November 2024 IllinoisCAN Newsletter November 2024 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. The upcoming events sponsored by ISAC include:
CLE's Analysis of the Civil Rights Data Collection This fall, The Center for Learner Equity (CLE) "completed its fifth analysis of the U.S. Department of Education's Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) on access and opportunities for students with disabilities. Key findings show progress in certain areas, substantial opportunity gaps for students with disabilities in others, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on outcomes during the 2020-21 school year. "The analysis examines data trends regarding the enrollment, placements, disciplinary removals, and post-secondary outcomes of students with disabilities in traditional and charter public schools." Read CLE's findings on access and opportunities for students with disabilities. At Selective Colleges, Fewer Students Are Disclosing Race in Their Applications "Fewer students in this fall's class of college freshmen chose to disclose their race or ethnicity in their applications to some top schools, data shows. "The pattern, which is nuanced and only affects a sliver of the nation's universities, is among several early indications of the potential impacts of the Supreme Court's decision last year that has effectively prohibited colleges from considering race as a factor in admissions." Learn more about the potential impact of the Supreme Court's ruling on race-conscious admissions. The Cost of College is Shrinking "The actual price of tuition at many of America’s colleges continued a steady, decade-long decline as the sector enters an era of shrinking high-school enrollments and greater competition, according to analysis released by the College Board. "While sticker prices have continued to balloon to as large as $100,000 at some private, nonprofit universities, the average net price – the remaining cost of tuition after institutional and grant aid is deducted – for undergraduate students entering their freshman year at these institutions clocked in at $16,510 for the 2024-25 academic year, down from $19,330 in 2006-07 (adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars). Net prices at public institutions followed similar trend lines: $2,480 was the average amount charged in 2024-25 at in-state, four-year institutions, down from $4,340 in 2012-13 (inflation adjusted); and, according to the College Board, freshmen attending two-year colleges continue to receive on average enough grant aid to cover tuition and fees, a trend that dates back to 2009-10." Read more about net tuition and fees in relation to inflation and additional economic pressures. Illinois Students on PaCE to Thrive "The Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) framework, one of the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act's four pillars, is an essential guide for schools to organize career exploration and development, college preparation and selection, and financial literacy requirements. The state's education agencies – the Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Illinois Community College Board, and Illinois Board of Higher Education – adopted PaCE in July 2017, and the framework is further supported by Public Act 102-0917 (HB3296), signed into law in May 2022, which requires district alignment with PaCE. "The PaCE framework continues to draw national attention for its intentional design and the ways it centers students." Read about the development and implementation of PaCE. Going to College? Use Our Toolbox to Help Choose a School and Plan the Costs "There's a lot to consider when deciding where to apply to college. Tuition costs, financial aid offerings and student loans are high on the list, but so are questions about campus culture and free speech policies. The Hechinger Report created a whole suite of tools with brand-new data that can answer your questions and help you research what life might be like at thousands of colleges and universities across the country."
Common App Direct Admissions "Direct admissions is a proactive admissions process that offers college admission to qualified students before they apply. Offers are based on data – like GPA – that students have entered into their Common App. This is an effort to simplify and streamline the admissions process. "Students who receive direct admissions offers feel relieved and more confident because a college extended an offer based on their Common App responses. This offer lets students learn more about the college, decide if it's a good fit, and then submit their Common App." The Direct Admissions program launched in September with 117 campuses across 35 states, including 6 in Illinois. Learn how the Common App Direct Admissions program works. 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 December 2nd 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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