March 2025 IllinoisCAN Newsletter March 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. This month's upcoming events sponsored by ISAC include:
Geography of Opportunity: Mapping the Availability of Broad-Access Institutions "This data brief explores the communities where public broad-access institutions (BAIs) in the United States are located." It "explores the availability of Broad-Access Institutions (BAIs) across the country, differentiating between rural and urban areas as well as communities along state borders. BAIs play an important role in expanding educational opportunities and promoting upward mobility; however not all communities have equal access to BAIs. This inequality affects where students go to college – it even affects how they get there, how much they pay, and whether they complete their degrees. "This analysis draws connections between geographic location and key drivers of educational inequality, offering researchers and policymakers new ways of thinking about college access, affordability, basic needs, and student success." Read the Geography of Opportunity brief. A Stronger Nation: Learning Beyond High School Builds American Talent Lumina Foundation is tracking progress toward the nation's 60% attainment goal. Lumina "tracks the post-high school educational attainment of Americans ages 25 to 64. Since 2009, that figure has increased by 17 percentage points. That's progress, but it's not enough to reach 60 percent by 2025. Dramatic action is needed to meet the nation's need for talent and to ensure that all Americans have real opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive." Explore attainment data nationally, by state and by county. The Race-Blind College Admissions Era is Off to a Weird Start "When colleges began announcing the makeup of their incoming freshmen classes last year – the first admissions cycle since the Supreme Court outlawed affirmative action – there seemed to have been some kind of mistake. The Court's ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard had been almost universally expected to produce big changes. Elite universities warned of a return to diversity levels not seen since the early 1960s, when their college classes had only a handful of Black students." Read about the surprising results and two possible causes. Quality Coaching: Helping Students Navigate the Journey from Education to Career "A successful transition from postsecondary education into employment starts long before graduation. Connecting learning to students' career development at each step in their path from education to employment strengthens students' ability to make informed choices, follow through on their plans, and achieve their goals. "This national overview of student experiences defines quality education-to-career coaching as consisting of three elements: guidance, timely information, and support. Unfortunately, only 20 percent of recent graduates of public four-year institutions experienced the kind of coaching that encompasses these three elements. "This report examines the experiences of recent graduates. The report by The Strada Education Foundation also offers insights to leaders, practitioners, and others seeking to improve students' career outcomes." Read the Strada Education Foundation report. 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 March 24th 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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