summary
Introduced
01/08/2026
01/08/2026
In Committee
02/17/2026
02/17/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
104th General Assembly
Bill Summary
Amends the Board of Higher Education Act, various Acts relating to the governance of public universities in Illinois, and the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Board of Higher Education to establish a pathway program in which any public high school student in this State who graduates in the top 10% of the student's graduating class or meets other standardized thresholds is guaranteed admission to at least one public university. Requires the Board to submit an annual report to the General Assembly (and make the report publicly available) that includes, with respect to public universities: (1) how many in-state residents were admitted in the prior academic year compared to the number of out-of-state residents that were admitted; (2) the tuition trends for students who are residents of this State; and (3) how many university graduates continue to reside within this State following graduation. With respect to each academic program of a public university that has a limited capacity to admit students due to a high demand for admission to the program, provides that at least 70% of the students admitted to the program must be residents of this State. Beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year, prohibits the governing board of each public university from increasing its in-state tuition rate for a given academic year by a percentage that exceeds the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for all items published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor for the 12 months ending on the previous December 31. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish a workforce incentive program in which a student who enrolls in a high-need field at an institution of higher learning may receive a grant to reduce tuition costs or loan forgiveness if the student commits to working in this State for at least 3 after graduation. Provides that under the program, a student from an underserved region of this State may also receive additional admission and tuition support from the Commission.
AI Summary
This bill establishes a guaranteed admission pathway program for high-achieving public high school students in Illinois, ensuring they are admitted to at least one public university if they rank in the top 10% of their class or meet other set standards. It also mandates that the Board of Higher Education report annually on in-state versus out-of-state admissions, tuition trends for Illinois residents, and the number of graduates who remain in the state, while requiring that at least 70% of students admitted to high-demand, limited-capacity academic programs at public universities must be Illinois residents. Furthermore, starting with the 2027-2028 academic year, public universities will be prohibited from increasing in-state tuition by more than the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a measure of inflation. Finally, the bill creates a workforce incentive program managed by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) that offers tuition grants or loan forgiveness to students who commit to working in Illinois for at least three years after graduation in high-need fields, with additional support for students from underserved regions.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
House Higher Education Committee Hearing (16:00:00 2/25/2026 Room 122) (on 02/25/2026)
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