May 2025 IllinoisCAN Newsletter May 2025 Welcome to IllinoisCAN's monthly newsletter. The mission of IllinoisCAN is to improve postsecondary access and success for low-income and first-generation college students in Illinois. IllinoisCAN builds the capacity and effectiveness of college access organizations to help students reach their goals. IllinoisCAN monthly newsletters are intended to be for us and by us – professionals around the state working to improve college access. In this issue:
ISAC is pleased to continue sponsorship of the Family Action Network (FAN) events, which are always free and open to the public. FAN curates a high-quality speakers series presenting fresh ideas that elevate minds and expand hearts to help create an informed and compassionate community. Upcoming events sponsored by ISAC include:
NCAN Updates
Seamless Success: Transforming College Transfer in Illinois "The Partnership for College Completion released a new report that reveals the flaws in Illinois' higher education transfer system, and how it often fails to provide an affordable path to a bachelor's degree, particularly for low-income students and students of color. It also outlines the structural barriers that prevent most community college students from achieving their degree goals and offers a roadmap for reform." The Partnership for College Completion report shares the barriers students face and synthesizes an array of proposals into recommendations on how leaders and policymakers can break down those barriers. 2025 College Changes Everything Conference: Call for Proposals In uncertain and changing times, hope becomes a vital anchor that enables people to navigate challenges with resilience and purpose and with a sense of belonging and community. Please join us at the 2025 College Changes Everything© (CCE) conference and be part of the conversations as we engage with the question: How do we build community? The conference will be held July 17, 2025 at the Tinley Park Convention Center. Submit an interest session proposal by May 6, and learn more about the conference on the conference website. Illinois Education and Care Under Federal Policy Shifts: Impact Narratives Project "Advance Illinois is working to document and uplift the impact that federal orders and actions are having on Illinois' learners and those providing education and care. The Impact Narratives Project will provide greater insight into what is happening and how our system, the people who power it, and the people served by it are being affected but also responding to the changes. "To share your story, please complete the form. This is open to families, students, educators and practitioners, education researchers, and childcare providers; please share the form with others in your network. You may use your real name, a pseudonym, or simply list 'anonymous.' Please provide a valid email address so Advance Illinois can follow up with you." What is the Demographic Cliff? "You keep hearing about the 'demographic cliff' higher education is facing. It's an ominous-sounding term for the steep decline in traditional-age students projected to start by 2026, with the number of new high-school graduates expected to fall by about 13 percent by 2041. The consequences of the cliff will vary across geographic regions and types of institutions, yet there's widespread worry about its effect. "How did higher ed get to this precipice? And what does it mean for students? Watch the Chronicle of Higher Education explainer to understand the history of enrollment trends, the effects of the ways they're changing, and how colleges can best position themselves to handle those changes." Sharing the Cost: Insights from States Funding Dual Enrollment to Expand Access "In 2023, 2.5 million high school students participated in dual enrollment – programs that allow them to take and earn credit for college-level courses. Research shows that dual enrollment leads to better student outcomes, such as higher graduation rates, college enrollment, and credit accumulation. "But not all students have the same access to these programs, with white and high-income students participating at higher rates than Black, Latino, Indigenous, and economically disadvantaged students. "State policymakers can use funding policies to expand access to dual enrollment programs, particularly for underrepresented students. Bellwether's report, Sharing the Cost: Insights From States Funding Dual Enrollment to Expand Access examines six dual enrollment programs across four states – California, Idaho, Minnesota, and Texas." Do you have events, news, requests, or resources to share with college access colleagues? IllinoisCAN monthly newsletters are intended to be for us and by us – professionals around the state working to move college access forward. For inclusion in the next newsletter, send content by May 19th to ISAC.IllinoisCAN@illinois.gov. Review Newsletter Submission Guidelines at https://illinoiscan.org/resources/Newsletters/index.html. Find us on Facebook:
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