Education In Action.

Decision Information Resources, Inc. (DIR) builds momentum across its education portfolio through two new PRESTO IDIQ awards. These projects deepen DIR’s long-standing partnership with the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences, drawing on decades of experience evaluating postsecondary access and student support programs. Through rigorous, policy-relevant research, DIR is helping inform evidence-based decision-making related to program effectiveness, institutional accountability, and student success—strengthening the knowledge base that guides federal education policy and practice.

TRIO Programs and Proposing Options for Future Outcome Evaluation 

Decision Information Resources, Inc. (DIR) has been awarded a new 54-month evaluation of the Federal TRIO Programs, which provide outreach and student services to help individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds access and complete college. Funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), this effort represents the next phase in a long line of studies designed to strengthen and modernize TRIO programming across the nation.

Working in partnership with Mathematica, the evaluation will include both a Descriptive Study and a Feasibility Study that will shape options for future outcome evaluations. DIR will conduct two rounds of web surveys, coordinate five virtual expert advisory panel meetings, and collaborate with Mathematica and IES to produce user-friendly, public-facing reports and analytic products. The study will examine TRIO program operations and participant experiences and inform the design of future research assessing program effectiveness and long-term outcomes.

DIR’s responsibilities span study design, data collection, and quality assurance, with an emphasis on methodological rigor and accessible dissemination. Leveraging its experience conducting large-scale, complex federal evaluations and its longstanding history with TRIO studies— including Upward Bound, Talent Search, and McNair—DIR will contribute advanced data analysis, culturally responsive evaluation practices, and stakeholder-engagement expertise to ensure that findings are both rigorous and relevant.

The TRIO Evaluation will generate evidence to guide program improvement and policy decisions for educational access and attainment among underrepresented populations. By combining DIR’s deep understanding of postsecondary-access programs with Mathematica’s evaluation expertise, the project will deliver insights about future research and help the Department of Education strengthen pathways to and through college for first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students.

National Study on Program Closure and Tenure Policies

Decision Information Resources, Inc. (DIR) has been awarded a 54-month contract from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) to examine program closure and tenure policies in U.S. higher education. As prime contractor under the PRESTO IDIQ, DIR will lead a mixed-methods national study exploring when, how often, and why institutions close academic programs—and the extent to which tenure practices influence those decisions.

Working in partnership with Abt Global, the study will draw on IPEDS data (2010–2023), a national web survey of institutions that have closed programs within the past five years, and interviews with institutional leaders. An Expert Advisory Panel of higher education scholars and practitioners will guide the study throughout its 54-month period.

DIR’s work will encompass the full research cycle—from study design and sampling to data collection, analysis, and reporting. The team will integrate survey, interview, and administrative data, applying AI-assisted document analysis and predictive modeling to identify patterns and inform findings. Over the course of the project, DIR will deliver four major technical reports and multiple derivative products, such as issue briefs, infographics, and evidence maps designed for policymakers, practitioners, and the public.

Findings from this study will provide empirical evidence to help policymakers, system leaders, and the public understand institutional decision-making, tenure practices, and program sustainability. By combining rigorous analysis with accessible reporting, DIR, and Abt Global aim to illuminate the factors driving program viability and closure—informing future policy and strengthening the higher education ecosystem.