Looking Ahead to the 104th Illinois General Assembly

As the 104th Illinois General Assembly (GA) kicks off this month, we are keeping a close eye on what education policy issues come to the fore. Both the House and Senate have a deadline of January 24 for bills to be submitted to the Legislative Reference Bureau for drafting and mark-up, at which point we will have a greater sense of the range of proposed legislation to be potentially sent to the various education-related committees.

As the 103rd GA came to a close, much of the dialogue was about how to grapple with potential changes coming from the incoming presidential administration, particularly given public comments and priorities expressed by President-elect Trump concerning immigration and the US Department of Education. 

Here are some topics we are monitoring as the 104th GA gets underway:

Dual Credit Quality Act

While HB5020 failed in spring 2024, we anticipate movement to address key areas in need of updating in the Dual Credit Quality Act, in particular, the soon-to-expire Professional Development Plans provisions and other issues around teacher credentialing as it pertains to the Higher Learning Commission’s policy changes around instructor eligibility. We are eager to see how the GA can help shore up the existing strengths of our state policy on dual credit while fostering more equitable scaling of this valuable strategy.

FAFSA Graduation Requirement

Given anti-immigration rhetoric from the incoming federal administration, many advocacy groups have highlighted the ways in which completing FAFSA may create vulnerability and exposure for students who are undocumented or are from mixed-status families. We are monitoring to see if the Governor or GA takes action to address these potential risks to such students.

Higher Education Funding

A core focus of the 103rd GA led by Senate Majority Leader Lightford and Representative Carol Ammons, we expect to see higher education funding negotiations continue as the GA grapples with the recommendations of the Illinois Commission on Equitable Higher Education Funding. 

Community College Partnerships for Educator Prep Programs

The Illinois State Board of Education approved a set of legislative priorities in their December 2024 meeting that includes a measure requiring educator preparation programs to, upon request of a community college, partner with a community college to offer an approved preparation program leading to a Professional Educator License endorsed in a teaching field for individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree. Given broader challenges in the teacher pipeline, we are eager to see how this can help address some core access gaps for potential educators.

Transfer and Articulation

Despite the promise of the Illinois Articulation Initiative, many students across Illinois encounter barriers when trying to progress through their postsecondary education. We expect to see legislation put forth by the Illinois Community College Trustees Association to advance more seamless transfer processes for students navigating that transition.

As the GA continues to convene, we will be monitoring bills and considering how they might help advance our forthcoming policy agenda, addressing core challenges across our four pillars:

• Leadership, Governance, and Vision
• Student Experience and Conditions
• Policy Evaluation and Continuous Improvement
• Future Readiness

We will continue to provide analysis on key developments shaping education policy as the session gets underway.