretionary and 

mandatory) Strengthening PBIs 34 34 0

Strengthening AANAPISIs

AAN APISI Discretionary funding:

Strengthening AAN APISIs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Number of new development awards 0 12 0

Strengthening AAN APISIs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Average new development award 0 $367 0

Strengthening AAN APISIs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Total new development award funding 0 $4,400 0

Strengthening AAN APISIs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Number of NCC development awards 11 0 0

Strengthening AAN APISIs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Average NCC development award $298 0 0

Strengthening AAN APISIs – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Total NCC development award funding $3,281 0 0

AAN APISIs – Discretionary F unding: Total unobligated funding $583 0 0

AAN APISIs – Discretionary F unding: Peer review of new award applications 0 $44 0

AAN APISI Mandatory funding:

AAN APISI Total mandatory (Section 371) funds available 

for obligation at the start of the year $9,360 $9,309 0

ening AAN APISIs – M andatory F unding: Number of new development awards 0 0 0

Strengthening AAN APISIs – M andatory F unding: Average new development award 0 0 0

Strengthening N ASNT Is – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Total new development award funding 0 0 0

Strengthening AAN APISIs – M andatory F unding: Number of NCC development awards 16 16 0

Strengthening AAN APISIs – M andatory F unding: Average NCC development award $297 $288 0

Strengthening N ASNT Is – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Total NCC development award funding $4,756 $4,604 0

AAN APISIS – M andatory F unding: Peer review of new award applications 0 0 0

Total award funding Strengtheni ng AANAPISI $8,620 $9,048 0

AAN APISI Funding: Discretionary (Section 320) $3,864 $4,444 0

AAN APISI Funding: Mandatory (Section 371) $4,756 $4,604 0

ANNAPISI Mandatory (Section 371) estimated carryover 

(funds remaining at the end of the fiscal year) $4,6041 $4,7051 0

1 Unobligated mandatory funding will be carried over for obligation in the succeeding fiscal year; the 2021 request 

would redirect fiscal year 2020 carryover funds to the Consolidated MSI Grant proposal.
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 Footnote2020 Footnote2021 Footnote

Strengthening AANAPISIs (cont’d)

AAN APISI Mandatory funding:

Total number of awards (discretionary and 

mandatory) Strengthening AAN APISIs

27 28 0

Strengthening NASNTIs

NASNT IsDiscretionary funding:

Strengthening N ASNT Is – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Number of new development awards 0 12 0

Strengthening N ASNT Is – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Average new development award 0 $367 0

Strengthening N ASNT Is – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Total new development award funding 0 $4,400 0

Strengthening N ASNT Is – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Number of NCC development awards 7 0 0

Strengthening N ASNT Is – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Average NCC development award $384 0 0

Strengthening N ASNT Is – Discr eti onary F undi ng: Total NCC development award funding $2,687 0 0

NASNT Is Discr etionary: Total unobligated funding $1,177 0 0

NASNT Is M andatory Funding: Peer review of new award applications 0 $44 0

NASNT Is Mandatory funding:

NASNT Is - Total mandatory (Section 371) funds available for 

obligation at the start of the fiscal year $9,360 $9,395 0

Strengthening N ASNT Is – M andatory F unding: Number of new development awards 0 0 0

Strengthening N ASNT Is – M andatory F unding: Average new development award 0 0 0

Strengthening N ASNT Is – M andatory F unding: Total new development award funding 0 0 0

Strengthening N ASNT Is – M andatory F unding: Number of NCC development awards 12 12 0

Strengthening N ASNT Is – M andatory F unding: Average NCC development award $347 $391 0

Strengthening N ASNT Is – M andatory F unding: Total NCC development award funding $4,161 $4,690 0

NASNT Is – M andatory Funding: Total unobligated funding $509 0 0

NASNT Is – M andatory Funding: Peer review of new award applications 0 0 0

ning N ASNT Is – M andatory F unding: Total award funding (discretionary and mandatory) $8,534 $9,134 0

NASNT Is F undi ng: Discretionary (Section 319) $3,864 $4,444 0

NASNT Is F undi ng: Mandatory (Section 371) $4,670 $4,690 0

NASNT Is Mandatory (Section 371) estimated carryover (funds 

remaining at the end of the fiscal year) $4,6901 $4,7051 0

NASNT Is M andatory Funding: Total number of awards (discretionary and 

mandatory) 19 24 0

1 Unobligated mandatory funding will be carried over for obligation in the succeeding fiscal year; the 2021 request 

would redirect fiscal year 2020 carryover funds to the Consolidated MSI Grant proposal.
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 2020 2021

MSEIP Minority Science and Engineering Improvement

MSEIP Number of new awards 25 20 1 0

MSEIP Average new award $240 $223 0

MSEIP Total new award funding $5,990 $4,467 0

MSEIP Number of new MSEIP-HBCU awards 0 0 97

MSEIP Average new MSEIP-HBCU award 0 0 $515

MSEIP Total new MSEIP-HBCU award funding 0 0 $50,000

MSEIP Number of new MSEIP-HSI awards 0 0 150

MSEIP Average new MSEIP-HSI award 0 0 $333

MSEIP Total new MSEIP-HSI award funding 0 0 $50,000

MSEIP Number of new MSEIP-MSI awards 0 0 115

MSEIP Average new MSEIP-MSI award 0 0 $333

MSEIP Total new MSEIP-MSI award funding 0 0 $38,316

MSEIP Number of NCC awards 20 35 45

MSEIP Average NCC award $253 $233 $226

MSEIP Total NCC award funding $5,059 $8,168 $10,184

MSEIP Peer review of new awards applications $86 0 $1,500

MSEIP Total award funding $11,135 $12,635 $150,000

MSEIP Total number of awards 45 55 407

1 The Department plans to fund down the fiscal year 2019 grant slate to make new awards in fiscal year 2020. 

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of the 

progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based on 

the cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for the program as well as the resources 

and efforts invested by those served by the program.

The Department identified a handful of critical indicators for which annualized data are available 

across all Title III institutions, including grantees. Such indicators include enrollment, 

persistence, and graduation outcomes. All national persistence and graduation rates reflected 

below are estimates based on data from NCES/Integrated are Postsecondary Education Data 
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Systems (IPEDS) and subject to minor changes. IPEDS data reported by all institutions 

participating in these programs and are subject to NCES consistency and validity checks.

53

70

56

55

61

53

59

63

70

85

76

67

76

60

71

81

0 25 50 75 100

NASNTI

AANAPISI

PBI

HBCU

ANNH

TCCU

SIP

National Rate

NASNTI

AANAPISI

PBI

HBCU

ANNH

TCCU

SIP

National Rate

2019 Persistence %

Institution

4-year

Persistence Rates at Title III Institutions

2-year

31

29

21

23

21

15

24

35

44

63

42

36

52

9

48

62

0 25 50 75 100

NASNTI

AANAPISI

PBI

HBCU

ANNH

TCCU

SIP

National Rate

NASNTI

AANAPISI

PBI

HBCU

ANNH

TCCU

SIP

National Rate

2018 Graduation %

Institution

Graduation Rates at Title III Institutions

4-year

2-year
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Additional information: AANAPISI grantee institutions had the highest persistence rates in 

2019 for 4-year and 2-year Title III institutions (85 percent and 70 percent, respectively), 

exceeding the national rate of 81 percent and 63 percent, respectively. In addition, 

AANAPISI-grantee institutions had the highest graduation rates for 4-year grantee institutions—

63 percent versus the national rate of 62 percent in 2018. 

Goal: To improve the capacity of minority-serving institutions, which traditionally have 

limited resources and serve large numbers of low-income and minority students, to improve 

student success, and to provide high-quality educational opportunities for their students.

Objective: Maintain or increase the enrollment, persistence, and graduation rates at minorityserving institutions.

Enrollment Measure: The percentage change, over the 5-year grant period, of the number of 

full-time degree-seeking undergraduates enrolled at Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) 

institutions.

Year Target Actual

2008 +5.1% (4-year change)

2013 +6.4% +11.3 (5-year change)

2018 +1.3 -10.0 (5-year change)

Additional information: The Department uses fall enrollment data for all full-time 

degree-seeking undergraduate students and tracks program enrollment at the beginning of, 

and 1 year after the end of, each 5-year grant period. The percentage change is calculated 

against the base year. There are no intermediate annual targets. The initial target of 

6.4 percent for 2013 reflects the anticipated percentage increase in enrollment over the period 

fiscal year 2008-2013 based on actual enrollment data from grantees receiving continuation 

funding in fiscal year 2008 which, at the time, was 5.1 percent.

Persistence Measures: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate 

students at 4-year and 2-year SIP institutions who were in their first year of postsecondary 

enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same SIP institution.

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 74.5% 75.5% 62.5% 57.0%

2017 75.0 75.0 63.0 59.0

2018 75.0 72.0 63.0 60.0

2019 75.5 71.0 63.5 59.0

2020 75.5 63.5

2021 75.5 63.5
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Graduation Measures: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate 

students enrolled at 4-year and 2-year SIP institutions graduating within 6 years and 3 years of 

enrollment, respectively. 

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 52.5% 49.5% 25.0% 21.0%

2017 53.0 46.0 25.0 23.0

2018 53.5 48.0 25.0 24.0

2019 53.5 25.0

2020 53.5 25.0

2021 53.5 25.0

Additional information: Persistence at 4-year SIP institutions is 10 percentage points lower 

than persistence rates at all 4-year public and private institutions (81 percent), while the 2-year 

SIP persistence rate is 4.5 percentage points lower than the rate for all 2-year public and private 

schools nationally (63 percent).

The 4-year graduation rate targets are intended to gradually narrow the gap with the national 

rate of 62 percent. The 2-year SIP-grantee graduation rate is well short of the national rate of 

35 percent. Persistence data for 2020 and graduation data for 2018-2019 will be available in 

December 2020. 

Enrollment Measure: The percentage change, over the 5-year grant period, of the number of 

full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at TCCUs.

Year Target Actual

2008 +24.3% (5-year change)

2013 +24.0% +15.3 (5-year change)

2018 +1.3 -20.4 (5-year change)

Additional information: The Department uses fall enrollment data for all full-time 

degree-seeking undergraduate students and tracks program enrollment at the beginning of, and 

1 year after the end of, each 5-year grant period. The percentage change is calculated against 

the base year. There are no intermediate annual targets. The initial target of 24 percent for 

2013 reflects the anticipated percentage increase in enrollment over the period fiscal year 

2008-2013 based on actual enrollment data from grantees receiving continuation funding in 

fiscal year 2008 (30 institutions).

While overall enrollment increased at TCCUs and at degree-granting postsecondary institutions 

between 2004 and 2014, during the most recent part of this period, enrollment has been on the 

decline. Thus, the Department set the target for 2018 based on NCES’ projection for the 

change in total undergraduate enrollment at degree-granting institutions from 2013-2018.
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Persistence Measures: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate 

students at 4-year and 2-year TCCUs who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in 

the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same TCCU.

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 50.5% 56.0% 52.0% 43.0%

2017 51.0 55.5 53.0 47.0

2018 51.0 65.0 53.0 53.0

2019 51.5 59.5 53.5 52.5

2020 51.5 54.5

2021 51.5 54.5

Graduation Measures: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate 

students enrolled at 4-year and 2-year TCCUs graduating within 6 years and 3 years of 

enrollment, respectively. 

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 17.0% 11.0% 28.0% 18.0%

2017 18.0 8.0 28.5 14.5

2018 18.0 9.5 28.5 15.0

2019 18.5 28.5

2020 18.5 28.5

2021 18.5 28.5

Additional information: Graduation data for 2018-2019 will be available in December 2020.

Enrollment Measure: The percentage change, over the 5-year grant period, of the number of 

full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at ANNH institutions.

Year Target Actual

2008 -1.7% (5-year change)

2013 0% +13.4 (5-year change)

2018 +1.3 -14.8 (5-year change)

Additional information: The Department uses fall enrollment data for all full-time 

degree-seeking undergraduate students and tracks program enrollment at the beginning of, and 

1 year after the end of, each 5-year grant period. The percentage change is calculated against 

the base year. There are no intermediate annual targets. The initial target set for 2013 reflects 

the anticipated percentage increase in enrollment over the performance period of fiscal 

year 2008-2013 based on actual enrollment data from grantees receiving continuation funding in 

fiscal year 2008 (11 institutions), i.e., grantees from the fiscal years 2004-2007 competitions. 

The target of “0” for 2013 reflects the fact that the Department did not anticipate an increase in 

enrollment over the performance period. The Department set a target for 2018 based on NCES’ 

projection for the change in total undergraduate enrollment at degree-granting institutions from 

2013-2018.
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Persistence Measures: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate 

students at 4-year and 2-year ANNH-serving institutions who were in their first year of 

postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same 

ANNH-serving institution.

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 77.5% 74.0% 71.0% 62.0%

2017 78.0 75.0 71.5 60.0

2018 78.0 76.0 71.5 62.0

2019 78.0 76.0 71.5 61.0

2020 78.0 71.5

2021 78.0 71.5

Graduation Measures: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate 

students enrolled at 4-year and 2-year ANNH institutions who graduate within 6 years and 

3 years of enrollment, respectively. 

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 47.5% 50.0% 16.5% 17.0%

2017 48.0 52.0 16.5 19.0

2018 48.0 52.0 16.5 21.0

2019 48.5 17.0

2020 48.5 17.0

2021 49.0 17.5

Additional information: Graduation rates at 4-year and 2-year ANNH-grantee institutions 

exceeded the targets set for 2018; yet both rates fall short of the national graduation rate. 

Graduation data for 2018-2019 will be available in December 2020. 

Enrollment Measure: The percentage change, over the 5-year grant period, of the number of 

full-time degree-seeking undergraduates enrolled at HBCUs.

Year Target Actual

2008 +8.0% (5-year change)

2013 +8.0% -0.3 (5-year change)

2018 +1.3 -7.1 (5-year change)

Additional information: The Department uses fall enrollment data for all full-time 

degree-seeking undergraduate students and tracks program enrollment at the beginning of, and 

1 year after the end of, each 5-year grant period. The percentage change is calculated against 

the base year. There are no intermediate annual targets. The initial target of 8 percent for 2013 

reflects the anticipated percentage increase in enrollment over the period fiscal year 2008-2013 

based on actual enrollment data from HBCUs receiving funding in fiscal year 2008 

(96 institutions).
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Persistence Measures: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate 

students at 4-year and 2-year HBCUs who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in 

the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same HBCU.

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 69.5% 66.0% 57.5% 50.0%

2017 70.0 66.0 58.0 57.0

2018 70.0 66.0 58.0 55.0

2019 70.5 66.5 58.5 55.0

2020 70.5 58.5

2021 70.5 58.5

Graduation Measures: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate 

students enrolled at 4-year and 2-year HBCUs graduating within 6 years and 3 years of 

enrollment, respectively. 

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 40.0% 33.0% 17.5% 18.0%

2017 41.0 35.0 18.0 22.0

2018 41.0 36.0 18.5 22.5

2019 41.5 19.0

2020 41.5 19.0

2021 41.4 19.0

Additional information: The 2019 HBCU persistence rates lag behind the national rates for 

both 4-year (81 percent) and 2-year institutions (63 percent). Persistence data for 2020 and 

graduation data for 2018-2019 will be available December 2020. 

Enrollment Measure: The percentage change, over the 5-year grant period, of the number of 

full-time graduate students enrolled at HBGIs.

Year Target Actual

2008 +13.0% (5-year change)

2013 +13.0% +22.0 (5-year change)

2018 +3.2
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Degree Completion Measure: The number of PhDs, first professional, and Master’s degrees 

awarded at HBGIs.

Year Target Actual

2016 6,800 7,258

2017 6,900 7,215

2018 7,000 7,601

2019 7,100

2020 7,000

2021 6,900

Additional information: The Department uses fall enrollment data for all full-time 

degree-seeking undergraduate students and tracks program enrollment at the beginning of, 

and 1 year after the end of, each 5-year grant period. The percentage change is calculated

against the base year. There are no intermediate annual targets. Student enrollment at the 

original 18 HBGIs in 2008 (11,144) was used to calculate the percentage change against 

student enrollment at those HBGIs in the base year 2003 (9,860). Student enrollment for 2013 

is for the 5-year grant period 2009-2013 and includes 6 additional HBGIs added in 2008 when 

the HEA was reauthorized. Student enrollment at the 24 HBGIs grew by nearly 23 percent, 

from 12,744 in 2008 to 15,632 in 2014, exceeding the target set for 2013 for student enrollment 

by 8 percentage points. The next enrollment period, fiscal years 2013-2018, was based on 

NCES’ projection for the change in total graduate enrollment at degree-granting institutions 

during this time. 

The program’s performance exceeded the target set for 2017 for degree completion. Data for 

2019 will be available in December 2020.

Enrollment Measure: The percentage change of the number of full-time degree-seeking 

undergraduate students enrolled at PBIs.

Year Target Actual

2011 +15.6% (1-year change)

2016 -28.1 (5-year change)

2021 +7.1%

Additional information: This program received its first year of funding in 2008. Data for the 

2013 persistence rate and the 2012 graduation rate are from PBI grantees who received a new 

award in 2010 and 2011 in the discretionary and mandatory PBI programs. For enrollment, the 

percentage change is calculated against the base year. Future progress will be assessed 

against targets every 5 years. Student enrollment at PBI-grantee institutions in 2011 (59,908) 

was used to calculate the percentage change against student enrollment at PBIs in the base 

year 2008 (56,629). However, the change in enrollment at grantee institutions decreased by 

28 percent between 2011 and 2016; student enrollment at 19 grantee institutions decreased by 

750 or more students during this time and one institution closed its doors. Program targets 

will be based on NCES’ projection for the change in total undergraduate enrollment at 

degree-granting institutions. The target for 2021 is NCES’ projection for the change in total 

undergraduate enrollment at all degree-granting institutions from 2016-2021.
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Persistence Measures: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate 

students at 4-year and 2-year PBIs who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in 

the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same PBI.

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 73.0% 67.5% 55.0% 52.0%

2017 73.5 76.0 55.5 53.0

2018 73.5 75.5 55.5 55.0

2019 74.0 75.5 56.0 56.0

2020 74.0 56.0

2021 75.0 56.0

Graduation Measures: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate 

students enrolled at 4-year and 2-year PBIs who graduate within 6 years and 3 years of 

enrollment, respectively.

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 30.0% 40.0% 14.0% 18.5%

2017 30.5 39.0 14.5 22.0

2018 30.5 42.0 14.5 21.5

2019 31.0 15.0

2020 31.0 15.0

2021 31.5 16.0

Additional information: Data are for both the discretion and mandatory PBI programs. The 

persistence rates at 4-year PBIs exceeded the target set for 2019 by 1.5 percentage points but

lags behind the national 2019 persistence rate by 6 percentage points. Persistence data for 

2019 and graduation data for 2018-2019 will be available in December 2020. 

Enrollment Measure: The percentage change of the number of full-time degree-seeking 

undergraduate students enrolled at AANAPISIs.

Year Target Actual

2011 +3.4% (1-year change)

2016 +5.5 (5-year change)

2021 +7.1%

Additional information: This program received its first year of funding in 2008. Recent data 

are from 17 grantees who received discretionary and mandatory funding from the AANAPISI 

programs—eight 2-year institutions and nine 4-year institutions. For enrollment, the percentage 

change is calculated against the base year. There are no intermediate annual targets. Future 

progress will be assessed against targets periodically (about every 5 years). Student enrollment 

at AANAPISI-grantee institutions in 2011 (68,687) was used to calculate the percentage change 

against student enrollment at AANAPISIs in the base year 2008 (63,000). The change in 

enrollment for fiscal years 2011-2015 was 5.5 percent.
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Targets will be based on NCES’ projection for the change in total undergraduate enrollment at 

degree-granting institutions. The target for 2021 projects the change in total undergraduate 

enrollment at degree-granting institutions from 2016-2021.

Persistence Measures: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate 

students at 4-year and 2-year AANAPISIs who were in their first year of postsecondary 

enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same AANAPISI.

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 81.0% 84.0% 71.0% 69.5%

2017 81.0 84.5 71.0 70.0

2018 81.5 85.0 71.5 70.5

2019 81.5 85.0 71.5 70.0

2020 82.0 72.0

2021 82.0 72.0

Graduation Measures: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate 

students enrolled at 4-year and 2-year AANAPISIs who graduate within 6 years and 3 years of 

enrollment, respectively. 

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 49.5% 62.0% 23.0% 25.0%

2017 49.5 62.0 23.5 27.0

2018 50.0 63.0 23.5 29.0

2019 50.0 24.0

2020 50.5 24.0

2021 50.5 24.5

Additional information: The performance rate of AANAPISI-grantee institutions not only 

exceeded the 2019 target set for persistence at 4-year grantee institutions, but also exceeded the 

national persistence rate for 4-year public and private schools (81 percent). In addition, 4-year 

AANAPISI-grantee institutions exceeded the national graduation rate for 4-year public and private 

schools (62 percent) by 1 percentage point. 

Enrollment Measure: The percentage change of the number of full-time degree-seeking 

undergraduate students enrolled at NASNTIs.

Year Target Actual

2011 +16.7% (1-year change)

2016 +0.5 (5-year change)

2021 7.1%

Additional information: This program received its first year of funding in 2008. Recent data in 

the NASNTI program are from 13 grantees who received funding in the discretionary NASNTI 

program in 2010—ten 2-year institutions and three 4-year institutions. For enrollment, the 

percentage change is calculated against the base year. There are no intermediate annual
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targets. Future progress will be assessed against targets periodically (about every 5 years). 

Student enrollment at NASNTI-grantee institutions in 2013 (20,637) was used to calculate the 

percentage change against student enrollment at NASNTIs in the base year 2011 (20,844). 

The change in enrollment for fiscal years 2011-2016 was 0.5 percent. Enrollment rates at 

current grantee institutions are on the decline. 

Targets will be based on NCES’ projection for the change in total undergraduate enrollment at 

degree-granting institutions. The target for 2021 projects the change in total undergraduate 

enrollment at degree-granting institutions from 2016-2021.

Persistence Measures: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate 

students at 4-year and 2-year NASNTIs who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment 

in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same NASNTI.

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 72.0% 67.5% 53.0% 57.5%

2017 73.0 68.0 53.5 57.0

2018 73.0 66.0 53.5 56.0

2019 73.5 69.5 54.0 53.0

2020 73.5 54.0

2021 73.5 54.0

Graduation Measures: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate 

students enrolled at 4-year and 2-year NASNTIs who graduate within 6 years and 3 years of 

enrollment, respectively. 

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 34.5% 40.0% 21.0% 28.0%

2017 35.0 42.0 21.5 29.0

2018 35.0 44.0 21.5 31.0

2019 35.5 22.0

2020 35.5 22.0

2021 40.0 22.5

Additional information: The 2-year persistence rate at NASNTI-grantee institutions exceeded 

the target set for 2019 and is comparable to the 2-year persistence rate at HBCUs (55 percent)

and PBIs (56 percent). Persistence data for 2020 and graduation data for 2018-2019 will be 

available in December 2020. 

MSEIP Performance Measures

The Department believes that the current measures of enrollment and graduation for the MSEIP 

program may be unreliable or inconsistent due the challenges of collecting data by field of 

study. As an alternative, the Department used IPEDS data to determine whether the 
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percentage of bachelor’s degrees conferred that were in STEM fields increased between 2005 

and 2014. Specifically, data examined were:

• The percentage of bachelor’s degrees conferred by the 2005 cohort of MSEIP grantees 

in 2005 and 2014 that were in STEM fields. 

• The percentage of bachelor’s degrees conferred by all Title IV eligible institutions in 

2005 and 2014 that were in STEM fields.

In addition, the same percentages for the two largest underrepresented racial/ethnic groups 

were examined.

The intent is to examine whether an increasing percentage of students in MSEIP institutions 

earn degrees in STEM fields, given that one of the main purposes of the MSEIP program is to 

increase the participation of underrepresented minorities in scientific and technological careers. 

STEM fields can include a wide range of disciplines. However, for purposes of this data 

analysis, STEM fields include computer and information sciences; engineering; engineering 

technologies and engineering-related fields; biological and biomedical sciences; mathematics 

and statistics; physical sciences; science technology/technicians; and agriculture, agriculture 

operations, and related sciences.

Measure: Number and percentage of bachelor’s degrees conferred that are in STEM fields, 

2005, 2010, and 2015. 

Number and p ercent age of B.A . d egrees

2005

MSEIP

Grantees

2010

MSEIP

Grantees

2015

MSEIP 

Grantees

2005

All Title IV

IHEs

2010

All Title IV

IHEs

2015

All Title IV 

IHEs

All Students: Number of STEM 

degrees 4,430 4,896 4,970 227,131 253,431 337,430

All Students: Number of 

degrees 23,866 32,663 27,888 1,411,002 1,620,629 1,840,490

All Students: Percent of 

degrees that are in STEM fields 15.7% 15.0% 17.8% 16.1% 15.6% 18.3%

Black or African American 

Students: Number of STEM 

degrees 915 847 1,792 16,405 16,196 35,805

Black or African American 

Students: Number of degrees 7,193 6,956 10,380 127,978 152,404 226,900

Black or African American 

Students: Percent of degrees 

that are in STEM fields 12.7% 12.2% 17.3% 12.8% 10.6% 15.8%

Hispanic Students: Number of 

STEM degrees 1,237 1,713 1,808 15,596 19,607 21,138

Hispanic Students: Number of 

degrees 9,407 12,688 11,610 111,616 147,205 182,778

Hispanic Students: Percent of 

degrees that are in STEM fields 13.1% 13.5% 15.6% 14.0% 13.3% 11.6%
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In 2005, approximately 15.7 percent of all bachelor’s degrees conferred by the 2005 cohort of 

MSEIP grantees were in STEM fields, a figure that was slightly higher than the 2010 and 2014 

percentages. These percentages are comparable to that of those at all Title IV institutions in 

2005, 2010, and 2015. Overall, the percentages of STEM degrees awarded to “all students” in 

2005, 2010, and 2015 were higher than the comparable percentages of STEM degrees 

awarded to both Black or Hispanic students, and the percentages did not change appreciably 

between 2005 and 2015.

Efficiency Measures

The Department developed a common efficiency measure for the AID programs. These 

calculations do not take into account Federal student financial aid received by these institutions. 

Both discretionary and mandatory funding are included in the calculation of the measures and 

targets for TCCUs, ANNH-serving institutions, HBCUs, PBIs, AANAPISIs, and NASNTIs 

programs. 

Measure: Cost per successful outcome: Federal cost per undergraduate and graduate degree 

at SIP institutions.

Year Target Actual

2016 $415 $470

2017 410 434

2018 405 447

2019 400

2020 395

Measure: Cost per successful outcome: Federal cost per undergraduate degree at TCCUs.

Year Target Actual

2016 $32,550 $20,697

2017 32,500 21,769

2018 28,500 22,907

2019 28,500

2020 28,000

Measure: Cost per successful outcome: Federal cost per undergraduate and graduate degree 

at ANNH-serving Institutions.

Year Target Actual

2016 $2,700 $2,329

2017 2,675 2,296

2018 2,400 1,609

2019 2,225

2020 2,200
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Measure: Cost per successful outcome: Federal cost per undergraduate and graduate degree 

at HBCUs.

Year Target Actual

2016 $7,190 $6,702

2017 7,115 5,834

2018 7,000 7,601

2019 6,900

2020 6,800

Measure: Cost per successful outcome: Federal cost per graduate degree at HBGIs.

Year Target Actual

2016 $9,068 $8,719

2017 8,975 10,023

2018 8,900 10,179

2019 8,825

2020 8,750

Measure: Cost per successful outcome: Federal cost per undergraduate degree at PBIs.

Year Target Actual

2016 $1,010 $1,162

2017 1,000 1,113

2018 990 1,162

2019 900

2020 875

Measure: Cost per successful outcome: Federal cost per undergraduate degree at 

AANAPISIs.

Year Target Actual

2016 $285 $130

2017 280 133

2018 175 125

2019 125

2020 100
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Measure: Cost per successful outcome: Federal cost per undergraduate degree at NASNTIs.

Year Target Actual

2016 $995 $490

2017 985 536

2018 550 476

2019 500

2020 450

Additional information: These measures are calculated as the appropriation for the program 

divided by the number of undergraduate and graduate degrees awarded. A similar efficiency 

measure has been established for the Developing HSIs program and for Howard University. 

This metric may enable the Department to assess program performance across institutions with 

similar types of missions. Performance on efficiency measures exceeded the targets set for 

2018 on all but 4 Title III programs (SIP, HBCUs, HBGIs, and PBIs). 
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Aid for Hispanic-serving institutions

(Higher Education Act of 1965, Title V, Parts A and B; Title III, Part F, Section 371(b)(2)(B)) 

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2021 Authorization: To be determined (discretionary)1; 0 (mandatory)2

Budget Authority:

rogram Footnote

2020

Appropriation

2021

Request Footno

te

Change from

2020 to 2021 Footnote

Developing Hispanic-serving 

Institutions (discretionary) 

(HEA V-A) $143,081 03 -$143,081

Promoting 

Postbaccalaureate 

Opportunities for Hispanic 

Americans (discretionary) 

(HEA V-B) 12,838 0 3 -12,838

Developing Hispanic-serving 

Institutions Science, 

Technology, Engineering, 

and Mathematics and 

Articulation (mandatory) 

(HEA III-F) 94,100 04 -94,100

Total 250,019 0 -250,019

Discretionary 155,919 0 -155,919

Mandatory 94,100 0 -94,100

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2015; no appropriations language or reauthorizing legislation is sought 

for fiscal year 2021. 2 Mandatory appropriations provided under Title III, Part F, Section 371 of the HEA; these funds are, therefore, not 

part of the appropriations or budget request. The 2020 levels for mandatory programs have been reduced by 

5.9 percent which became effective on October 1, 2019, pursuant to the Budget Control Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-25). 

The $100 million fiscal year 2021 authorization of mandatory funds is reflected under the Consolidated MSI Grant 

request found elsewhere in this account.

3 This program is part of the Administration’s Consolidated MSI Grant proposal for fiscal year 2021.

4 The Administration is proposing to redirect these mandatory funds, available in fiscal year 2021 from the fiscal year 

2020 appropriation, to the proposed Consolidated MSI Grant.
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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Developing Hispanic-serving Institutions program, authorized under Title V of the Higher 

Education Act (HEA), provides competitive grants to Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSIs) to 

expand educational opportunities for, and improve the academic attainment of, Hispanic 

students. The program supports efforts to expand and enhance academic offerings, program 

quality, and institutional stability of colleges and universities that are educating the majority of 

Hispanic college students and helping large numbers of Hispanic students and other lowincome individuals complete postsecondary degrees. HSIs are defined as “eligible institutions” 

if they: (1) have below-average educational and general expenditures per full-time equivalent 

undergraduate student; (2) enroll a significant percentage of financially needy students, as 

measured by Pell Grant status or receipt of other Title IV need-based aid; and (3) have an 

enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25 percent Hispanic.

The program makes (1) individual development grants to help institutions address unique 

challenges to building capacity and improving performance and (2) cooperative arrangement 

development grants that promote joint efforts between two or more IHEs to resolve common 

challenges to institutional effectiveness. In addition, the Department may award 1-year planning 

grants for the preparation of plans and grant applications under this program.

Grants are awarded for a period of up to 5 years. Grantees may use their funds to plan, 

develop, and implement a wide range of authorized activities, including activities that 

encourage: faculty and academic program development; better management of funds and 

administration; construction and maintenance of instructional facilities; student services 

designed to improve college completion; establishment of a program of teacher education; 

establishment of community outreach programs that encourage elementary and secondary 

school students to develop an interest in pursuing postsecondary education; and creation or 

improvement of facilities for Internet-based or other distance learning academic instruction, 

including purchase or rental of telecommunications technology equipment and services. Also, 

HSIs may use no more than 20 percent of the grant funds to establish or increase an 

institution’s endowment fund with the Federal contribution matched dollar-for-dollar by 

non-Federal funds. HSI grantees are not eligible to receive funding under Part A or Part B of 

Title III.

The Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) program, 

authorized under Title V of the HEA, seeks to expand the number of Hispanic students entering 

postbaccalaureate education and attaining advanced degrees. The program is designed to help

institutions of higher education that are educating large numbers of Hispanic and low-income 

students increase their postbaccalaureate academic offerings and enhance program quality. To 

be eligible for a grant under this program, an institution of higher education must be an HSI that 

offers a program that leads to a postbaccalaureate certificate or degree. Grants are awarded 

for up to 5 years, and participating institutions also may receive funds under Title V, Part A.

Authorized activities include: purchasing, renting, or leasing scientific or laboratory equipment 

used for educational purposes; construction, maintenance, renovation and facilities 

improvement, including telecommunications; purchasing library books, periodicals, journals, and 

other educational materials, including telecommunications program materials; supporting 
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low-income postbaccalaureate students through outreach programs, academic support 

services, mentoring, and student financial assistance; supporting faculty development, 

exchanges, and research, as well as curricular development and academic instruction; the 

creation or improvement of facilities for Internet-based or other distance education technologies; 

and collaboration with other IHEs to expand postbaccalaureate offerings.

The HSI STEM and Articulation Program, authorized under Title III, Part F of the HEA and 

funded through mandatory appropriations, is designed to increase the number of Hispanic and 

other low-income students attaining degrees in STEM fields and to support the development of 

model transfer and articulation agreements between 2-year HSIs and 4-year IHEs in such fields. 

Funding levels for the Aid for HSI programs for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2016....................................................................... $210,6661

2017.........................................................................210,5662

2018.........................................................................227,6353

2019.........................................................................229,3784

2020.........................................................................250,0195

1 Includes $93,200 thousand in mandatory funds provided under the HEA.

2 Includes $93,100 thousand in mandatory funds provided under the HEA. 3 Includes $93,400 thousand in mandatory funds provided under the HEA. 4 Includes $93,800 thousand in mandatory funds provided under the HEA.

5 Includes $94,100 thousand in mandatory funds provided under the HEA.

FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2021, the Administration does not include separate funding under Aid for 

Hispanic-serving Institutions because its two discretionary and one mandatory funding authorities 

are included in the Administration’s proposal to consolidate 11 existing Title III and V funding 

authorities into a single, new $336.3 million institutional formula grant program. The 

Administration believes HSIs provide critical support for activities designed to improve the 

educational outcomes at institutions with a significant share of low-income, Hispanic, and other 

minority students, but can more efficiently be supported under the proposed Consolidated MSI 

Grant program. The Consolidated MSI Grant program would ensure continued support for HSIs, 

which would make up the majority of institutions served under the proposal, while eliminating 

redundant activities, reducing the Federal role, promoting fiscal restraint, and enabling the 

Department to re-allocate limited staff resources from competition-related activities to grant 

monitoring and performance improvement. Under this proposal, the Administration would seek 

appropriations language to redirect, mandatory funds authorized by the FUTURE ACT, available 

in fiscal year 2021 from the fiscal year 2020 appropriation for the HSI STEM and Articulation 

programs, ANNH, PBI, AANAPISI, and NASNTI programs to the Consolidated MSI Grant. Also, 

during the transition to the Consolidated MSI Grant, the Department would reserve sufficient 

funds to pay continuation awards to current Developing HSIs and PPOHA grantees through the 

end of their project periods. More information is available in the request for the Consolidated 

MSI Grant program.
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 2020Footnote2021 Footnote

Developing HSIs

Devel oping H SIs: Number of new awards 45 125 0

Devel oping H SIs:Average new award $566 $550 0

Devel oping H SIs:Total new award funding $25,492 $69,158 0

Devel oping H SIs: Number of NCC awards 181 129 0

Devel oping H SIs:Average NCC award $545 $568 0

Devel oping H SIs:Total NCC award funding $98,569 $73,248 0

Devel oping H SIs:Peer review of new award applications $303 $675 0

Devel oping H SIs:Total award funding $124,061 $142,406 0

Devel oping H SIs:Total award funding 266 254 0

Promoting Postbaccalaureate 

Opportunities for Hispanic Americans

 PPOH A: Number of new awards 20 3 0

 PPOH A: Average new award $547 $541 0

 PPOH A: Total new award funding $10,948 $1,624 0

 PPOH A: Number of NCC awards 0 20 0

 PPOH A: Average NCC award 0 $561 0

 PPOH A: Total NCC award funding 0 $11,214 0

 PPOH A: Peer review of new award applications $92 0 0

 PPOH A: Total program funding $11,040 $12,838 0

NOTE: Continuation costs of approximately $139,172 thousand would be provided under the fiscal year 

2021 request for the Consolidated MSI Grant.
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 2020 Footnote2021

Footnote

HSI STEM and Articulation Programs

Mandatory funding: HSI STEM and Articul ation Programs

HSI STEM : Total mandatory (Section 371) funds 

available for obligation at the start of the 

fiscal year

$187,200 $187,900 0

HSI STEM : Number of new awards STEM and Articul ati on Pr ograms M andatory funding 0 0 0

HSI STEM : Average new award STEM and Articulati on Pr ograms M andatory funding 0 0 0

HSI STEM : Total new award funding STEM and Articul ati on Pr ograms M andatory fundi ng 0 0 0

HSI STEM : Number of NCC awards STEM and Arti cul ation Program s Mandatory funding 91 91 0

HSI STEM : Average NCC award STEM and Arti cul ation Programs Mandatory fundi ng $993 $1,008 0

HSI STEM : Total NCC award funding STEM and Articul ati on Pr ograms M andatory fundi ng $90,341 $91,773 0

HSI STEM : Supplements STEM and Articulati on Pr ograms M andatory fundi ng $2,690 $2,027 0

HSI STEM : Peer review of new award applications STEM and Articul ati on Pr ograms 

Mandatory funding

0 0 0

HSI STEM : Total unobligated funding STEM and Articul ati on Progr ams M andatory funding $369 0 0

HSI STEM : Total program funding STEM and Arti culation Programs M andatory fundi ng $93,400 $93,800 0

 HSI STEM : Mandatory (Section 371) estimated 

carryover (mandatory funds remaining at 

the end of the fiscal year) $93,800 $94,100 0

NOTE: Total mandatory funding shown for each year includes carryover funds from prior year. Actual 

appropriations for a given year are shown in the “Total program funding” line. Information for fiscal year 

2021 may be found elsewhere in this account under the justification for the proposed Consolidated MSI 

Grant program.

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, performance targets and data; and an assessment of the progress 

made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based on the 

cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for this program as well as the resources 

and efforts invested by those served by the program.
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Goal: To improve the capacity of minority-serving institutions, which traditionally have 

limited resources and serve large numbers of low-income and minority students, to 

improve student success, and to provide high-quality educational opportunities for their 

students.

Objective: Increase the enrollment, persistence, and graduation rates at grantees from 

Hispanic-serving Institutions.

HSI Enrollment Measure: The percentage change, over the 5-year grant period, of the number 

of full-time degree-seeking undergraduates enrolling at HSIs receiving grants under this 

program.

Year Target Actual

2018 +1.3% -4.9%

2023 +1.1

Additional Information: This measure uses fall enrollment data from the National Center for 

Education Statistics (NCES) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Systems (IPEDS) and

tracks program enrollment at the beginning of, and 1 year after the end of, each 5-year grant 

period. In this case, 2018 enrollment was compared to 2013 enrollment. The 2023 target is 

based on NCES projections for the change in total undergraduate enrollment at degree-granting 

institutions between 2018 and 2023.

HSI Persistence Measure: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 

undergraduate students at 4-year and 2-year HSI grantees who were in their first year of 

postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same 

HSI.

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 78.5% 76.5% 66.0% 66.5%

2017 79.0 73.3 66.0 67.5

2018 79.0 80.0 66.5 67.1

2019 79.0 79.5 66.5 65.6

2020 79.0 66.5

2021 80.0 70.0
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HSI Graduation Measure: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 

undergraduate students enrolled at 4-year and 2-year HSI grantees graduating within 6 years of 

enrollment and 3 years of enrollment, respectively. 

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 46.5% 47.1% 22.5% 22.5%

2017 47.0 53.3 23.0 23.8

2018 47.0 54.4 23.0 26.4

2019 47.5 23.5

2020 47.5 23.5

2021 50.0 24.0

Additional Information: The data are derived from grantees’ electronic annual performance 

reports and the NCES/IPEDS. IPEDS data are reported by all institutions participating in these 

programs and are subject to NCES’ consistency and validity checks.

Objective: Improve the year-to-year increase in enrollment and graduation rates in 

postbaccalaureate programs at Hispanic-serving institutions.

PPOHA Enrollment Measure: The percentage change, over the 5-year grant period, of the 

number of graduate and professional students enrolled at grantee institutions.

Year Target Actual

2018 +0.9% -3.8%

2023 +2.8

Additional Information: This measure uses NCES/IPEDS fall enrollment data and tracks 

program enrollment at the beginning of, and 1 year after the end of, each 5-year grant period. 

In this case, 2018 enrollment was compared to 2013 enrollment. The 2023 target is based on 

NCES projections for the change in total post baccalaureate enrollment at degree-granting 

institutions between 2018 and 2023.

PPOHA Degree Completion Measure: The percentage change, over the 5-year grant period, 

of the number of master's, doctoral and first-professional degrees and post baccalaureate 

certificates awarded at HSI grantee institutions.

Year Target Actual

2018 +3.2% +3.3%

2023 +3.0

Additional Information: This measure uses NCES/IPEDS data to track graduate degree and 

certificate completion. In this case, 2018 completion rates were compared to rates at the same 

institutions in 2013. The 2023 target is based on NCES projections for the growth in graduate 

degrees and certificates conferred between 2018 and 2023.
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HSI STEM Enrollment Measure: The percentage change, over the 5-year grant period, of the 

number of full-time degree-seeking undergraduates enrolled at HSI grantee institutions.

Year Target Actual

2016 -0.8%

2021 +4.5%

Additional Information: This measure uses NCES/IPEDS fall enrollment data and tracks 

program enrollment at the beginning of, and 1 year after the end of, each 5-year grant period. 

In this case, 2016 enrollment was compared to 2011 enrollment. The 2021 target is based on 

NCES projections for the change in total undergraduate enrollment at degree-granting 

institutions between 2016 and 2021. 

HSI STEM Persistence Measure: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 

undergraduate students at 4-year and 2-year HSI grantees who were in their first year of 

postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same 

HSI.

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 78.5% 78.5% 66.0% 67.0%

2017 79.0 80.6 66.0 66.2

2018 79.0 79.7 66.5 66.8

2019 79.5 80.3 66.5 65.3

2020 79.5 67.0

2021 80.0 67.0

HSI STEM Graduation Measure: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 

undergraduate students enrolled at 4-year and 2-year HSI grantee institutions graduating within 

6 years of enrollment and 3 years of enrollment, respectively. 

Year 4-year Target 4-year Actual 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 46.5% 52.7% 22.5% 23.7%

2017 47.0 52.8 23.0 25.6

2018 47.0 55.2 23.0 27.4

2019 47.5 23.5

2020 48.0 24.0

2021 48.5 24.5

Additional Information: The data are derived from grantees’ electronic annual performance 

reports and the NCES/IPEDS. IPEDS data are reported by all institutions participating in these 

programs and are subject to NCES’ consistency and validity checks.
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Efficiency Measures

Developing HSIs: Cost per successful outcome: Federal cost per undergraduate and graduate 

degree at HSI grantee institutions.

Year Target Actual

2016 $1,235 $353

2017 1,220 317

2018 500 344

2019 500

2020 475

2021 425

Additional Information: The Developing Hispanic-serving Institutions efficiency measure is 

calculated by dividing the amount awarded under the Developing HSIs program by the number 

of undergraduate and graduate degrees awarded. The Department notes that it is difficult to 

attribute increases or decreases under this measure to the Federal share of funds due to the 

limited amount of the Federal contribution. Given that the average cost per successful outcome 

for 2012-2017 was significantly lower than the established targets, the Department revised its 

targets, beginning in 2018, to more accurately reflect actual performance.

PPOHA: Cost per successful outcome: Federal cost per master’s, doctoral and firstprofessional degree and postbaccalaureate certificate at HSI grantee institutions.

Year Target Actual

2016 $650 $553

2017 625 550

2018 600 689

2019 575

2020 550

2021 525

Additional Information: The PPOHA efficiency measure is calculated by dividing the amount 

awarded under the PPOHA program by the number of graduate degrees and certificates 

awarded at grantee institutions. In fiscal year 2018, when PPOHA obligations totaled 

$10.9 million, grantee institutions awarded 15,886 graduate degrees and certificates.
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HSI STEM: Cost per successful outcome: Federal cost for undergraduate and graduate 

degrees at institutions in the Hispanic-serving Institutions STEM and Articulation Programs.

Year Target Actual

2016 $610 $472

2017 600 474

2018 590 427

2019 580

2020 570

2021 560

Additional Information: The HSI STEM efficiency measure is calculated by dividing the 

amount awarded under the HSI STEM program by the number of undergraduate and graduate 

degrees awarded at grantee institutions. In fiscal year 2018, when HSI STEM obligations 

totaled $93 million, grantee institutions awarded 217,731 undergraduate and graduate degrees.
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Consolidated Minority-Serving Institutions Grant

Consolidated Minority-Serving Institutions Grant 

 (Proposed Legislation) 

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2021 Authorization: To be determined (discretionary)1 ; $140,000 (mandatory)2

Budget Authority:

2020

Appropriation

Footnote

2021

Request

Footnote

Change from

2020 to 2021

Footnote

Discretionary 0 $196,324 +$196,324

Mandatory (Part F, Section 371): 0 2$140,000 +140,000

Total, Consolidated MSI Grant program 0 336,324 336,324

1 Mandatory funds made available in fiscal year 2009 and each succeeding fiscal year through 2019. In December 

2019, the President signed Public Law 116-91, Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for 

Education (FUTURE) Act providing permanent mandatory appropriations for HBCUs and other minority-serving 

institutions under Part F of Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (133 Stat. 1189).

2 Mandatory funding for fiscal year 2020 is authorized under the Aid for Institutional Development programs and the 

Aid for Hispanic-Serving Institutions programs. The Administration is proposing to redirect these mandatory funds to 

the Consolidated MSI Grant program.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Consolidated Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI) Grant program would provide formulabased funding to MSIs to develop and implement projects to improve and expand the 

institutions’ capacity to serve minority and low-income students. Under the proposal, 

Consolidated MSI Grant funding would be allocated using a formula that would take into 

consideration factors such as the number of Pell Grant recipients enrolled and the number of 

Pell Grant recipients who graduate. Under the proposal, institutions would need to meet the 

same eligibility requirements—including the minority enrollment thresholds—that currently apply 

under 11 different Title III and Title V funding authorities.

For fiscal year 2020, the Administration proposed to consolidate the following six discretionary 

authorities into the Consolidated MSI Grant proposal:

• Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions (ANNHs)

• Strengthening Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions 

(AANAPISIs)

• Strengthening Native American-serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTIs)

• Strengthening Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs)

• Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)

• Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA)
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For fiscal year 2021, the Administration proposes to add the following five mandatory authorities 

to the Consolidated MSI Grant proposal. 

• Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions (ANNHs)

• Strengthening Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions 

(AANAPISIs)

• Strengthening Native American-serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTIs)

• Strengthening Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs)

• Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation Programs (HSI-STEM)

Institutions receiving awards under the Consolidated MSI Grant program could use funding to 

undertake the same wide range of activities of institutional and student support activities 

currently authorized in Titles III and V of the HEA. 

FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2021, the Administration requests $196.3 million in discretionary funding for 

the proposed Consolidated MSI Grant program, the same as the 2020 Request level for the 

six antecedent discretionary programs. In addition, the Administration would seek 

appropriations language to redirect, mandatory funds authorized by the FUTURE ACT, 

available in fiscal year 2021 from the fiscal year 2020 appropriation for the ANNH, PBI, 

AANAPISI, NASNTI, and HSI-STEM and Articulation programs to the proposed Consolidated 

MSI Grant program. The combined budget authority for discretionary and mandatory funding in 

fiscal year 2021 would be $336.3 million. The new program would consolidate discretionary and 

mandatory programs currently authorized in Titles III and V of the HEA into a single institutional 

formula grant program. Fiscal year 2021 funds would first be used to fully pay all continuation 

awards to existing grantees under the consolidated grant programs; remaining funds would be 

allocated through the proposed institutional formula.

Currently, the HEA authorizes numerous Title III and Title V programs that have similar, and in 

some cases identical, purposes and activities, with most funds awarded through competitions 

that are administratively burdensome for both applicants and the Department. Rather than 

continuing to invest significant MSI and Department staff time and resources into individual 

grant competitions, the Administration proposes to streamline these multiple, complex award 

processes, reduce burden on applicants and grantees, and lower Federal administrative costs 

by consolidating the following Title III and V grant programs into a single new institutional 

formula grant program that would continue to provide strong support to institutions that serve 

large numbers of minority students:

• Strengthening Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions (ANNHs)

• Strengthening Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions 

(AANAPISIs)

• Strengthening Native American-serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTIs

• Strengthening Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs)

• Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) 

• Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA)

• Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation Programs (HSI-STEM)
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The Administration anticipates that its proposed institutional allocation formula would include 

key factors to target funds to institutions with the highest need and a track record of success. 

For example, the formula may take into account the number of Pell Grant recipients enrolled 

and the number of Pell Grant recipients who graduate. Current eligibility requirements—

including the minority enrollment thresholds—for the six categories of institutions funded under 

existing programs would continue to apply. The Administration is also considering a 

requirement for institutions to meet a minimum Pell graduation rate threshold to maintain 

eligibility for funding. The consolidated program would retain the wide range of allowable 

activities currently authorized by the HEA for the antecedent programs. As under current law, no 

institution that receives funds under this proposal could concurrently receive funding under 

Part B of Title III of the Higher Education Act. 

Finally, the Administration is also proposing a new authority, aligned with the Pooled Evaluation 

authority under the ESEA, that would enable the Department to reserve up to 0.5 percent of 

funding annually appropriated for certain HEA programs for rigorous program evaluation, data 

collection, and analysis of outcome data. This new authority would provide essential resources 

to support performance improvement and evidence-building in all HEA programs, including the 

Consolidated MSI Grant program. If Congress does not enact this proposed HEA-wide 

evaluation authority, the Administration would seek a separate, program-specific set-aside of 

0.5 percent under the proposed Consolidated MSI Grant program to support technical 

assistance, data collection, and rigorous program evaluation.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2021

Footnote

Consolidated MSI Grant Allocation

Consolidated MSI Discr eti onary Grant: Total new award discretionary funding $31,309

Total new award mandatory funding (fiscal year 2020 mandatory funds 

carried over into fiscal year 2021) 131,740 1

Total available for formula allocations in fiscal year 2021 $163,049

Strengthening ANNHs (discretionary)

Strengthening ANNHs: Number of NCC awards 41

Strengthening ANNHs: Average NCC award $414

Strengthening ANNHs: Total NCC award funding $16,955

Strengthening AANAPISIs (discretionary)

Strengthening AAN APISIs: Number of NCC awards 12

Strengthening AAN APISIs: Average NCC award $370

Strengthening AAN APISIs: Total NCC award funding $4,444

Strengthening NASNTIs (discretionary)

Strengthening N ASNT Is: Number of NCC awards 12

Strengthening N ASNT Is: Average NCC award $370

Strengthening N ASNT Is: Total NCC award funding $4,444
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2021

Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (discretionary)

Devel oping H SIs: Mandatory PBI F undi ng Number of NCC awards 224

Devel oping H SIs: Average NCC award $563

Devel oping H SIs: Total NCC award funding $126,001

Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic 

Americans (discretionary)

Devel oping H SIs: Number of NCC awards 23

Devel oping H SIs: Average NCC award $573

Devel oping H SIs: Total NCC award funding $13,171

Total, NCC award funding $165,015

1 An additional $140 million in mandatory funds appropriated in fiscal year 2021 would be carried over for obligation in 

fiscal year 2022. Information for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 can be found in the Program Output Measures tables for 

the Aid for Institutional Development programs and the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions congressional 

justifications.

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

The Department would continue to use existing performance measures for MSIs receiving 

continuation awards under existing authorities until the end of their project periods and would 

develop performance measures for the Consolidated MSI Grant program based on the 

measures used for the antecedent programs.
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Other aid for institutions:

INTERNATION AL EDUCATION AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE STU DIES:

DOMESTIC PROGRAM S

International education and foreign language studies: Domestic 

programs

(Higher Education Act of 1965, Title VI, Parts A and B)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2021 Authorization: 01

Budget Authority:

2020

Appropriation

2021

Request

Change from

2020 to 2021

$68,103 0 -$68,103

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2015; no appropriations or reauthorizing legislation is sought for fiscal 

year 2021.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The International Education and Foreign Language Studies (IEFLS) Domestic Programs are 

designed to strengthen the capability and performance of American education in foreign 

languages and in area and international studies. The IEFLS programs originated in the National 

Defense Education Act of 1958, as a response to the need to strengthen instruction in the areas 

of international studies and foreign languages that were insufficiently taught in the United 

States. 

Funds are used to support a broad range of activities under 10 Domestic Programs, at all levels, 

including primary and secondary education through a variety of K-12 outreach and teacher 

training collaborations. Grants are awarded to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to support 

centers, programs, and fellowships to increase the number of experts in foreign languages and 

international studies, meet national needs, and strengthen the teaching of foreign languages 

and international education at all levels. Prior to each grant cycle, the Department must consult 

with and receive recommendations from other relevant Federal Agencies to determine the 

“areas of national need” for expertise in foreign languages and world areas. 

When awarding grants, the Department is required to take into account a variety of factors, 

including: the degree to which applicants’ proposed activities address national needs and 

inform the public; the applicants’ record placing students into postgraduate employment, 

education, or training in areas of national need; and the applicants’ proposed plans and 

strategies to increase this number. Emphasis is placed on less commonly taught languages 

and the regions where those languages are used.

The program authorization requires that institutions receiving funding under Title VI provide the 

following information to the Department, in accordance with the requirements of Section 117 of 

the HEA: (1) the amount of the contribution (including cash and the fair market value of any 
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property) received from any foreign government or from a foreign private sector corporation or 

foundation during any fiscal year in which the contribution exceeds $250,000 in the aggregate; 

and (2) the aggregate contribution, or a significant part of the aggregate contribution, that is to 

be used by a center or program receiving funds under Title VI.

The Domestic Programs include the following program investment areas:

The National Resource Centers (NRCs) Program supports IHEs or consortia of such institutions 

in establishing, operating, and strengthening comprehensive or undergraduate centers of 

excellence to train students, specialists, and other scholars. Activities may include: supporting 

instructors of less commonly taught languages; bringing visiting scholars and faculty to the 

Center to teach, conduct research, or participate in conferences or workshops; maintaining 

important library collections and related training and research facilities; conducting advanced 

research on issues in world affairs that concern one or more countries; establishing linkages 

between IHEs and other academic, governmental, and media entities; operating summer 

institutes in the U.S. or abroad; and providing outreach and consultative services at the national, 

regional, and local levels. Funds also support faculty, staff, and student travel in foreign areas, 

regions, or countries; the development and implementation of educational programs abroad for 

students; and projects that help students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 

fields achieve foreign language proficiency. NRCs are funded for up to 4 years, with funds 

awarded on an annual basis pending satisfactory performance by the Centers and availability of 

funds.

The Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships Program supports academic year and 

summer fellowships for graduate- and undergraduate-level training at IHEs offering high-quality, 

performance-based modern language programs, in combination with area studies, international 

studies, or the international aspects of professional studies. Students apply to IHEs that receive 

fellowship allocations from the Department. To be eligible for fellowships, students must be:

• In an instructional program with stated performance goals for functional foreign language 

use or in a program developing such performance goals, in combination with area studies, 

international studies, or the international aspects of a professional studies program;

• In the case of an undergraduate student, in the intermediate or advanced study of a less 

commonly taught language; or 

• In the case of a graduate student, in graduate study in connection with a program described 

above, including pre-dissertation level study, preparation for dissertation research, 

dissertation research abroad, or dissertation writing.

Before awarding a fellowship for use outside the U.S., an institution must obtain approval from 

the Department. A fellowship may be approved for use outside the U.S. if: (1) the student is 

enrolled in an overseas modern foreign language program approved by the institution where the 

student is enrolled in the U.S.; or (2) the student is engaged in research that cannot be 

effectively done in the U.S. and is affiliated with an IHE or other appropriate organization in the 

host country. Institutions are funded for up to 4 years and, in turn, award fellowships annually to 

individual students on a competitive basis. 
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Applications for awards must include an explanation of how the activities funded by the grant 

will reflect diverse perspectives and a wide range of views and generate debate on world 

regions and international affairs; and a description of how the applicant will encourage 

government service in areas of national need, as well as in areas of need in the education, 

business, and nonprofit sectors.

The Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program supports IHEs or 

consortia of IHEs in establishing, operating, and strengthening instructional programs in 

international studies and foreign languages at the undergraduate level. Eligible activities may 

include, but are not limited to: development of a global or international studies program that is 

interdisciplinary in design; development of a program that focuses on specific issues or topics, 

such as international business or international health; development of an area studies program 

and programs in corresponding foreign languages; creation of innovative curricula that combine 

the teaching of international studies with professional and pre-professional studies, such as 

engineering; research for and development of specialized teaching materials, including 

language instruction; establishment of internship opportunities for faculty and students in 

domestic and overseas settings; and development of study abroad programs.

All grantees must provide matching funds in either of the following ways: (1) cash contributions 

from the private sector equal to one-third of the total project costs; or (2) a combination of 

institutional and non-institutional cash or in-kind contributions equal to one-half of the total 

project costs. Applications for awards must describe: how the applicant will provide information 

to students regarding federally funded scholarship programs in related areas; how the activities 

funded by the grant will reflect diverse perspectives and a wide range of views and generate 

debate on world regions and international affairs, where applicable; and how the applicant will 

encourage service in “areas of national need,” as identified by the Department.

The International Research and Studies (IRS) Program provides grants to institutions, public 

and private agencies, organizations, and individuals to conduct research and studies to improve 

and strengthen instruction in modern foreign languages, area studies, and other international 

fields. An applicant may apply for IRS funds to conduct research and studies, including the

following activities: (1) studies and surveys to determine the need for increased or improved 

instruction in modern foreign languages and area studies and other international fields; 

(2) research and studies on more effective methods of instruction and achieving competency in 

modern foreign languages, area studies, or other international fields; and (3) development and 

publication of specialized materials.

The Centers for International Business Education (CIBE) Program supports IHEs or consortia of 

IHEs by paying the Federal share of the cost of planning, establishing, and operating centers 

that provide a comprehensive university approach to improving international business education 

by bringing together faculty from numerous disciplines. The Centers serve as national 

resources for the teaching of improved business techniques, strategies, and methodologies that 

emphasize international business contexts; provide instruction in critical foreign languages and 

international fields needed to provide an understanding of the cultures and customs of U.S. 

trading partners; provide research and training in the international aspects of trade, commerce, 

and other fields of study; provide training to students enrolled in the institution or institutions in 
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which a Center is located; serve as resources to local businesses and chambers of commerce 

by offering programs and providing research designed to meet the international training needs 

of such businesses; and serve other faculty, students, and IHEs and K-12 schools with 

additional teacher and student outreach programs located within their respective regions. 

CIBEs are eligible for 4 years of support. The Federal share of the cost of planning, 

establishing, and operating the Centers cannot exceed 90 percent, 70 percent, or 50 percent in 

the first, second, third and following years, respectively.

The Language Resource Centers Program supports IHEs or consortia of IHEs in improving the 

teaching and learning of foreign languages. The activities carried out by the Centers must 

support effective dissemination, whenever appropriate, and may include: conducting and 

disseminating research on new and improved teaching methods (including the use of advanced 

educational technology) to the education community; development, application, and 

dissemination of performance testing appropriate to an educational setting for use as a standard 

and comparable measurement of skill levels in all languages; training of teachers in the 

administration and interpretation of the performance tests; a significant focus on the teaching 

and learning needs of the less commonly taught languages and the publication and 

dissemination of instructional materials in those languages; development and dissemination of 

materials designed to serve as a resource for foreign language teachers at the elementary and 

secondary school levels; and operation of intensive summer language institutes. LRCs are 

eligible for up to 4 years of support.

The American Overseas Research Centers Program makes grants to consortia of U.S. IHEs 

that operate overseas, facilitating research and scholarship in a particular region of the world. 

They promote postgraduate research, faculty and student exchanges, and area studies. Funds 

may be used to pay for all or a portion of the cost of establishing or operating a Center or 

program. Costs may include faculty and staff stipends and salaries; faculty, staff, and student 

travel; operation and maintenance of overseas facilities; teaching and research materials; the 

acquisition, maintenance, and preservation of library collections; travel for visiting scholars and 

faculty members who are teaching or conducting research; preparation for and management of 

conferences; and the publication and dissemination of material for the scholars and general 

public. Centers are eligible for 4 years of support. 

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2016 ...........................................................................$65,103

2017 .............................................................................65,103

2018 .............................................................................65,103

2019 .............................................................................65,103

2020 .............................................................................68,103
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FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST 

For fiscal year 2021, the Administration requests no funding for the Title VI Domestic Programs, 

$68.1 million less than the fiscal year 2020 appropriation. This request reflects the 

Administration’s commitment to refocusing Federal education investments on flexible formula

grant programs serving the Nation’s most vulnerable student populations while reducing or 

eliminating funding for programs that are duplicative, ineffective, or more appropriately 

supported with State, local or private funds. A number of other Federal agencies offer programs 

that are similar and potentially duplicative of the Department’s Title VI programs. These include:

• Department of Defense:

o The National Security Education Program which provides funds for undergraduate and 

graduate student study abroad in areas less commonly visited by U.S. students.

o Language Flagship Grants to Institutions of Higher Education and Language Flagship 

Fellowships which support undergraduate language flagship programs at Flagship 

Centers enabling students from all majors to work towards professional-level language 

proficiency in foreign languages.

• Central Intelligence Agency:

o The Undergraduate Scholarship Program which offers major-related career experience 

for undergraduate students, including those majoring in foreign language, area studies, 

international affairs, national security studies, geography/GIS, and linguistics. 

o The Central Intelligence Agency Undergraduate Co-Op/Intern Program and Graduate 

Studies Program which provide students pursuing degrees in a variety of liberal arts 

degree programs the opportunity to work as Open Source Collection and Exploitation

Officers, Foreign Language Specialists, Intelligence Analysts, Collection Management 

Officers, and Staff Operations Officers. 

• The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) which supports academic 

involvement in international development projects, training in the U.S. for technical and 

professional personnel from developing countries, and linkages with universities in 

developing nations.

• In addition, there is a significant private market presence for language learning programs, 

including innovative online tools, as well as hundreds of similar programs maintained and 

operated by institutions of higher education across the country. Consequently, the 

Administration believes there no longer is a critical need for Title VI domestic programs. 

However, under this Request, the Administration would provide existing Domestic Program 

grantees a reasonable period of time to close out existing projects and draw down grant 

funds already awarded in prior years. 
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 2020 2021

National Resource Centers (NRC) Program:

NRCs Number of new awards 0 2 0

NRCs Average new award 0 $210 0

NRCs Total new award funding 0 $420 0

NRCs Number of NCC awards 96 96 0

NRCs Average NCC award $237 $237 0

NRCs Total NCC award funding $22,743 $22,743 0

NRCs Total award funding $22,743 $23,163 0

NRCs Total number of awards 96 98 0

Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) 

Fellowships:

FLAS Academic year graduate fellowships 673 677 0

FLAS Average academic year fellowship $33 $33 0

FLAS Academic year undergraduate fellowships 291 298 0

FLAS Average academic year fellowship $15 $15 0

FLAS Summer fellowships 534 534 0

FLAS Average summer year fellowship $8 $8 0

FLAS Number of new awards 0 4 0

FLAS Average new award 0 $187 0

FLAS Total new award funding 0 $747 0

FLAS Number of NCC awards 106 106 0

FLAS Average NCC award $286 $286 0

FLAS Total NCC award funding $30,343 $30,343 0

FLAS Total award funding $30,343 $31,090 0

FLAS Total number of awards 106 110 0

Undergraduate International Studies

and Foreign Language (USIFL) Program:

UISF L Number of new awards 0 24 0

UISF LAverage new award 0 $105 0

UISF L Total new award funding 0 $2,529 0

UISF L Number of NCC awards 26 10 0

UISF L Average NCC award $110 $103 0

UISF L Total NCC award funding $2,863 $1,034 0

UISF L Total award funding $2,863 $3,563 0

UISF L Total number of awards 26 34 0
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 2020 2021

International Research and Studies (IRS) Program:

IRS Number of new awards 0 9 0

IRS Average new award 0 $111 0

IRS Total new award funding 0 $1,000 0

IRS Number of NCC awards 8 0 0

IRS Average NCC award $89 0 0

IRS Total NCC award funding $712 0 0

IRS Total award funding $712 $1,000 0

IRS Total number of awards 8 9 0

Centers for International Business Education 

(CIBE):

CIBE Number of new awards 0 1 0

CIBE Average new award 0 $300 0

CIBE Total new award funding 0 $300 0

CIBE Number of NCC awards 15 15 0

CIBE Average NCC award $305 $305 0

CIBE Total NCC award funding $4,571 $4,571 0

CIBE Total award funding $4,571 $4,871 0

CIBE Total number of awards 15 16 0

Language Resource Centers (LRC) Program:

LRC Number of NCC awards 0 1 0

LRC Average NCC award 0 $165 0

LRC Total NCC award funding 0 $165 0

LRC Number of NCC awards 16 16 0

LRC Average NCC award $172 $172 0

LRC Total NCC award funding $2,747 $2,747 0

LRC Total award funding $2,747 $2,912 0

LRC Total number of awards 16 17 0
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 2020 2021

American Overseas Research Centers (AORC) 

Program:

AORC Number of new awards 0 15 0

AORC Average new award 0 $67 0

AORC Total new award funding 0 $1,000 0

AORC Number of NCC awards 10 0 0

AORC Average NCC award $65 0 0

AORC Total NCC award funding $650 0 0

AORC Total award funding $650 $1,000 0

AORC Total number of awards 10 15 0

Total award funding:

Domestic Total new award funding 0 $6,161 0

Domestic Total NCC award funding $64,629 $61,438 0

Program evaluation, national outreach, and 

information dissemination $474 $388 0 

Peer review of new award applications 0 $116 0

Total Domestic funding $65,103 $68,103 0

Total Domestic awards 277 299 0

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of the 

progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based on 

the cumulative effect of the resources provided in previous years. The Department has not 

established targets for 2021 because the request does not include funding for this program. 

Goal: To meet the Nation's security and economic needs through the development of a 

national capacity in foreign languages, and area and international studies. 

Objective: Provide grants to institutions of higher education or consortia of institutions of higher 

education to establish, strengthen, and operate comprehensive and undergraduate language 

and area/international studies centers.
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Measure: Percentage of priority languages defined by the Department taught at NRCs.

Year Target Actual

2015 83.0%

2016 78.0

2017 62.0

2018

2019

2020

Additional information: Grantees are required to submit annual performance reports via the 

International Resource Information System (IRIS), the Web-based performance reporting 

system for the IEFLS programs. Data for this measure is obtained through NRC grantee 

language course uploads. The percentage of priority languages defined by the Department 

taught at NRCs is calculated by taking the total number of distinct priority language courses 

uploaded by institutions and dividing that number by the total number of priority languages

defined by the Department. Currently, 48 languages, or 62 percent, of 78 critical languages are 

being taught in Title VI institutions. The Department plans to establish targets after 2018 data 

become available in summer 2020.

Measure: Percentage of NRC grants teaching intermediate or advanced courses in priority 

languages as defined by the Department.

Year Target Actual

2015 59.0%

2016 56.0

2017 51.0

2018

2019

2020

Additional information: Grantees are required to submit annual performance reports via the 

International Resource Information System (IRIS), the Web-based performance reporting 

system for the IEFLS programs. Data for the measure is obtained from grantee NRC language 

course uploads. The percentage of NRC grants teaching intermediate or advanced courses in 

priority languages is calculated by taking the total number of priority language courses uploaded 

by institutions where level equals 3 and dividing that figure by the total number of priority

languages defined by the Department. In 2017, NRC grantees taught intermediate or advanced 

courses in 40 of the 78 priority languages. The Department plans to establish targets after 2018 

data become available in summer 2020.
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Measure: Percentage of less and least commonly taught languages as defined by the 

Department of Education taught at NRCs.

Year Target Actual

2015 36.0%

2016 35.0

2017 24.0

2018

2019

2020

Additional information: Grantees are required to submit annual performance reports via the 

International Resource Information System (IRIS), the Web-based performance reporting 

system for the IEFLS programs. Data for this measure is obtained from grantee NRC language 

course uploads. The percentage of less and least commonly taught languages is calculated by 

taking the total distinct least commonly taught language courses uploaded by institutions and 

dividing that figure by the total of least commonly taught languages defined by the Department. 

During fiscal year 2017, 70 languages of 287 were taught in Title VI institutions. The 

Department plans to establish targets after 2018 data become available in summer 2020.

Objective: Provides Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) academic year and summer

fellowships to institutions of higher education to assist graduate students in foreign language

and either area or international studies.

Measure: Percentage of FLAS masters and doctoral graduates who studied priority languages 

as defined by the Department. 

Year Target Actual

2015 83.0%

2016 83.0

2017 83.0

2018

2019

2020

Additional information: The measure is created by taking the total master’s and doctorate 

fellows who are studying a priority language and dividing that number by the total master’s and 

doctoral fellows. In fiscal year 2017, 1,088 out of 1,314, or 83 percent of FLAS masters and 

doctoral fellows were studying a priority language. The Department plans to establish targets 

after 2018 data become available in summer 2020. 
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Measure: Percentage of FLAS graduated fellows who secured employment that utilizes their 

foreign language and area studies skills within 8 years after graduation based on FLAS tracking 

survey (long-term measure). 

Year Target Actual

2012 77.0%

2014 80.0

2016

2018

2020

Additional information: Data are obtained from the Survey of Post-Graduates for International 

Education Fellowship Recipients. Grantees must administer this survey once every 2 years and 

report their survey results to the Department. The most recent data are based on a survey that 

tracked FLAS fellowship recipients from 2010 to 2014 who have since graduated. The 

80 percent reported for 2014 includes respondents reported that their principal jobs were

“closely related” (51 percent) or “somewhat related” (29 percent) to the fields in which they

received their degrees. 

Other Performance Information

In February 2019, the Department released an International and Foreign Language Education 

Annual Report for 2017 that highlights the results of the IEFLS programs and provides a 

snapshot of the ways in which funded programs have benefited the nation’s students, 

educators, institutions, and the nation at large. The Report provides a brief update on each

program and summarizes the results of the most recent (fiscal year 2017) program 

competitions. More information is available at the following link: 

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps/2017ifleannualreport.pdf. 

• A number of studies have been conducted over the years to evaluate aspects of the 

Domestic Programs, including the following:

o When Congress reauthorized the HEA, by way of the Higher Education Opportunity Act 

of 2008 (HEOA), it directed the Department to assist grantees in developing a survey to 

administer to students who have completed programs authorized by Title VI of the HEA 

to determine postgraduate employment, education, or training. The most recent report is 

based on a survey that tracked FLAS fellowship recipients from 2010 to 2014 who have 

since graduated. This report follows on the first report, published in 2015, which covered 

FLAS fellows who graduated in 2010–2012. This report adds FLAS fellows who 

graduated in 2012–2014 to the ones who graduated in 2010–2012. Subsequent surveys 

will continue to track this cohort in addition to new FLAS graduates. The survey data for 

this cohort demonstrate that graduated FLAS fellows tend to use their training in their 

jobs. 
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 Key findings of this report were as follows:

− FLAS fellows studied 95 languages during their first fellowship; 60 percent of the 

languages studied were considered priority languages.

− Slightly over one-quarter of fellows used their fellowship to study at overseas 

institutions.

− More than three-quarters of respondents are working in fields that are related to 

the area of study during their fellowship.

− Sixty percent indicated that knowledge of a foreign language is a requirement or 

a key asset to their current job, and 64 percent reported that knowledge of 

area/international studies is a requirement or a key asset to their current job.

− More than 60 percent reported using their area/international studies training in 

their current work on a regular basis with 37 percent reporting daily use.

− Sixty-eight percent reported that they were “unlikely to achieve advanced 

language proficiency” without the FLAS fellowship.

Data for the 2014-2016 cohort is currently being analyzed and will be ready later in 2020. The 

survey will be repeated in 2020 adding FLAS fellowship recipients from 2016–2018, with a view 

toward both generating longitudinal data and improving on survey design and administration.
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OVERSEAS PROGRAM S

International education and foreign language studies: Overseas 

programs 

(Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Section 102(b)(6))

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2021 Authorization: Indefinite

Budget Authority:

2020

Appropriation

2021

Request

Change from

2020 to 2021

$8,061 0 -$8,061

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The International Education and Foreign Language Studies (IEFLS) Overseas Programs 

provide participants with first-hand experience overseas that is designed to improve elementary, 

secondary, and postsecondary teaching and research concerning other cultures and languages, 

the training of language and area studies specialists, and the American public's general 

understanding of current international issues and problems.

Four major Overseas Programs in foreign languages and in area and international studies are 

authorized under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (commonly known 

as the Fulbright-Hays Act). Grants are provided on an annual basis to eligible institutions that, 

in turn, support projects of varying duration under the following programs:

Group Projects Abroad (GPA) Program supports short-term projects, group training, research, 

and curriculum development in modern foreign languages and area studies for American 

teachers, college students, and faculty for periods from 1 to 12 months. In addition, the GPA 

program supports Advanced Overseas projects designed to provide advanced language training 

to students in foreign countries for a period of up to 12 months. Projects can focus on all major 

world areas except for Western Europe.

Faculty Research Abroad (FRA) Program supports opportunities for faculty members of 

institutions of higher education to study and conduct advanced research overseas. Fellowships 

are generally reserved for scholars whose academic specializations focus on the less commonly 

taught languages and all major world areas apart from Western Europe. Fellowships are from 

3 to 12 months in length.

Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Program supports opportunities for doctoral 

candidates to engage in full-time dissertation research overseas. Fellowships are generally 

reserved for junior scholars whose academic specializations focus on the less commonly taught 

languages and all major world areas except for Western Europe. Fellowships are from 6 to 

12 months in length.
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Seminars Abroad (SA)-Special Bilateral Projects support training and curriculum development 

opportunities for American teachers and faculty through short-term overseas seminars 

conducted in all major world areas except for Western Europe.

IEFLS Overseas Programs are administered through discretionary grants and interagency 

agreements. Federal program staff, panels of non-Federal academic specialists, bi-national 

commissions, U.S. embassies, and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board are 

involved in the merit-based selection of the Overseas Programs grantees and/or project 

participants.

The Overseas Programs focus on less commonly taught foreign languages, and those areas of 

the world in which those languages are spoken. Emphasis is placed on languages and regions 

defined as high priority by the Administration.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2016 .............................................................................. $7,061

2017 ................................................................................ 7,061

2018 ................................................................................ 7,061

2019 ................................................................................ 7,061

2020 ................................................................................ 8,061

FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST 

For fiscal year 2021, the Administration requests no funding for the Overseas Programs, 

$8 million less than the fiscal year 2020 appropriation, consistent with the Administration’s goal 

of rightsizing the Federal role in education by reducing or eliminating funding for programs that 

duplicate other programs; are ineffective; or are more appropriately supported with State, local 

or private funds. 

Other Federal agencies and organizations offer programs that support activities similar to those 

funded under the Department’s Fulbright-Hays programs, including those administered by the 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (BECA) at the Department of State. BECA programs 

support studies or internships abroad, intensive summer language institutes in critical languages 

and for cultural enrichment, and opportunities for international graduate study, advanced 

research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching. Additionally, the 

American Councils for International Education organization administers many programs for 

overseas language and culture study in all world regions.

There also is a significant private market presence for language learning programs, including 

innovative online tools, as well as hundreds of similar programs maintained and operated by 

institutions of higher education across the country. Consequently, the Administration believes 

there no longer is a critical need for the Overseas Programs. Under the Request, the 

Department would provide existing Overseas Program grantees a reasonable period of time to 

close out existing projects and draw down grant funds already awarded in prior years.
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES 

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 2020 2021 

Group Projects Abroad:

 Short-Term Projects:

GPA Number of new projects 16 16 0

GPA Average new project $95 $67 0

GPA Total new project funding $1,516 $1,064 0

 Advanced Overseas Projects:

GPA Number of new projects 5 4 0

GPA Average new project $231 $266 0

GPA Total new project funding $1,155 $1,064 0

GPA Number of NCC projects 0 5 0

GPA Average NCC project 0 $231 0

GPA Total NCC project funding 0 $1,154 0

GPA Total project funding $2,671 $3,282 0

GPA Total number of GPA projects 21 25 0

GPA Total number of GPA participants 260 300 0

Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad:

DDRA Number of new fellows 95 108 0

DDRA Average new fellowship $37 $37 0

DDRA Number of new awards 41 47 0

DDRA Average new award $86 $85 0

DDRA Total new award funding $3,529 $4,000 0

Seminars Abroad—Special Bilateral Projects:

Semi nars Number of new awards 3 3 0

Semi nars Average new award $177 $147 0

Semi nars Total new award funding $532 $440 0

Semi nars Total number of participants 48 48 0

Department of State administrative costs $200 $200 0

Program evaluation, national outreach, and 

information dissemination $58 $58 0 

Peer review of new award applications $71 $81 0

Total Overseas funding $7,061 $8,061 0

Total Overseas participants 403 456 0
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PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

The Department established program performance measures for the Overseas Programs to 

improve the quality of program-level outcome data and increase transparency and 

accountability for the programs. Planned measures include the following:

• Percentage of DDRA fellows who increased their foreign language scores in speaking, 

reading, and/or writing by at least one proficiency level (annual measure).

• Percentage of GPA participants in the Advanced Language Program who increased their 

reading, writing, and/or listening/speaking foreign language scores by one proficiency level 

(Long-Term Projects).

Data will be based on pre- and post-grant scores on standardized instructor-led examinations. 

Grantees are required to submit annual performance reports via the International Resource 

Information System (IRIS), the Web-based performance reporting system for the IEFLS 

programs. Initial (baseline) data are expected to be available in 2021.

Efficiency Measures

• The Department also developed the following efficiency measures for the Overseas 

Programs. Data will be collected from grantee institutions via their performance reports; 

initial (baseline) data are expected to be available in 2021.

• Cost per DDRA fellow who found employment that utilized their language and area studies 

skills within 8 years. 

• Cost per GPA participant who increased his/her foreign language score in reading, writing, 

and/or listening/speaking by at least one proficiency level.

Other Performance Information

In February 2019, the Department released an International and Foreign Language Education 

Annual Report for 2017 that highlights the results of the IEFLS programs and provides a 

snapshot of the ways in which funded programs have benefited the nation’s students, 

educators, institutions, and the nation at large. The report provides a brief update on each 

program and summarizes the results of the most recent (fiscal year 2017) program 

competitions. More information is available at the following link: 

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps/2017ifleannualreport.pdf. 
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• A 2008 study of the Department’s graduate fellowship programs revealed several key 

findings regarding the DDRA program. The data gathered through this study indicated that:

o DDRA fellows took less time to complete their degrees than other doctoral recipients 

did, which may be related to DDRA fellows having been enrolled full-time at higher 

rates than most doctoral students.

o Over 90 percent of DDRA fellows completed their degrees, with only 1 percent 

dropping out of their programs and the remainder planning to complete their 

degrees.

o DDRA fellows who were awarded fellowships late in their graduate school careers 

finished their doctoral degrees at a rate of 93 percent.

o DDRA fellows studied a wide variety of languages: only 20 percent of fellows studied 

European languages and more students studied South or East Asian languages than 

languages from any other geographic region. Nearly two-thirds studied a language 

deemed “critical” by the Department.

o Nearly all (89 percent) DDRA fellows worked in jobs that used the expertise they had 

gained through their fellowship-funded research, and all fellows in these jobs 

described them as part of a career they had pursued for an average of 4 years and 

were continuing to pursue.
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Model transition programs for students with intellectual 

disabilities into higher education 

(Higher Education Act of 1965, Title VII, Part D, Subpart 2)

(dollars in thousands) 

FY 2021 Authorization: To be determined1

Budget Authority:

2020

Appropriation

2021

Request

Change from

2020 to 2021 

$11,800 $11,800 0

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2015; reauthorizing legislation is sought for fiscal year 2021. 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Model Transition Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities into Higher Education 

(TPSID) support competitive grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) (as defined under 

section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA)), or consortia of IHEs, to 

create or expand high-quality, inclusive model comprehensive transition and postsecondary 

programs for students with intellectual disabilities. Funds from this program also support a 

national Coordinating Center (Center), which develops evaluation standards for TPSID grantees 

and provides technical assistance, information, and opportunities for communication among 

institutions with postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disabilities. The Center 

assists in developing, evaluating, funding, conducting outreach, and supporting continuous 

improvement activities for model transition programs. 

Grants under this program are awarded for 5 years. All grant recipients must partner with one 

or more local educational agencies to support students with intellectual disabilities who are 

eligible for special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities 

Education Act. IHEs receiving funds under this program are required to match Federal funds in 

an amount that is no less than 25 percent of the award amount. Funds may be used for a 

variety of activities, including student support services; academic enrichment, socialization, or 

living skills programs; integrated work experiences; development of individualized instruction 

plans; evaluation of the model program, in cooperation with the Center; program sustainability; 

and development of a program credential. 
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Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2016.............................................................................. $11,800

2017................................................................................ 11,800

2018................................................................................ 11,800

2019................................................................................ 11,800

2020................................................................................ 11,800

FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2021, the Administration requests $11.8 million for TPSID, the same as the fiscal 

year 2020 appropriation. Funds appropriated in fiscal year 2021 would support continuations for

awards to institutions of higher education, as well as the Coordinating Center. 

Among all students with disabilities, students with intellectual disabilities are the least likely to 

have college enrollment listed as a goal on their Individualized Education Program in high 

school, and are among the least likely (along with students with multiple disabilities) to enroll in 

postsecondary education within 4 years after high school. According to the 2011 report, “PostHigh School Outcomes of Young Adults With Disabilities up to 8 Years After High School” from 

the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, only 29 percent of students with intellectual 

disabilities enrolled in postsecondary education settings, the lowest rate of all disability 

categories after 8 years, and of these students, only 7 percent enrolled in 4-year colleges. 

Among those youth with disabilities who do attend college, students with intellectual disabilities 

are less likely than others to successfully find employment, live independently, or see friends at 

least weekly.

TPSID programs identify, promote, and demonstrate innovative strategies to serve students with 

intellectual disabilities in areas such as access to academically inclusive college courses, 

participation in internships and integrated competitive employment, and engagement in social 

and personal development activities. 

The current TPSID Coordinating Center is Think College, a project of the Institute for 

Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston. In the most recent annual 

report for the 2015-2020 grantee cohort, released in 2019, Think College reported that TPSID 

served a total of 843 students on 48 campuses across 19 states in the third year of data 

collection, i.e., fiscal year 2018. TPSID reported successes in a number of areas, including 

continued growth in enrollments in inclusive courses, the number and percentage of students 

completing programs, and the percentage of students who held paid jobs when they exited the 

TPSID program. Additionally, the percentage of TPSID students attending programs approved 

as Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Programs increased from 42 percent to 63 

percent in from Year 2 to Year 3. 
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES 

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures

footnote

2019

footnote

2020

footnote

2021

Number of new awards 0 25 0

Average new award 0 $388 0

Total new award funding 0 $9,700 0

Number of non-competing 

continuation (NCC) awards 25 0 25

Average NCC award $392 0 $392

Total NCC award funding $9,800 0 $9,800

Coordinating Center $2,000 $2,000 $2,000

Peer review of new award 

applications 0 $100 0

Total $11,800 $11,800 $11,800

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of the 

progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based on 

the cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for this program as well as the 

resources and efforts invested by those served by the program.

Goal: To promote the successful transition of students with intellectual disabilities into 

higher education.

Objective: Increase the percentage of students with intellectual disabilities who are enrolled in 

programs funded under TPSID who complete the programs and obtain a meaningful credential, 

as defined by the Center and approved by the Department.
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Measure: The percentage of students with intellectual disabilities enrolled in programs funded 

under TPSID who complete the programs and obtain a meaningful credential, as defined by the 

Center and approved by the Department. 

Year Target Actual

2016 85% 72%

2017 85 75

2018 85 77

2019 85

2020 85

2021 85

Additional Information: Possible credentials include certificates specifically for TPSID 

students granted by an IHE, specialized certificates granted by a program, certificates available 

to all students, specialized certificates issued from a local educational agency, and Bachelor or 

Associate degrees available to all students. Reporting year 2018 represents the third year of 

the second cohort (i.e., 2015-2020) of TPSID grantees. Of the 267 students who exited a 

TPSID program during fiscal year 2018, 206 students (77 percent) received a meaningful 

credential.

Objective: Increase the percentage of TPSID grant recipients that meet Department-approved, 

Center-developed standards for necessary program components.

Measure: The percentage of TPSID grant recipients that meet Department-approved, 

Center-developed standards for necessary program components, including Academic Access, 

Career Development, Campus Membership, Self-Determination, Alignment with College 

Systems and Practices, Coordination and Collaboration, Sustainability, and Ongoing Evaluation.

Year Target Actual

2016 90% 88%

2017 90 63

2018 90 75

2019 90

2020 90

2021 90

Additional Information: The Center developed the Think College Standards for Inclusive 

Higher Education in 2012. These eight standards include 18 quality indicators and 

87 benchmarks and provide an evaluation framework for TPSID performance in areas of 

academic, vocational, social, and independent living skills; evaluation of student progress; 

program administration and evaluation; student eligibility; and program credit equivalency.
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TRIBALLY CONTROLLED POSTSECONDARY CAREER AND TECHNICAL INSTITUTIONS

Tribally controlled postsecondary career and technical

institutions 

(Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, Section 117)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2021 Authorization: $10,038

Budget Authority:

2020

Appropriation

2021

Request

Change from 

2020 to 2021

$10,000 $10,000 0

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This program makes grants to tribally controlled postsecondary career and technical institutions 

to provide career and technical education to Indian students. In order to be eligible for a grant, a 

tribally controlled postsecondary career and technical institution must:

• Be formally controlled (or have been formally sanctioned or chartered) by a governing body 

of an Indian Tribe or Tribes;

• Offer a technical degree- or certificate-granting program;

• Demonstrate that it adheres to a philosophy or plan of operation that fosters individual 

Indian economic opportunity and self-sufficiency by providing, among other things, programs 

that relate to stated Tribal goals of developing individual entrepreneurship and selfsustaining economic infrastructures on reservations;

• Have been operational for at least 3 years;

• Be accredited, or be a candidate for accreditation, by a nationally recognized accrediting 

authority for postsecondary career and technical education; 

• Enroll at least 100 full-time equivalent students, the majority of whom are Indians; and

• Receive no funds under Title I of the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities 

Assistance Act of 1978 or the Navajo Community College Act. 

Funds may be used by a grantee to train faculty; purchase equipment; provide instructional 

services, child-care and other family support services, and student stipends; and for institutional 

support. 
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Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2016 .............................................................................. $8,286

2017 ................................................................................ 8,286

2018 ................................................................................ 9,469

2019 ................................................................................ 9,564

2020 .............................................................................. 10,000

FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2021, the Administration requests $10 million for the Tribally Controlled 

Postsecondary Career and Technical Institutions (TCPCTI) program, the same as the fiscal year 

2020 appropriation. Funds would be used to improve eligible institutions’ academic and career 

and technical education offerings consistent with the purposes of the Carl D. Perkins Career 

and Technical Education Act of 2006, as amended, and for institutional support and capital 

expenditures.

This program currently makes awards to two institutions: Navajo Technical University (Navajo 

Tech) and United Tribes Technical College (UTTC). While UTTC is located in an urban setting 

and serves a diverse Indian student population and Navajo Tech is a rural institution that serves 

an almost entirely Navajo enrollment, they struggle with similar institutional and academic 

challenges. Both institutions serve an especially economically disadvantaged population and 

have difficulty providing sufficient financial aid to students. In addition, each school serves a 

number of students who lack preparation for postsecondary education and need academic and 

support services to help them develop the skills needed to succeed in a postsecondary setting.

Typical sources of institutional support, such as student tuition, endowments, and State 

assistance are not sufficient to meet student needs. Furthermore, according to Navajo Tech 

and UTTC officials, these institutions receive limited support from the tribes they serve because 

they are not the primary postsecondary institutions for those tribes. Consequently, these 

institutions rely on Federal assistance to help them provide postsecondary career and technical 

education services to their students.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 2020 2021

Range of awards $2,375-$7,183 $2,485-$7,515 $2,485-$7,515

Number of awards 2 2 2
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PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of the 

progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based on 

the cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for the program as well as the resources 

and efforts invested by those served by the program.

In 2019, the Department adopted new performance measures focused on persistence and 

graduation. The new measures are: 

(1) Percent of full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking American Indian or Alaska Native 

undergraduates who graduated within 150 percent of the normal time to program completion;

(2) Percent of full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking undergraduates who, within 

8 years of first enrolling, received a postsecondary award from the institution, remain enrolled at 

the institution, or who subsequently enrolled at another institution;

(3) Percent of part-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking undergraduates who, within 

8 years of first enrolling, received a degree or certificate from the institution, remain enrolled at 

the institution, or who subsequently enrolled at another institution;

(4) Percent of full-time, non-first-time degree or certificate-seeking undergraduates who, within 

8 years of first enrolling, received a degree or certificate from the institution, remain enrolled at 

the institution, or who subsequently enrolled at another institution; and

(5) Percent of part-time, non-first-time degree or certificate-seeking undergraduates who, within 

8 years of first enrolling, received a degree or certificate from the institution, remain enrolled at 

the institution, or who subsequently enrolled at another institution.

The source of the data will be the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 

which is maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics. Using the IPEDS as the 

data source reduces burden on the grantees, as they will not have to collect, aggregate, and 

report data separately for the TCPCTI program. The Department expects to start reporting on 

the new measures in fiscal year 2021. 

The data shown below are for the previous measures and are no longer being used. The final 

data collected for these measures are reflected in 2018 in the tables below. 
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Goal: To increase access to and improve career education that will strengthen workforce 

preparation, employment opportunities, and lifelong learning in the Indian community.

Objective: Ensure that career and technical education (CTE) students in tribally controlled 

postsecondary career and technical institutions make successful transitions to work or 

continuing education.

Measure: The percentage of CTE students who receive a degree, certificate, or credential.

Year Target Percentage, 

Navajo Tech

Actual Percentage, 

Navajo Tech

Target Percentage, 

UTTC

Actual 

Percentage, UTTC

2015 90% 83% 58% 42%

2016 95 76 60 42

2017 88 99 62 26

2018 88 99 62 28

Additional information: The source of data is grantee reports. UTTC reported that there has 

been a significant increase in the number of students who “stop out,” or leave the program to 

return later, in order to earn income. The Department reset targets in 2015 based on actual 

performance over the preceding 5 years; in particular, it reset targets for Navajo Tech given the 

changes in rigor due to its new status as a university and expected changes in performance due 

to these changes. 

Measure: The percentage of students who are retained in postsecondary CTE programs. 

Year Target Percentage, 

Navajo Tech

Actual Percentage, 

Navajo Tech

Target Percentage, 

UTTC

Actual 

Percentage, UTTC

2015 85% 78% 65% 72%

2016 87 70 65 72

2017 82 66 58 35

2018 82 66 58 61

Additional information: The source of data is grantee reports. The measure is based on 

students who complete CTE programs and students who have not yet completed, but have 

been retained, in CTE programs. The Department reset targets in 2015 based on actual 

performance over the preceding 5 years; in particular, it reset targets for Navajo Tech given the 

changes in rigor due to its new status as a university and expected changes in performance due 

to these changes. 
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Tribally controlled postsecondary career and technical institutions

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Measure: The percentage of students who meet State- or program-established industryvalidated CTE skills standards.

Year Target Percentage, 

Navajo Tech

Actual Percentage, 

Navajo Tech

Target Percentage, 

UTTC

Actual 

Percentage, UTTC

2015 85% 78% 80% 68%

2016 85 76 82 68

2017 83 70 76 88

2018 83 70 76 95

Additional information: The source of data is grantee reports. The percentage of students who 

meet State- or program-established industry-validated CTE skills standards is based on the 

number of CTE concentrators (students who have completed at least 12 academic or CTE 

credits in a single program area or a full short-term CTE program comprised of less than 

12 credits that results in an industry-recognized credential, certificate, or degree) who passed 

technical skill assessments that are aligned with industry-recognized standards during the 

reporting year divided by the number of CTE concentrators who took technical skill 

assessments during the reporting year. The Department reset targets in 2015 based on actual 

performance over the preceding 5 years; in particular, it reset targets for Navajo Tech given the 

changes in rigor due to its new status as a university and expected changes in performance due 

to these changes. 

Objective: Ensure that CTE students in the tribally controlled postsecondary career and 

technical institutions are placed in jobs or continuing education or complete postsecondary CTE 

programs.

Measure: The percentage of students placed in jobs, military service, or higher-level continuing 

education programs upon graduation or completion of the postsecondary career and technical 

education programs.

Year Target Percentage, 

Navajo Tech

Actual Percentage, 

Navajo Tech

Target Percentage, 

UTTC

Actual 

Percentage, UTTC

2015 70% 55% 85% 80%

2016 73 86 87 81

2017 77 74 82 75

2018 79 74 79 89

Additional information: The source of data is grantee reports. The Department requires 

Navajo Tech and UTTC to collect placement data during the second quarter after students 

graduate from or complete their programs. Since most students do so in late spring or early 

summer, both institutions generally collect these data at the end of the calendar year. The 

Department reset targets in 2015 based on actual performance over the preceding 5 years; in 

particular, it reset targets for Navajo Tech given the changes in rigor due to its new status as a 

university and expected changes in performance due to these changes. 
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Efficiency Measures

The Department adopted cost per participant as the efficiency measure for this program. The 

Department considered calculating the cost per successful outcome (which would be a more 

meaningful indicator of cost-effectiveness), but the recipients do not use the same 

methodology to determine degree completion, which limits the comparability of the data. In 

addition, there continue to be reliability concerns about these data due to challenges in 

obtaining an accurate student count. 

Measure: Annual cost per participant (whole dollars).

Year

Cost per participant, 

Navajo Tech

Cost per participant, 

UTTC

2013 $2,950 $2,950

2014 3,172 3,172

2015 4,086 4,086

2016 4,150 4,150

2017 4,089 4,089

2018 4,897 4,365

Additional information: The statutory definition of Indian student count is an aggregate of the 

enrollment counts for each term: summer school, fall, spring, and continuing education; this 

means that an individual student may be included more than once in the total count. Since 

funding is distributed on an annual basis, the Department calculates the cost per participant by 

dividing the reported Indian student count by two to adjust for students who are counted multiple 

times. Data for fiscal year 2019 will be available by the fall of 2020. Note that the validity of the 

student count data provided by the recipients is uncertain.

.
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Assistance for students:

FEDERAL TRIO PROG RAMS

Federal TRIO programs 

(Higher Education Act of 1965, Title IV, Part A, Subpart 2, Chapter 1)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2021 Authorization: To be determined1

Budget Authority: 

2020

Appropriation

2021

Request

Change from 

2020 to 2021

$1,090,000 $950,000 -$140,000

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2015; reauthorizing legislation is sought for fiscal year 2021.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Federal TRIO Programs consist primarily of five discretionary grant programs—Talent 

Search, Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Centers, and 

McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement—that provide services to encourage individuals from 

disadvantaged backgrounds to enter and complete college and postgraduate education. 

Competitive grants are awarded for 5 years to eligible applicants, which include institutions of 

higher education; public and private agencies, including community-based organizations with 

experience in serving disadvantaged youth; and, as appropriate to the purposes of the program, 

secondary schools. At least two-thirds of the program participants must be low-income, firstgeneration college students (or individuals with disabilities for the Student Support Services 

program).

Talent Search identifies and assists individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who are 

between 11 and 27 years of age by providing them with academic, career, and financial 

counseling and encouraging them to graduate from high school (or return to school, for those 

who have dropped out) and enroll in a postsecondary education program. Projects must 

provide a variety of supports and services, including: advice on and assistance in selecting 

secondary and college courses; assistance in preparing for college entrance exams and in

completing college applications; information on student financial aid and assistance in 

completing financial aid applications; connections to academic tutoring services; connections to 

services designed to improve financial and economic literacy; and guidance and assistance in 

re-entering and completing secondary school. Projects also may provide academic tutoring; 

personal and career counseling; information on career options; exposure to college campuses; 

and services specially designed for students with disabilities or limited English proficiency, 

homeless children and youth, and students in foster care.
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Upward Bound provides services to high school students that are designed to generate the 

skills and motivation needed to pursue and complete a postsecondary education. Projects 

provide the same services as Talent Search projects, except that Upward Bound projects may

provide an on-campus residential summer component and work-study positions that expose

students to careers requiring a postsecondary degree. In addition to regular projects, Upward 

Bound supports projects that focus on math and science and also on veterans. The Upward 

Bound Math and Science program establishes mathematics and science centers that encourage 

students to pursue postsecondary degrees specifically in those fields. The Veterans Upward 

Bound projects are designed to assist veterans in preparing for a program of postsecondary 

education.

Educational Opportunity Centers provide counseling and information on college admissions to 

adults who are at least 19 years old and who are seeking a postsecondary education degree. 

Services include disseminating information on higher education opportunities in the community; 

academic advice, personal counseling, and career workshops; help in completing applications 

for college admissions, testing, and financial aid; tutoring; mentoring; and services to improve 

financial and economic literacy.

The Student Support Services program offers a broad range of support services to 

postsecondary students to increase their retention, graduation, and transfer rates from 2-year to 

4-year institutions. All projects must provide a range of supports and services, including: 

academic tutoring; advice on postsecondary course selection; financial aid counseling; services 

to improve financial and economic literacy; assistance in applying for graduate and professional 

programs; and activities to help students in 2-year institutions enroll in 4-year programs. 

Projects may also provide personal and career counseling; exposure to cultural events; 

mentoring; services to secure temporary housing during academic breaks for students who are

homeless; activities for students with disabilities, limited English proficiency (English learner) 

students, homeless students, and students in foster care; and grant aid (not to exceed 

20 percent of a project’s funds). Projects providing grant aid also must provide a match equal to 

33 percent of the total funds used for that purpose, unless they are eligible to receive funds 

under Title III, Part A or B, or Title V of the Higher Education Act.

The McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement program prepares disadvantaged undergraduate 

students for doctoral study to help them succeed in obtaining doctoral degrees. Projects must 

provide opportunities for research and other scholarly activities at the recipient institution or 

graduate center, summer internships, seminars, tutoring, academic counseling, and activities to 

help students enroll in graduate programs. Projects may also provide services to improve 

financial and economic literacy, mentoring, and exposure to cultural events.

The two largest programs, in terms of funding, are Upward Bound (which includes Upward 

Bound Math and Science and Veterans Upward Bound) and Student Support Services, which 

together accounted for over 70 percent of all TRIO funding in 2019, while Talent Search serves 

the largest number of students. TRIO programs vary greatly in service intensity, with annual 

per-student costs ranging from a high of $9,544 for the McNair program to a low of $280 for the 

Educational Opportunity Centers. Most projects are located at 2- and 4-year postsecondary 
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institutions, although nonprofit organizations operate a substantial number of Talent Search and 

Educational Opportunity Center projects.

Number of Participants, Participants per Project and Cost per Participant (FY 2019) 

Award Type

Number of 

Participants

Average number of 

participants

per project

Federal

cost per participant

Talent Search 309,905 655 $580

Upward Bound 70,744 73 4,854

Upward Bound Math and Science 13,184 62 4,818

Veterans Upward Bound 8,157 132 2,337

Educational Opportunity Centers 193,530 1,382 280

Student Support Services 202,225 190 1,667

McNair 5,242 28 9,544

Percentage of Funds by Institution Type (FY 2019) 

 Institution Type

Talent 

Search

Upward 

Bound1

Educational 

Opportunity 

Centers

Student 

Support 

Services McNair

Postsecondary Institutions

Public, 4-year 45.5% 49.4% 45.1% 43.1% 73.8%

Public, 2-year 26.9 24.8 25.8 44.4 0.0

Private, 4-year 9.6 15.3 5.1 11.6 25.8

Private, 2-year 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.4 0.0

Total, Postsecondary 82.0 89.6 76.0 99.4 99.6

Other organizations2 18.0 10.4 24.0 0.6 0.4

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

1 Includes regular Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math and Science, and Veterans Upward Bound.

2 Other includes nonprofit organizations, State agencies, local educational agencies, county and city 

governments, private profit-making organizations, Indian Tribes, and private elementary and secondary 

schools.
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In addition, TRIO funding supports training for project staff members, dissemination of best 

practices, evaluation activities, and administrative expenses.

TRIO funding also supports Staff Training grants which provide professional development 

activities and opportunities to improve the competency of project directors and staff members. 

Training is offered on such topics as: legislative and regulatory requirements for operating 

funded projects; assisting students in receiving adequate financial aid; the design and operation 

of model programs; the use of appropriate educational technology in the operations of funded 

projects; and strategies for recruiting and serving students with limited-English proficiency or 

with disabilities, homeless children and youth, foster care youth, or out-of-school youth. 

Funding is also provided for Evaluation activities designed to help improve the effectiveness of 

TRIO programs and projects. The statute requires rigorous evaluation of TRIO programs and 

projects but stipulates that the primary purpose of such evaluations must be the identification of 

successful practices, and places limitations on the Department’s ability to use experimental 

design methodologies in conducting evaluations of overall program effectiveness. 

Finally, up to 0.5 percent of the funds appropriated for TRIO may be used by the Department to 

support administrative activities that include obtaining additional qualified readers to review 

applications; increasing the level of oversight monitoring; supporting impact studies, program 

assessments, and reviews; and providing technical assistance to applicants and grantees.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2016....................................................................................$900,000

2017 .....................................................................................950,000

2018...................................................................................1,010,000

2019 ..................................................................................1,060,000

2020 ..................................................................................1,090,000

FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2021, the Administration requests $950 million for the Federal TRIO programs, 

$140 million less than the fiscal year 2020 appropriation. The Request continues to call for the 

transformation of the TRIO programs from a complex and difficult to administer set of Federal 

competitive grant programs to a formula-driven Student Supports Block Grant to States that 

would support activities—including those currently authorized through TRIO, Gaining Early 

Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) and the College 

Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP)—that help low-income and other disadvantaged students 

progress through the academic pipeline from middle school through postsecondary education. 

The proposed Student Supports Block Grant to States supports a number of the 

Administration’s most important objectives in rightsizing the Federal role in education, including 

reducing duplication in Federal education programs, streamlining program administration, 

reducing burden for grantees, re-allocating limited Federal staff resources and expertise from 

competition-related activities to grant monitoring and performance improvement, and promoting 
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the fiscal restraint needed to provide strong support for national defense and public safety while 

reducing the Federal budget deficit. Just as important, this proposal would give States, which 

are in the best position to understand the postsecondary transition and support needs of their 

students and institutions, flexibility to allocate TRIO resources to those activities most likely to 

improve postsecondary access and outcomes for their students. 

States would be responsible for determining how to allocate TRIO dollars among currently 

authorized TRIO, GEAR UP, and CAMP activities, as well as other activities that best meet the 

needs of their eligible students. States would also be empowered to follow their own preferred 

approach to determining subgrant allocations among institutions of higher education, local 

educational agencies, schools, and eligible nonprofit organizations. For example, States would 

decide whether to take into account prior experience in making subgrants or whether to fund 

high-cost per student activities focused on assisting a small number of students in enrolling in 

graduate school (such as those funded under McNair). 

The Department would work with Congress to develop the details of proposed State formula 

grant allocations but anticipates using such criteria as each State’s relative share of the 

population (in a particular age range) at or below 150 percent of the poverty line. The formula 

would also include “base allocations” to initially hold all States harmless according to the TRIO 

amounts they have historically received (through grantee recipients located in their States) on 

average, over some designated time period. The formula would include a set-aside for the

Freely Associated States and Outlying Areas, as well as for project staff training activities, data 

collection, and rigorous program evaluation.

The Department also would protect existing TRIO grantees during the transition to formulabased allocations by reserving sufficient funding to make continuation awards to existing 

grantees through the end of their approved project periods. In each year of the phase-in period, 

funding not needed for continuation awards would be distributed based on the formula. In fiscal 

year 2021, most TRIO funds would be used to fully fund fiscal year 2021 continuation awards. 

Finally, improving our understanding of the TRIO programs through comprehensive, rigorous 

evaluation methods is essential for maximizing the success of the program and building the 

evidence base for effective practices and interventions that States can use in administering their 

formula grants. For this reason, the Department proposes to remove the current statutory 

provisions limiting the agency’s ability to rigorously evaluate the effectiveness of the TRIO 

programs. 
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures

2019

Funding

footnote

2020

Funding

footnote

2021

Request

footnote

2019

Awards

footnote

2020

Awards

footnote

2021

Awards

Footnote

Talent Search (TS)

TS: Continuation awards $165,400 $170,034 $16,005 473 473 38

M STEM Supplements 14,452 0 0 371 0 0

TS: Total 179,852 170,034 16,005 473 473 38

Upward Bound (UB)

UB: Continuation awards 343,357 353,317 353,317 967 967 967

M STEM Supplements 0 0 0 0 0 0

(UB)Total 343,357 353,317 353,317 967 967 967

Upward Bound Math and 

Science (UBMS)

UBMS: Continuation awards 63,521 65,487 65,487 212 212 212

M STEM Supplements 754 0 0 19 0 0

UBMS: Total 64,275 65,487 65,487 212 212 212

Veterans Upward Bound (VUB)

VUB: Continuation awards 19,064 19,751 19,751 62 62 62

VUB: Total 19,064 19,751 19,751 62 62 62

Educational Opportunity 

Centers (EOC)

EOC: Continuation awards 54,101 55,619 11,249 140 140 24

EOC: Total 54,101 55,619 11,249 140 140 24

Student Support Services(SSS)

 New awards 0 349,446 0 0 1,089 0

SSS: Continuation awards 335,360 24,799 351,952 1,069 63 1,096

SSS: Total 335,360 374,245 351,952 1,069 1,152 1,096

McNair Postbaccalaureate (MPB)

MPB: Continuation awards 59,069 42,390 51,432 187 187 187

MPB: Total 59,069 42,390 51,432 187 187 187

Staff Training (ST)

ST: New awards 0 $3,307 0 0 12 0

ST: Continuation awards $3,217 0 $3,307 12 0 12

ST: Total 3,217 3,307 3,307 12 12 12
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Output Measures

2019

Funding

footnote

2020

Funding

footnote

2021

Request

footnote

2019

Awards

footnote

2020

Awards

footnote

2021

Awards

Footnote

Total awards

Domestic Total new awards 0 352,753 0 0 1,101 0

Domestic Total continuation awards 1,043,089 731,397 872,500 3,122 2,104 2,598

STEM Supplements 15,206 0 0 390 0 0

State Formula Distribution 0 0 73,673 0 0 59

Evaluation 0 400 2,000 0 0 0

Administrative expenses:

Peer review of new award

 applications 0 2,271 0

Other expenses 1,705 3,179 1,827

Total 1,705 5,450 1,827

Total 1,060,000 1,090,000 950,000 3,122 3,205 2,657

In fiscal year 2019, the Department used most TRIO funds to support continuation awards to 

current grantees. With the funds remaining, the Department made a 4.5percent across-theboard award increase to all TRIO grantees and used $15.2 million to provide 1-year 

supplements of approximately $40,000 to 390 existing Talent Search and Upward Bound Math 

Science projects to support new or enhanced activities designed to improve student outcomes 

in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education, with a particular focus on computer 

science. 

Similarly, in fiscal year 2020, the Department will use most of the funding to support 

continuation awards across all programs, allocating approximately $30 million to provide a 

2.81 percent across-the-board increase to all existing TRIO grantees. With the funds remaining, 

the Department is currently planning to make new awards for Student Support Services, 

increasing both the number and size of the awards, and Staff Training projects, consistent with 

Congressional directives.

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of the 

progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based on 

the cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for the program as well as the resources 

and efforts invested by those served by the program.
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Goal: Increase the percentage of low-income, first-generation college students who 

successfully pursue postsecondary educational opportunities.

Objective: Increase postsecondary enrollment rates of low-income, first-generation individuals 

in the academic pipeline.

Measure: The percentage of participants enrolling in college.

Year

Talent 

Search 

Target

Talent 

Search 

Actual

Upward 

Bound 

Target

Upward 

Bound 

Actual

Educational 

Opportunity 

Centers 

Target

Educational 

Opportunity 

Centers 

Actual

2016 81.0% 77.6% 81.5% 84.1% 61.5% 57.1%

2017 81.0 77.3 82.0 84.6 62.0 56.7

2018 81.0 75.9 82.0 83.9 62.0 57.0

2019 81.0 82.5 62.0

2020 81.0 84.0 62.0

2021 81.0 84.0 62.0

Additional information: This measure looks at the percentage of participants who enroll in 

college. Targets are set and data are calculated independently for each of the three programs 

for which this measure is relevant. Data are provided by the grantees in their Annual 

Performance Reports.

• For Talent Search, the measure looks at the percentage of “college ready” participants who 

enrolled in programs of postsecondary education during the reporting period or the next fall 

term. “College ready” participants are those who have received a regular secondary school 

diploma or an alternative award such as a high school equivalency certificate. 

• For the Upward Bound program, including the Math and Science projects, this measure 

tracks the percentage of Upward Bound participants with a regular secondary school 

diploma who subsequently enroll in postsecondary education. 

• For Educational Opportunity Centers, the Department defines the cohort of participants 

comprising the denominator in the postsecondary enrollment calculation in the following 

way: participants who received a secondary school diploma or its equivalent during the 

reporting year, high school graduates or high school equivalency graduates not already 

enrolled in postsecondary education, postsecondary dropouts, or potential postsecondary 

transfers.

Objective: Increase postsecondary persistence and completion rates of low-income, firstgeneration individuals in the academic pipeline.
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Measure: The percentage of Student Support Services participants completing an Associate’s 

degree at their original institution or transferring to a 4-year institution within 3 years. 

Year Target Actual

2016 37.5% 43.1%

2017 38.0 43.6

2018 38.5 45.1

2019 39.0

2020 41.0

2021 41.5

Measure: The percentage of Student Support Services first-year students completing a 

Bachelor's degree at their original institution within 6 years.

Year Target Actual

2016 47.0% 55.9%

2017 49.0 56.9

2018 50.0 58.3

2019 51.0

2020 53.0

2021 54.0

Additional information: Grantees provide data on college completion in their Annual 

Performance Reports (APR). Bachelor’s degree completion was calculated as the percentage 

of full-time, first-time freshman participants at 4-year grantee institutions who received a 

bachelor’s degree (or an equivalent degree) from the same grantee institution within 6 years. In

2017–18, 58.3 percent of full-time, first-time freshmen from the 2012–13 cohort obtained a 

bachelor’s degree or an equivalent degree from the same grantee institution within 6 years of 

entering college. For 2-year institutions in 2017-18, 45.1 percent of full-time, first-time freshmen 

from the 2014-15 cohort completed an Associate’s degree and/or transferred to a 4-year 

institution. 

Measure: The percentages of TRIO McNair participants enrolling and persisting in graduate 

school.

Year Enrolling Target Enrolling Actual Persisting Target Persisting Actual

2016 70.0% 68.7% 84.5% 84.4%

2017 71.0 68.1 85.0 80.6

2018 71.0 67.3 85.0 83.9

2019 71.0 85.0

2020 71.0 85.0

2021 71.0 85.0

Additional information: The methodology for this enrollment measures counts as successes 

those McNair participants who enroll in graduate school within 3 years of postsecondary 

graduation. The reporting year in the table above represents the 3-year point of measurement. 

That is, 67.3 percent of McNair participants who graduated with their baccalaureate degree in 

2015 had enrolled in graduate school by 2018. The persistence measure tracks the percentage 
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of McNair participants who enrolled in graduate school and were still enrolled at the beginning of 

their second year.

Efficiency Measures

Measure: The cost per successful outcome.

Year

Talent 

Search 

Target

Talent 

Search 

Actual

Upward 

Bound 

Target

Upward 

Bound 

Actual

Student 

Support 

Services 

Target

Student 

Support 

Services 

Actual

2016 $470 $468 $4,570 $4,292 $1,670 $1,693

2017 465 524 4,555 4,422 1,660 1,694

2018 465 522 4,540 4,543 1,650 1,734

2019 460 4,525 1,640

2020 460 4,510 1,640

2021 460 4,510 1,640

Additional Information: The efficiency measure for the TRIO programs is the average annual 

cost per successful outcome, which is calculated by dividing the program’s funding by the 

number of successful outcomes in each program in a given year. The definition of “successful 

outcome” varies by program; as a result, it is difficult to make valid comparisons across TRIO 

programs based on these data. For Talent Search and Upward Bound, participants are 

considered successful if they persist to the next grade level, graduate high school, or enroll in 

postsecondary school. For Student Support Services, participants are counted as successful if 

they graduate, transfer, or persist to the following academic year.
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Measure: The Federal cost of each McNair program baccalaureate recipient who enrolls in 

graduate school within 3 years.

Year Target Actual

2016 $31,000 $29,816

2017 30,000 26,301

2018 30,000 26,332

2019 30,000

2020 30,000

2021 30,000

Additional information: This measure is calculated by dividing the McNair funding allocation 

from the year in which participants graduated college by the number of college graduates from 

that cohort that enrolled in graduate school within 3 years. 

Other Performance Information

The Department has invested significant resources in evaluations and studies of the Federal 

TRIO Programs. Each TRIO evaluation and study was conducted independently by outside 

contractors that reported to the Department’s evaluation offices. The Department’s proposal to 

remove the current statutory provisions limiting the agency’s ability to rigorously evaluate the 

effectiveness of the TRIO programs is intended to maximize the usefulness of TRIO evaluation 

investments going forward. 

Descriptions of past studies are available at the following link: 

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/ppss/reports.html#postsecondary. Summaries of

current TRIO evaluations are provided below:

Upward Bound: The Institute of Education Sciences began a new evaluation of Upward Bound 

promising practices in 2013, as required by section 402H(b)(1) of the Higher Education 

Act. The study is testing the use of practices aimed at improving college fit by evaluating the 

effectiveness of a professional development program for Upward Bound project staff on college 

enrollment outcomes for participating Upward Bound students. The intervention includes tools 

and resources, including information packets and a well-specified set of in-person college 

guidance strategies informed by recent research. The effort leverages work in the field to 

design effective informational materials on college costs and outcomes, application fee waivers, 

and guidance on colleges to which individual students could consider applying based on their 

location and standardized test scores. The training component is designed so that it can be 

used with regular high school counselors or Upward Bound project staff to maximize the return 

on investment in the demonstration. The evaluation builds on the developing body of research 

suggesting that low-income students may not be attending colleges that match their academic 

abilities and career objectives, in part because they do not have adequate information about 

their college options.
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In October 2018, the Department published the first report (available at this link: 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20194002/pdf/20194002.pdf), which found that UB participants in 

the treatment group were 10 percentage points more likely to apply to four or more colleges and 

to those with a selectivity level of at least “Very Competitive.” The intervention had no effect on 

overall FAFSA completion rates, but may have increased early FAFSA submission for some 

subgroups. The next report will examine the effects on selectivity of students’ college choices, 

and their persistence in college. It is scheduled to be released in the Spring of 2020. More 

information is available at the following link: 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/projects/evaluation/pathways_upward.asp

Educational Opportunity Centers: In the spring of 2017, the Institute of Education Sciences 

announced a new evaluation to examine the effectiveness of a low cost approach to providing 

information designed to overcome key barriers to college enrollment to participants through a 

systematic set of timely and personalized text messages. The study, which is currently 

scheduled to be released in the fall of 2022, will evaluate the impact of the intervention on EOC 

participants’ FAFSA completion and college enrollment rates. More information is available at 

the following link: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/projects/evaluation/pathways_postsec.asp 
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GAINING EARLY AWARENESS AN D READINESS FOR UNDERGRADU ATE PROGRAMS

Gaining early awareness and readiness for undergraduate 

programs

(Higher Education Act of 1965, Title IV, Part A, Subpart 2, Chapter 2)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2021 Authorization: 01

Budget Authority:

2020

Appropriation

2021

Request

Change from

2020 to 2021

$365,000 0 -$365,000

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2015; no reauthorizing legislation is sought for fiscal year 2021. 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) provides 

6 and 7 year grants to States and partnerships that support early college preparation and 

awareness activities at the State and local levels to ensure low-income middle and secondary 

school students are prepared to succeed in postsecondary education. Applicants may also 

apply for an optional seventh year of funding to provide services at an institution of higher 

education to follow students through their first year of college attendance.

GEAR UP has two major service components. First, GEAR UP projects provide a 

comprehensive set of early intervention services including mentoring, tutoring, academic and 

career counseling, and other college preparation activities such as exposure to college 

campuses and financial aid information and assistance. Funds also may support rigorous 

curricula and coursework, such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and dual 

or concurrent enrollment programs in order to reduce the need for remedial coursework at the 

postsecondary level. Second, GEAR UP projects provide scholarships, which must meet the 

minimum Pell Grant amount, to participating students. In making awards to State applicants, 

the Department must give priority to funding entities that carried out successful GEAR UP 

programs prior to enactment in 2008 of the Higher Education Opportunity Act; have a prior, 

demonstrated commitment to early intervention programs; and ensure that students previously 

served by GEAR UP programs receive services through the completion of secondary school. 

States and partnerships must provide matching funds of at least 50 percent of the total project 

costs with cash or in-kind contributions from nonfederal sources accrued over the full duration of 

the grant award. The Department may authorize a reduction in the required match for 

partnerships under certain circumstances.
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GEAR UP supports two types of grants:

State Grants— States receiving funds are required to provide both an early intervention and a 

scholarship component targeted to low-income students, with services starting no later than the 

7th grade. At least 50 percent, but not more than 75 percent, of the grant funds must be used to 

provide scholarships to participating students. Conversely, at least 25 percent, but not more 

than 50 percent, of the funds must be used for early intervention services. State grantees 

generally must hold in reserve funds for scholarships equivalent to the effective minimum Pell 

Grant amount multiplied by the number of students the project is serving that the State 

estimates will enroll in an eligible institution of higher education. The State must make these 

funds available to eligible students who meet certain requirements, such as GEAR UP project 

participation and postsecondary enrollment. These scholarships are portable and may be used 

outside the State in which the GEAR UP program is located. States must provide all students 

served by the program with a personalized 21st Century Scholar Certificate to indicate the 

amount of Federal financial aid that they may be eligible to receive for college. Other authorized 

activities include providing technical assistance to GEAR UP partnership grantees located in the 

State, providing professional development opportunities to individuals working with GEAR UP 

students, capacity-building strategies for partnership applicants to apply for a GEAR UP grant, 

and dissemination of best practices to improve services for eligible students. 

Partnership Grants—Partnerships must include one or more degree granting institutions of 

higher education, one or more local educational agencies, and may include at least two 

community organizations or entities such as businesses, professional associations, State 

agencies, or other public or private organizations. Partnerships receiving funds are required to 

provide an early intervention component to: (1) at least one cohort or grade level of students 

beginning no later than the 7th grade, in a school that has a 7th grade and at least 50 percent of 

its enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch; or (2) to an entire grade level of 

students, not later than the 7th grade, who reside in public housing. Partnerships must ensure 

that services will continue to be provided through the 12th grade. Partnerships may also provide 

scholarships. Partnerships must provide all students served by the program with a personalized 

21st Century Scholar Certificate to indicate the amount of Federal financial aid that they may be 

eligible to receive for college.

Of the amount appropriated for GEAR UP, not less than 33 percent must be used to fund State 

grants and not less than 33 percent must be used to fund Partnership grants, with the remainder 

being allocated between States and Partnerships at the Department’s discretion. Additionally, 

the statute allows the Department to use up to 0.75 percent of the funds appropriated to 

evaluate and improve the impact of GEAR UP activities.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year fisca (dollars in thousands) footnote

2016........................................................................................$322,754

2017..........................................................................................339,754

2018..........................................................................................350,000

2019..........................................................................................360,000

2020..........................................................................................365,000
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FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2021, the Administration requests no funding for GEAR UP, $365 million less 

than the fiscal year 2020 appropriation. Many of the activities supported under GEAR UP 

duplicate those provided by the Federal TRIO programs, including Talent Search and Upward 

Bound, and could be continued under the Administration’s proposal to transition the Federal 

TRIO Programs into a single Student Supports Block Grant Program to States. This grant 

program would support activities—including those authorized under GEAR UP and the College 

Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP)—to help low-income and other disadvantaged students 

progress through the academic pipeline from middle school through postsecondary education, 

which is discussed elsewhere in this account. In addition, States and school districts would 

have discretion to use Elementary and Secondary Education for the Disadvantaged Block Grant 

funds (see the Improving Elementary and Secondary Education account) to support 

postsecondary education exploration activities in middle and high schools, implement strategies 

to facilitate effective transitions for students from middle grades to high school and from high 

school to postsecondary education, and provide assistance in securing student loans or grants 

for postsecondary education. The proposed elimination of GEAR UP is consistent with the 

Administration’s overall effort to eliminate duplicative programs and provide strong support for 

national defense and public safety while reducing the Federal budget deficit. 

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES 

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 footnote2020 Footnote2021

State Grants:

State:Number of new awards 7 4 0

State:Average new award $4,334 $3,260 0

State:Total new award funding $30,342 $13,038 0

State:Number of continuation awards 32 38 0

State:Average continuation award $3,537 $3,453 0

State:Total continuation award funding $113,171 $131,210 0

State:Total award funding $143,513 $144,248 0

State:Total number of awards 39 42 0

Partnership Grants:

Partnershi p:Number of new awards 0 3 0

Partnershi p:Average new award 0 $2,863 0

Partnershi p:Total new award funding 0 $8,589 0

Partnershi p:Number of continuation awards 118 115 0

Partnershi p:Average continuation award $1,833 $1,827 0

Partnershi p:Total continuation award funding $216,333 $210,080 0
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Output Measures 2019 footnote2020 Footnote2021

Partnershi p:Total award funding $216,333 $218,669 0

Partnershi p:Total number of awards 118 118 0

Total award funding:

Partnershi p: Total new award funding $30,342 $21,627 0

Partnershi p: Total continuation award 

funding $329,504 $341,290 0

Evaluation 0 $700 0

Peer review of new award 

applications $40 0 0

Web data collection $114 $183 0

Data Collection Supplements 0 $1,200 0

Total program funding $360,000 $365,000 0

Total number of awards 157 160 0

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of the 

progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based on 

the cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for the program as well as the resources 

and efforts invested by those served by the program. The Department has not established 

targets for 2021 because the Administration’s request does not include funding for this program.

Goal: To significantly increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to 

enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

Objective: Increase the rate of high school graduation and enrollment in postsecondary 

education of GEAR UP students.
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Measure: The percentage of GEAR UP high school seniors who graduated from high school.

Year Target Actual

2016 88.0% 77.1%

2017 89.0 92.7

2018 89.0 86.5

2019 89.0

2020 89.0

Additional Information: This measure indicates the percentage of GEAR UP high school 

seniors that graduated from high school. That is, the denominator used in the calculation 

includes only GEAR UP participants who persisted until the 12th grade while the numerator 

includes participants who both persisted until the 12th grade and graduated. The figures are 

based on data submitted by grantees in their Final Performance Reports. As a result, each year 

of data captures a different subset of grantees serving a fluctuating number of students, which 

could account for some of the annual variation in performance. The Department is exploring 

potential changes to the methodology to be inclusive of a larger set of grantees and students.

Measure: The percentage of former GEAR UP high school graduates who immediately 

enrolled in college.

Year Target Actual

2016 62.0% 55.5%

2017 62.0 61.7

2018 63.0 64.9

2019 63.0

2020 64.0

Additional Information: This measure indicates the percent of GEAR UP students who 

graduated from high school and enrolled in postsecondary education the following September. 

The figures are based on data submitted by grantees in their Final Performance Reports. 

Objective: Increase the academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education of 

GEAR UP students.

Measure: The percentage of GEAR UP students who enrolled in pre-algebra by the end of the 

8th grade who passed the course and the percentage of GEAR UP students enrolled in Algebra I 

by the end of the 9th grade who passed the course.

Year Pre-algebra Target Pre-algebra Actual Algebra I Target Algebra I Actual

2016 55% 53.6% 54% 58.1%

2017 55 67.7 54 72.8

2018 56 71.2 55 71.2

2019 60 60.6 60 74.1

2020 65 65
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Additional Information: This measure tracks completion rates for two mathematics classes 

that research has shown are key indicators of college readiness. Data for this measure, 

collected through Annual Performance Reports, reflect student completion levels from the prior 

year. It should be noted that, as the measure tracks only the percentage of those students who 

are enrolled that pass the class, the percentage of the entire cohort who are on the path to 

college-readiness is likely to be lower. The Department increased the 2019 and 2020 targets to 

be more ambitious. 

Efficiency Measures

The efficiency measure for this program is the cost of a successful outcome, where success is 

defined as enrollment in postsecondary education by GEAR UP students immediately following 

high school graduation. The Department calculates this measure by dividing the annual funding 

supporting closeout grantees (grantees serving cohorts of 12th graders) by the total number of 

postsecondary enrollees they produce. Using this methodology, the annual cost per successful 

outcome for the GEAR UP cohort that submitted Final Performance Reports in 2018 was 

$2,523. The Department provided approximately $2.6 million per year to the grantees in this 

cohort, which produced 67,020 postsecondary enrollees in the final year of their grants. It is 

important to note that this measure uses the strictest possible definition of “successful 

outcome.” For instance, students from this cohort who graduate high school with the help of 

GEAR UP programs but do not enroll in postsecondary education are not considered 

“successes” under this methodology. The Department is exploring alternative methodologies to 

measuring efficiency in this program. 

Other Performance Information

In 2001, the Department began an evaluation on the early effects of the GEAR UP program. 

This study, which was released in 2008, reported on the program’s impact on participants 

attending middle schools and their parents, and the effects of GEAR UP on middle schools and 

on the sustainability of the program’s activities after Federal funds are no longer available. 

Overall, the study found no evidence of an association between GEAR UP participation and 

either grades or school behavior, nor was there any evidence of an association between 

attending a GEAR UP school and the strength of student intentions to attend college or 

expectations for postsecondary education. The study did find a positive association between 

GEAR UP participation and students’ and parents’ knowledge of postsecondary opportunities, 

and with parents’ involvement in their children’s education. The study is available at the 

following link: (http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/highered/gearup/early-outcomes.pdf). The 

Department initiated a follow up study designed to assess the impact of GEAR UP participation 

on high school graduation and college enrollment rates, but methodological issues, including 

very low survey response rates, prevented the Department being able to publish any meaningful 

results. 

Current evaluation

In fiscal year 2014, the Department began using GEAR UP evaluation funds to undertake a 

rigorous study of college access strategies designed to improve GEAR UP students’ college 

enrollment and completion. 
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Specifically, the Department used approximately $5.5 million of fiscal year 2014 and 2015 funds 

to test a low-cost communication strategy that targets GEAR UP high school seniors intending 

to enroll in college, providing them with a series of electronic communications through text 

messages and emails throughout the summer and into the fall of their first expected year of 

college. The messages remind students about key college-related tasks they need to complete, 

customized to the specific activities and deadlines of the colleges or universities in which they 

intend to enroll. The reminders focus on matriculation-related tasks such as award letters, fees, 

orientation and registration timelines and requirements, and early steps in college, such as 

meeting with advisors, connecting with campus support services, and FAFSA renewal. In 

addition, the messages assist program participants in ensuring that they obtain scholarship 

funds made available through their GEAR UP projects. The Department expects to publish a 

report assessing the intervention’s impact on rates of college enrollment, FAFSA renewal, and 

first year college persistence in 2020. If the findings on college enrollment and persistence 

warrant further follow up, the Department could analyze and report on longer term persistence 

outcomes in late 2020.
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GRADU ATE ASSISTANCE IN AREAS OF NATION AL NEED

Graduate assistance in areas of national need

(Higher Education Act of 1965, Title VII, Part A, Subpart 2)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2021 Authorization: 01

Budget Authority:

2020

Appropriation

2021

Request

Change from

2020 to 2021

$23,047 0 -$23,047

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2015. No appropriations language or reauthorizing legislation is 

sought for fiscal year 2021.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) provides fellowships, through 3-year 

grants to degree-granting postsecondary institutions, to graduate students of superior ability and 

high financial need studying in areas of national need. The Department may also award grants 

to non-degree-granting institutions that have formal arrangements for the support of doctoral 

dissertation research with degree-granting institutions. Applicants must set forth policies and 

procedures identifying the specific strategies they will use to identify and support talented 

students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. To be eligible for a fellowship, 

students must be pursuing a doctoral degree or the highest degree in the academic field at the 

institution of higher education (IHE) they are attending, have excellent academic records, and 

demonstrate financial need.

After consultation with appropriate agencies and organizations, such as the National Science 

Foundation, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Homeland Security, the 

Department designates those fields of study that are considered “areas of national need” by 

taking into account the extent to which such areas fulfill a compelling national interest, whether 

post-baccalaureate studies in such areas are supported by other Federal programs, and the 

potential impact of the Federal investment. 

Institutions use program funds to award fellowships for up to 5 years of study. Each fellowship 

consists of a student stipend to cover living costs and an institutional payment to cover each 

fellow's tuition and other expenses. The stipend is the lesser of demonstrated need or the level

of support provided by the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowships. 

Institutions must match 25 percent of the Federal grant amount. The institutional match may be
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used for the following: to provide additional fellowships to graduate students not already 

receiving institutional or GAANN fellowships; to meet the cost of tuition, fees, and other 

instructional costs that are not covered by the institutional payment; and to supplement the 

stipend received by a fellow in an amount not to exceed the fellow's financial need. Institutions 

must also provide fellows with at least 1 year of supervised training in classroom instruction.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2016 ...........................................................................$29,293

2017 .............................................................................28,047

2018 .............................................................................23,047

2019 .............................................................................23,047

2020 .............................................................................23,047

FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2021, the Administration requests no funding for the Graduate Assistance in 

Areas of National Need program (GAANN), $23.0 million less than the fiscal year 2020 

appropriation, consistent with the Administration’s goals of reducing the Federal role in 

education and promoting the fiscal restraint required to provide strong support for national 

defense and public safety while reducing the Federal budget deficit. In addition, the GAANN 

program’s high cost per student limits the number of graduate students that may be supported 

and thus minimizes the program’s impact. The Administration believes such fellowships can be 

more efficiently and more appropriately supported through other Federal programs, such as 

programs implemented by the National Science Foundation, as well as through institutional aid 

and other non-Federal resources. 

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 footnote2020 footnote2021 Footnote

Number of new awards 14 0 0

Number of new fellowships 61 0 0

Average new award $204 0 0

Total new award funding $2,855 0 0

Number of NCC awards 74 88 0

Number of NCC fellowships 370 370 0

Average NCC award $249 $224 0

Total NCC funding $20,1921 $19,717 0

1 Includes $1,786 thousand for paying fiscal year 2020 out year costs; these funds are excluded from average NCC 

award calculation.
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES 

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 footnote2020 footnote2021 Footnote

Supplemental awards 0 $3,330 1 0

Average institution payment $16 $16 0

Average stipend $34 $34 0

Total average fellowship $50 $50 0

Total number of awards 88 88 0

Total number of fellowships 431 370 0

Total program funding $23,047 $23,047 0

1 Supplemental awards to support additional fellows in identified fields.

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of the 

progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based on 

the cumulative effect of the resources provided in previous years, as well as the resources and 

efforts invested by those served by this program. The Department has not established targets 

for 2021 because the Request does not include funding for this program. 

Goal: To increase the number of persons trained at the highest academic level.

Objective: To increase the number of students of superior academic ability completing the 

terminal degree in designated areas of national need in order to alleviate that need.
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Measure: The percentage of GAANN fellows completing the terminal degree in the designated 

areas of national need.

Year Target Actual

2016 60 75%

2017 60 65

2018 60 63

2019 65

2020 65

Additional Information: The data used to calculate performance for this measure come from 

the program’s final performance reports, the Department’s Grants and Payments database, and 

the GAANN program database. The data are calculated by dividing the number of GAANN 

fellows in the last year of their fellowships who have successfully completed their doctoral 

studies by the total number of GAANN fellows who are in the last year of their fellowships.

Because a fellow can receive no more than 5 years of funding and most doctoral students take 

6–7 years to complete their doctoral programs, advancing to candidacy is used as a proxy for 

degree completion where appropriate. Use of such proxy data may inflate outcomes on this 

measure, as not all doctoral candidates who advance to candidacy actually complete their 

doctoral degrees.

Measure: Median time to degree completion (years).

Year Target Actual

2016 5.0 5.1

2017 5.0 4.9

2018 5.0 5.1

2019 5.0

2020 5.0

Additional Information: Data collected through annual performance reports show that 

program participants had a median time to completion of 4.9 years in 2017. According to the 

2017 data provided by the National Science Foundation’s annual “Survey of Earned 

Doctorates,” the median time to doctoral degree completion, measured from initial enrollment in 

graduate school, was 6.2 years for the physical sciences, 6.7 years for engineering, and 

6.8 years for life sciences. It is important to note that these figures are not directly comparable 

to those of GAANN because the GAANN completion rate includes students in non-doctoral

programs who are likely to complete their degrees in fewer years than doctoral students. 
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Efficiency Measure

The efficiency measure for this program is the cost of a successful outcome, where success is 

defined as terminal graduate program completion. This measure is directly tied in with the 

program’s performance measures.

Measure: Cost per PhDs and those who pass preliminary exams.

Year Target Actual

2016 $68,500 N/A

2017 68,500 $56,951

2018 68,500 69,702

2019 68,000

2020 68,000

The data used to calculate the efficiency measure come from the program’s final performance 

reports, the Department’s Grants and Payments database, and the GAANN program database. 

The data are calculated by dividing the total amount of Federal funds provided to support a 

cohort of fellows for the 3 years of the grant period by the number of GAANN fellows who 

complete their degree or successfully advance to candidacy during the 5-year fellowship period. 

As the efficiency measure is based on data from a relatively small number of students, 

significant year-to-year fluctuations may be expected. This may reduce the usefulness of the 

measure at the program level. No data is provided for 2016 because there was no 2011 

GAANN cohort. 
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CHILD CARE ACCESS MEANS PARENTS IN SCHOO L

Child care access means parents in school

(Higher Education Act of 1965, Title IV, Part A, Subpart 7)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2021 Authorization: To be determined1

Budget Authority:

2020

Appropriation

2021

Request

Change from

2020 to 2021

$53,000 $15,134 -$37,866

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2015; reauthorizing legislation is sought for fiscal year 2021.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program is designed to support 

the participation of low-income parents in postsecondary education through campus-based child 

care services. The program makes competitive grants of up to 4 years in duration to institutions 

of higher education, with a priority for child care programs that (1) leverage significant local or 

institutional resources and (2) utilize a sliding fee scale.

Institutions may use the funding to establish or support a campus-based child care program 

primarily serving the needs of low-income students enrolled at the institution. Grants may also 

be used to provide before- and after-school services. Grants may not be used to supplant funds 

for existing child care services. The authorizing statute defines a “low-income student” as a 

student eligible to receive a Pell Grant during the year of enrollment at the institution or who 

would otherwise be eligible to receive a Pell Grant because the student is enrolled in a graduate 

or first professional course of study or is in the United States for a temporary purpose. 

An institution is eligible to receive a grant if the total amount of Pell Grant funds awarded to 

students at the institution for the preceding fiscal year equals or exceeds $350,000. When the 

appropriation for the program reaches $20 million, this amount decreases to $250,000. The 

maximum grant award cannot exceed 1 percent of the total amount of all Pell Grant funds 

awarded to students enrolled at the institution during the preceding fiscal year. The minimum 

grant amount is $10,000. This amount increases to $30,000 when the program’s appropriation 

reaches $20 million.
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Grantees must submit annual reports to the Department regarding their activities. The reports 

must contain data on the population served by the grant; information on campus and community

resources and funding used to help low-income students access child care services; information 

on progress made toward accreditation of any child care facility; and information on the impact

of the grant on the quality, availability, and affordability of campus-based child care services.

An institution receives a continuation award only if the Department determines, on the basis of

the annual reports, that the institution is making a good faith effort to ensure that low-income 

students have access to affordable, quality child care services.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2016 ............................................................................ $15,134

2017 .............................................................................. 15,134

2018 .............................................................................. 50,000

2019 .............................................................................. 50,000

2020 .............................................................................. 53,000

FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2021, the Administration requests $15.1 million for the Child Care Access Means 

Parents in School program, $37.9 million less that the fiscal year 2020 appropriation. This level 

would fund non-competitive continuation grants for previous awardees at reduced levels. The 

2021 Budget returns the program to its funding level before the increases enabled by the 

Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. The Administration remains committed to supporting child care 

services for low-income college students. The 2021 Budget includes a new one-time 

investment of $1 billion, in the Department of Health and Human Services Request, to build the 

supply of child care services and stimulate employer investment in child care.

A National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) report entitled “Persistence and Attainment of 

2011–12 First-Time Postsecondary Students After 3 Years,” indicates that single parents 

enrolled in 2-year and 4-year institutions are at significantly greater risk of not completing a 

certificate or degree. One significant barrier to completion for low-income students and single 

parents is the lack of convenient and affordable quality child care services.

Fiscal year 2021 funding would continue to support current grantees at reduced levels to enable 

institutions to sustain or establish campus-based child care programs; establish emergency 

back-up care and provide summer child care and before and after school services; subsidize the 

costs of child care for low-income students; and establish programs involving parents. 
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 footnote2020 2021

Number of new awards 72 138 0

Average new award $130 $185 0

Total new award funding $9,371 1 $25,500 0

Number of NCC awards 196 268 348

Average NCC award $92 $75 $43

Total NCC award funding $18,039 $20,199 $15,134

Peer review of new award applications $96 $301 0

Total award funding $50,0002 $53,000 2 $15,134

Total number of awards 268 406 348

1 In addition to conducting a competition for new awards in 2019, the Department funded down the 

fiscal year 2018 grant slate to make new awards (28 awards totaling $2,877 thousand). 2 Includes $22.494 thousand and $7.001 thousand in fiscal years 2019 and 2020, respectively to fund outyear 

costs for grantees from the 2017 and 2018 competitions.

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of the 

progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based on 

the cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for the program as well as the resources 

and efforts invested by those served by the program.
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Goal: To support the participation of low-income parents in the postsecondary 

education system through the provision of campus-based child care services.

Objective: Increase access for low-income parents to postsecondary institutions.

Measure: Percentage of CCAMPIS program participants enrolled at CCAMPIS grantee 

institutions receiving child care services who remain in postsecondary education at the end of 

the academic year, as reported in the annual performance report.

Year 4-year/2-year

Target

4-year/2-year

Actual

4-year

Target

4-year

Actual

2-year 

Target

2-year

Actual

2016 79% 82% 75%

2017 81 85 76

2018 74% 81% 61%

2019 75 81 61

2020 75 81 61

2021 75 81 62

Additional information: Previously reported CCAMPIS performance data have been updated 

to improve its accuracy and reliability. Grantees submitting incomplete data were excluded from 

the analysis. Performance data for 2018 will be available in December 2020.

Measure: Percentage of CCAMPIS program participants enrolled at 2-year CCAMPIS grantee 

institutions receiving child care services who graduate from postsecondary education within 

3 years of enrollment.

Year 2-year Target 2-year Actual

2016 19.0%

2017 21.0

2018 22.0%

2019 22.0

2020 22.0

2021 22.5

Additional information: Previously reported CCAMPIS performance data have been updated 

to improve its accuracy and reliability. For the purposes of this performance measure, the term 

“within 3 years of enrollment” means within 3 years of enrolling in the CCAMPIS program. 

Grantees submitting incomplete data were excluded from the analysis. Program performance 

data for 2018 will be available in December 2020.

The Department dropped a performance measure that focused on completion rates at 4-year 

grantee institutions. The methodology used for this measure was problematic because the 

denominator included students who had not been in school long enough to graduate even if they 

persisted without interruption. CCAMPIS grantees at 4-year institutions will continue to be 

required to submit completion rate data for students served by their projects, however, the data 

will not be aggregated to obtain completion rates at 4-year CCAMPIS grantee institutions.
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Efficiency Measure

The efficiency measure tracks student cost per successful outcome.

Measure: Federal cost per CCAMPIS student enrolled at CCAMPIS-grantee institutions 

receiving child care services who remain in postsecondary education at the end of the academic 

year, as reported in the annual performance report.

Year Target Actual

2016 $6,983

2017 7,448

2018 $4,500

2019 4,500

2020 4,500

2021 4,500

Additional information: For 2017, the cost per successful outcome is calculated by dividing 

the program allocation by the total number of students receiving child care services who remain 

in postsecondary education at the end of the academic year at 4-year and 2-year CCAMPISgrantee institutions (includes 87 grantees from 2013 and 2014 cohorts). Program performance 

data for 2018 will be available in December 2020. 

Other Performance Information

Additional information: For 2017, the cost per successful outcome is calculated by dividing 

the program allocation by the total number of students receiving child care services who remain 

in postsecondary education at the end of the academic year at 4-year and 2-year CCAMPISgrantee institutions (includes 87 grantees from 2013 and 2014 cohorts). Program performance 

data for 2018 will be available in December 2020.

Other Performance Information

In September 2019, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report entitled, 

"Higher Education: More Information Could Help Student Parents Access Additional Federal 

Student Aid.” The GAO report included a review of the Department’s performance data for the 

CCAMPIS program, identification of errors in the accuracy of calculations for two measures 

and recommended that the Department correct these errors. In response, the Department 

acknowledged an error in its persistence rate calculation that affected the accuracy of both 

the persistence rate and cost per persistent student measures that were reported in the 

fiscal year 2020 Budget Justifications to Congress. These rates have been corrected and are 

reflected in the tables above. 

The Department also clarified that, for graduation rate data published for fiscal year 2020 and 

prior years, the term “within 3 years of enrollment” means within 3 years of enrolling in the 

CCAMPIS program. 
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Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education

(Higher Education Act of 1965, Title VII, Part B)

(dollars in thousands) 

FY 2021 Authorization: 01

Budget Authority:

2020

Appropriation

2021

Request

Change from

2020 to 2021

$24,500 0 -$24,500

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2015; no reauthorizing legislation is sought for fiscal year 

2021.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) supports a wide range of 

activities to support institutional reforms and innovative programs with the potential to transform 

postsecondary education. In recent years, Congress has provided funding for: the Career 

Pathways program; the Centers of Excellence for Veterans Student Success (CEVSS) Program;

the National Center for Information and Technical Support for Postsecondary Students with 

Disabilities; the Open Textbook Pilot; and First in the World (FITW). Under FIPSE, all 

discretionary grants and contracts are awarded to institutions of higher education and other 

public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies. Grants typically are frontloaded to pay full 

multi-year project costs from a single appropriation.

Activities currently planned for fiscal year 2020 include the following:

The Career Pathways program ($10 million) supports the creation of sustainable, evidencebased career exploration and guidance systems that promote multiple pathways to 

postsecondary and career success.

The CEVSS Program ($7 million) funds model programs to support veteran student success in 

postsecondary education by coordinating services to address the academic, financial, physical, 

and social needs of veteran students. CEVSS grantees establish on their campuses a single 

point of contact to coordinate, through a veteran student support team, comprehensive support 

services for veteran students. Services include counseling, tutoring, assistance with special 

admissions, and transfer of credits from previous postsecondary education or experience, 
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assistance with applying for financial aid and veterans’ benefits, and admission into college. 

This program is authorized under section 873(b) of the HEA.

The National Center for Information and Technical Support for Postsecondary Students with 

Disabilities ($0.5 million) provides technical assistance and information on best and promising 

practices for students with disabilities as they transition to, or attend, postsecondary education. 

This program is authorized under section 777(a) of the HEA. 

The Open Textbook Pilot ($7 million) supports projects at institutions of higher education to 

create new open textbooks or expand their use while maintaining or improving instruction and 

student learning outcomes. This pilot program emphasizes the development of projects that 

demonstrate the greatest potential to achieve the highest level of savings for students through 

sustainable, expanded use of open textbooks in high-enrollment courses or in programs that 

prepare individuals for in-demand fields.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2016......................................................................................... 0

2017......................................................................................... 0

2018................................................................................ $6,000

2019.................................................................................. 5,000

2020................................................................................ 24,500

FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2021, the Administration requests no funding for FIPSE, $24.5 million less than 

the fiscal year 2020 appropriation. The objectives supported by the current FIPSE programs 

are each addressed by other Department funding streams (e.g., funding requested for the 

Department’s career, technical, and adult education, higher education, and special education 

areas) and by programs administered by both the Department of Veterans Affairs and the 

Department of Labor. The Request would implement the fiscal discipline necessary to meet the 

President’s goal of providing strong support for national defense and public safety while 

reducing the Federal budget deficit.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES 

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 2020 2021

Career Pathways

Career Pathw ays: Number of new awards 0 4 0

Career Pathw ays: Average new award 0 $2,475 0

Career Pathw ays: Total new award funding 0 $9,900 0
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Output Measures 2019 2020 2021

Centers of Excellence for Veterans 

Student Success Program

Centers of Excell ence: Number of new awards 0 18 0

Centers of Excell ence: Average new award 0 $385 0

Centers of Excell ence: Total new award funding 0 $6,930 0

National Center for Information and 

Technical Support for Postsecondary 

Students with Disabilities

National C enter for Info: Number of new awards 0 1 0

National C enter for Info: Average new award 0 $495 0

National C enter for Info: Total new award funding 0 $495 0

Open Textbook Pilot

Open Textbook Pilot: Number of new awards 2 TBD 0

Open Textbook Pilot: Average new award $2,500 TBD 0

Open Textbook Pilot: Total new award funding $5,000 1 $6,930 2 0

Contracts

Contracts: Peer review of new award applications 0 $245 0

Total FIPSE funding $5,000 $24,500 0

Total number of new awards 2 23 3 0

1 The Department used the $5 million provided in fiscal year 2019 to provide most of the funding 

requested by the next two applicants on the fiscal year 2018 slate. 2 The Department plans to use $901 thousand in fiscal year 2020 to “make whole” the two grantees 

funded in fiscal year 2019; the remaining $6,029 thousand will be used for a new Open Textbook 

competition.

3 The total reflected does not include the number of awards that will be made under the Open Textbook 

competition in fiscal year 2020.

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, performance targets and data; and an assessment of the progress 

made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based on the 

cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for this program as well as the resources 

and efforts invested by those served by this program. 

The measures and data presented below relate to the performance of FIPSE grantees that the 

Department funded under FITW in fiscal years 2014 and 2015. The Department did not 

establish FITW targets for 2020 and subsequent years because 2019 is the final year of the 

project periods for these grantees, and no new FITW awards are planned. 
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While the Department established a new set of performance measures for the Open Textbook 

Pilot in the 2018 notice inviting applications, most of the measures are final measures (i.e., data 

will not be reported until after the completion of the project, which is anticipated by late 2022). 

Performance information for the remaining annual measures will be available in February 2020. 

Targets will be established once baseline performance data are available. 

The Department will set performance measures for the Career Pathways program, the CEVSS

Program, and the National Center for Information and Technical Support for Postsecondary 

Students with Disabilities and will begin collecting data for these measures in fiscal year 2021.

Goal: To improve educational outcomes for students by developing, identifying, and 

scaling up effective practices that are demonstrated to have an impact on rates of 

college completion, persistence and other student outcomes. 

Objective: To promote rigorous evaluation of FITW-funded projects that will generate significant 

new information about the effectiveness of diverse programs, practices, or strategies to improve 

rates of college persistence and completion.

Measure: The percentage of Validation grantees conducting evaluations that will provide 

evidence of project effectiveness in improving student outcomes that meets What Works 

Clearinghouse (WWC) standards with or without reservations.

Year Target Actual

2016 100% N/A

2017 100 100%

2018 100

2019 100

Measure: The percentage of Development grantees conducting evaluations that will provide 

evidence of project effectiveness in improving student outcomes that meets WWC standards 

with or without reservations.

Year Target Actual

2016 100% N/A

2017 100 93%

2018 100

2019 100

Additional Information: The Department made a total of 42 FITW grants across fiscal years 

2014 and 2015, including 40 Development grants and 2 Validation grants. The data presented 

is based on the most updated grantee evaluation plans in the Department’s possession. These 

evaluation plans were assessed by the Department’s evaluation technical assistance provider 

as to the quality of the study designs of all FITW-funded projects. Information for the final year 

(2018) of the 2014 cohort and the final 2 years (2018 and 2019) of the 2015 cohort should be 

available in March 2020. 
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TEACHER QU ALITY PARTNERSHIP

Teacher quality partnership

(Higher Education Act of 1965, Title II, Part A)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2021 Authorization: 01

Budget Authority:

2020

Appropriation

2021

Request

Change from

2020 to 2021

$50,092 0 -$50,092

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2015; no reauthorization is sought for fiscal year 2021.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) program seeks to improve student achievement and the 

quality of teachers working in high-need schools and early childhood education (ECE) programs 

by improving the preparation of teachers and enhancing professional development activities for 

teachers; holding teacher preparation programs accountable for preparing effective teachers; 

recruiting highly qualified individuals, including minorities; and attracting talented professionals 

from outside the teaching pipeline into the classroom. Projects may also include a component 

to train school leaders in high-need or rural local educational agencies (LEAs) or a component 

to partner with a public broadcast television station or another entity that develops digital 

education content to improve the quality of teacher preparation programs. The program is 

intended to help create a variety of effective pathways into teaching and support our Nation’s 

teaching force in improving student outcomes.

Only partnerships may apply for funding under this program. Partnerships must include a 

high-need LEA; a high-need school or high-need ECE program (or a consortium of high-need 

schools or ECE programs served by the partner LEA); a partner institution of higher education 

(IHE); a school, department, or program of education within the partner IHE; and a school or 

department of arts and sciences within the partner IHE. A partnership may also include, among 

others, the Governor of the State, the State educational agency, the State board of education, 

the State agency for higher education, or a business.

In order to maximize resources and avoid duplication, applicants are required to explain how 

they plan to coordinate activities under the TQP program with other federally funded programs 

aimed at improving teacher effectiveness (e.g., Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants 

under Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Teacher and 

School Leader Incentive Grants program).
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The following three types of grants are eligible for funding through the program:

Pre-Baccalaureate Preparation of Teachers program (Pre-Baccalaureate)—Grants are provided 

to implement a wide range of reforms in teacher preparation programs and, as applicable, 

preparation programs for early childhood educators. These reforms may include, 

among other things, implementing curriculum changes that improve and assess how well 

prospective teachers develop teaching skills; using teaching and learning research so that 

teachers implement research-based instructional practices and use data to improve classroom 

instruction; developing a high-quality and sustained preservice clinical education program that 

includes high-quality mentoring or coaching; creating a high-quality induction program for new 

teachers; implementing initiatives that increase compensation for qualified early childhood 

educators who attain 2-year and 4-year degrees; developing and implementing high-quality 

professional development for teachers in partner high-need LEAs; developing effective 

mechanisms, which may include alternative routes to certification, to recruit qualified individuals 

into the teaching profession; and strengthening literacy instruction skills of prospective and new 

elementary and secondary school teachers.

Teaching Residency program—Grants are provided to develop and implement teacher 

residency programs that are based on effective models that prepare teachers for success in 

high-need schools and academic subjects. Grant funds must be used to support programs that 

provide rigorous graduate-level course work to earn a master’s degree while undertaking a 

guided teaching apprenticeship; learning opportunities alongside a trained and experienced 

mentor teacher; and clear criteria for selecting mentor teachers based on measures of teacher 

effectiveness. Programs must place graduates in targeted schools as a cohort in order to 

facilitate professional collaboration. Programs must also provide a 1-year living stipend or 

salary to members of the cohort, which must be repaid by any recipient who fails to teach full 

time at least 3 years in a high-need school and subject or area.

School Leadership program—Grants are provided to develop and implement effective school 

leadership programs to prepare individuals for careers as superintendents, principals, early 

childhood education program directors, or other school leaders. Such programs must promote 

strong leadership skills and techniques so that school leaders are able to:

• Create a school climate conducive to professional development for teachers;

• Understand the teaching and assessment skills needed to support successful classroom 

instruction; 

• Use data to evaluate teacher instruction and drive teacher and student learning; 

• Manage resources and time to improve academic achievement; 

• Engage and involve parents and other community stakeholders; and 

• Understand how students learn and develop in order to increase academic achievement.
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Grant funds must also be used to develop a yearlong clinical education program, a mentoring 

and induction program, and programs to recruit qualified individuals to become school leaders. 

Partnerships may apply for funding under the Pre-Baccalaureate program, the Teaching 

Residency program, or both, and may also seek separate funding under the School Leadership 

program. In addition, grant funds are available to develop digital education content to carry out 

the activities for Pre-baccalaureate or Teaching Residency programs, but not for School 

Leadership programs. Partnerships are eligible to receive grants for up to 5 years and must 

provide matching funds from non-Federal sources equal to at least 100 percent of the grant 

amount.

Program funds also can be used to support evaluations of program activities; the Department 

last used funds for this purpose in 2010 when it awarded a contract for an evaluation of teacher 

residency programs supported through grants awarded in 2009 and 2010. Results from that 

evaluation are discussed in the “Other Performance Information” section below.

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, also allows the Department to use program 

funds to support the State teacher quality accountability reporting system, as authorized by 

sections 205–207. The State teacher quality accountability reporting system gathers data from 

all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the outlying areas, and the Freely 

Associated States on such topics as the completion rates for traditional and alternative route 

teacher preparation programs, as well as State teacher assessments and certifications. These 

data are reported to Congress and the Nation through the Secretary’s annual report on teacher 

quality, and they provide critical information on both the progress toward the goal of an effective 

teacher in every classroom and the areas needing further improvements (http://title2.ed.gov). 

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were as follows:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2016 ............................................................................. $43,092

2017 ............................................................................... 43,092

2018 ............................................................................... 43,092

2019 ............................................................................... 43,092

2020 ............................................................................... 50,092

FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2021, the request would consolidate the Teacher Quality Partnership program 

into the proposed Elementary and Secondary Education for the Disadvantaged Block Grant 

(ESED Block Grant), which would combine nearly all currently funded formula and competitive 

grant programs authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as well as 

related programs such as TQP, into a single State formula grant program. 

ESED Block Grant funds would be allocated by formula to State and local educational agencies, 

which would have discretion to use those funds for any authorized purpose of the consolidated 

programs, including activities currently supported by TQP. In particular, the ESED Block Grant 

would include a 10 percent reservation for State-level activities that could be used, for example, 
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to support teacher residency programs under section 2101(c)(4)(B)(xi) of the ESEA. For more 

information, see the Improving Elementary and Secondary Education account.

During initial implementation of the proposed ESED Block Grant, the Department would reserve 

sufficient funds to pay continuation awards for TQP grantees through the end of their approved 

project periods.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES 

(dollars in thousands) 

Output Measures 2019 Footnote2020 footnote2021

Partnership Grants:

New partnership grants $20,109 $9,000 0

Continuations partnership grants 22,421 40,397 0

Subtotal partnership grants 42,530 49,397 0

State teacher quality accountability 

reports 479 625 0

Peer review of new award applications 83 70 0

Program totals:

New total 20,109 9,000 0

Continuations total 22,900 49,122 0

Peer review of new award 

applications 83 70 0

Total 43,092 50,092 0

NOTE: In fiscal year 2021, grant continuation costs of $41,062 thousand would be paid for from a 

reservation of funds under the ESED Block Grant for this program.

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of the 

progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based on 

the cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for the program as well as the resources 

and efforts invested by those served by the program.
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Goal: To increase the quality of teachers in high-need schools and early childhood 

education programs.

Objective: To increase the number of new teachers graduating from high-quality teacher 

preparation programs. 

Measure: The percentage of program completers who: (1) attain initial certification/licensure 

by passing all necessary licensure/certification assessments and attain a bachelor’s degree 

(pre-baccalaureate program) within 6 years or a master’s degree (residency program) within 

2 years, or (2) attain highly competent early childhood educator status with a bachelor’s degree 

within 6 years or an associate’s degree within 3 years.

Interim Measure: The percentage of program participants who did not graduate in the previous 

reporting period and who persisted in the postsecondary program in the current reporting 

period.

Year

PreBaccalaureate

Target

PreBaccalaureate

Actual

Residency

Target

Residency

Actual

2016 85% N/A 95% N/A

2017 85 81% 95 72%

2018 85 72 95 75

2019 85 95

2020 85 95

2021 85 95

Additional information: In general, data from grantees under the TQP program has 

demonstrated a high level of persistence among program participants. Data for this measure 

was derived from annual performance reports for cohorts in at least their second year of 

operation. As there were no grantees under this program in their second or later year of 

operation during 2016, no data were reported for that year. 
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Objective: To increase the retention rate of new teachers in high-need school districts.

Measure: The percentage of beginning teachers who are retained in teaching in the partner 

high-need local educational agency or early childhood education program 3 years after initial 

employment.

Year

PreBaccalaureate

Target

PreBaccalaureate

Actual

Residency

Target

Residency

Actual

2016 80% N/A 90% N/A

2017 80 63% 90 55%

2018 80 70 90 77

2019 80 90

2020 80 90

2021 80 90

Additional information: Performance on this measure increased significantly in 2018 and the 

Department is continuing its efforts to ensure that grantees provide the necessary supports to 

beginning teachers in partner LEAs.

Other Performance Information

In 2014, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) published an implementation study of TQP 

teacher residency projects that addressed the following research questions:

• How do teachers who complete teacher residency projects compare to other novice 

teachers and to all teachers in their district?

• What is the retention rate of the residency project teachers compared to their novice 

colleagues who weren’t prepared through a teacher residency project?

• What are the characteristics of the teacher residency projects (e.g., length of overall 

program, nature of required coursework and apprenticeship activities, characteristics of their 

assigned mentor teacher, criteria for selecting program participants)?

• What are the characteristics of the teacher applicants and participants in the teacher 

residency projects?

The study (http://ies.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=NCEE20154002) determined that 

TQP projects provided residents with an average of 450 hours of coursework (the equivalent of 

10 college courses) focusing on content, pedagogy, classroom management, and student 

assessment. Sixty-eight percent of residents reported spending 4 or 5 full days per week in 

their mentor’s classroom during the first half of their residency, during which time residents 

averaged 21 days fully in charge of instruction. During the second semester, 78 percent of 

residents reported spending 4 or 5 days in their mentor’s classroom. During that same 

semester, residents averaged 37 days fully in charge of instruction. Eighty-three percent of 

residents reported that their fieldwork reinforced what they learned in their coursework and 
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68 percent reported that their coursework was well integrated with their classroom experiences. 

Additionally, novice residency program teachers reported feeling more prepared than other 

novice teachers in the same district. 

Individuals completing residency programs were more likely than other teachers to have made a 

distinct career change when they joined their programs, but were otherwise demographically 

similar to non-residency teachers. Residency teachers also had similar retention rates as nonresidency teachers in the same district from spring 2012 to fall 2012 (92 percent versus 

90 percent).

The study also found that mentors had significant prior teaching experience (10 years, on 

average) and significant prior mentoring experience (3.5 semesters, on average). Mentors also 

received extensive training—averaging 37 hours—from residency programs prior to beginning 

their role as mentors.

A follow-up report published in 2015 (https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20154015/) found that 

residency teachers were no more likely than non-residency teachers to remain in their school 

from spring 2012 to fall 2013 (62 percent versus 60 percent). However, residency teachers in 

their first year of teaching in spring 2012 were more likely than non-residency teachers in their 

first year in spring 2012 to remain in the same district through fall 2013 (81 percent versus 

66 percent). These residency teachers, while remaining in the same district, tended to move to 

schools that were higher achieving and had fewer numbers of black students.