Education (Higher Education)

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. In provisions concerning the Prepare for Illinois' Future Program, requires the Program to offer students test preparation services for the Test of Essential Academic Skills. Provides that the other preparation programs for professional exams that the Program is required to offer students may include exams for insurance, allied health care, emergency medical services, firefighting, and fitness and wellness services. Provides that, in establishing the Program, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission may (rather than shall) consider, among other factors, whether a vendor can provide test preparation for multiple admission and professional exams (rather than whether the test and licensure exam preparation and credentialing programs can be provided by a single vendor). Provides that the Commission may not require a vendor to provide test preparation for all such admission and professional exams.

Amends the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act. Provides that the State Board of Education, the Illinois Community College Board, the Board of Higher Education, and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, in furtherance of postsecondary and career expectations, shall jointly develop a Senior Gap Semester Pilot Program. Provides that the Pilot Program shall only be offered to students eligible for grade 12 in school districts located within Regional Office of Education 35. Provides that the Pilot Program shall offer a semester-long program in which a grade 12 student may explore a profession or career within the health care industry, agriculture industry, manufacturing industry, and early childhood education industry. Requires the State Board of Education to consult with statewide organizations representing health care, agriculture, manufacturing, and early childhood education, and publish and maintain on its website a current database of employer champions for work-based learning and career readiness systems and programs in each industry.

Creates the Engineering Students of Illinois Scholarship Act. Creates the Engineering Students of Illinois Scholarship Program, to be administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, to provide scholarship assistance until July 1, 2031 to eligible students for engineering-related study at a public university who agree to work as an engineer for the Department of Transportation for a period of not less than 3 years. Allows the Commission to award scholarships to pay the tuition and fees of a student enrolled in an approved program of professional engineering education for the equivalent of 8 semesters or 16 quarters of full-time enrollment. Provides for an additional stipend in an amount not to exceed $10,000. Establishes the total amount of scholarship assistance, the application process, eligibility requirements, and payments and repayments. Amends the Board of Higher Education Act to require the Board of Higher Education to establish and administer a competitive grant program for public institutions of higher education that award degrees in engineering. Repeals the Act on July 1, 2032.

Amends the Public Community College Act. Allows the board of trustees of a community college district to establish and offer a baccalaureate degree program and confer a bachelor's degree if specified conditions are met. Requires the board of trustees to demonstrate that the community college district has the expertise, the resources, and sufficient student demand to offer a baccalaureate degree. Sets forth the application requirements. Prohibits a community college district from using semester credit hours generated in a baccalaureate degree program for certain grants. Sets forth limitations on community college districts for establishing baccalaureate programs. Requires a community college district that offers a baccalaureate degree program to submit an annual report to the Illinois Community College Board. Requires the Illinois Community College Board and the Board of Higher Education to conduct a statewide evaluation of all baccalaureate degree programs established under the amendatory Act and report the results of the evaluation on or before 5 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act, in addition to being made publicly available online. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Community College Act. Allows the board of trustees of a community college district to establish and offer a baccalaureate degree program and confer a bachelor's degree if specified conditions are met. Requires the board of trustees to demonstrate that the community college district has the expertise, the resources, and sufficient student demand to offer a baccalaureate degree. Sets forth the application requirements. Prohibits a community college district from using semester credit hours generated in a baccalaureate degree program for certain grants. Sets forth limitations on community college districts for establishing baccalaureate programs. Requires a community college district that offers a baccalaureate degree program to submit an annual report to the Illinois Community College Board. Requires the Illinois Community College Board and the Board of Higher Education to conduct a statewide evaluation of all baccalaureate degree programs established under the amendatory Act and report the results of the evaluation on or before 5 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act, in addition to being made publicly available online. Effective immediately.

Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Chicago State University for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, as follows: General Funds $41,747,900; Other State Funds $3,307,000; Total $45,054,900.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish the Adult Learner Flexible Education Grant Program to facilitate access to online postsecondary education for adults over the age of 25. Sets forth application requirements and eligibility. Provides that grants are applicable only to tuition and mandatory fees. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act with respect to the Illinois Veteran grant program. Provides that a grant recipient is not required to pay any tuition or mandatory fees while attending a State-controlled university or public community college in this State for a period that is based on the length of his or her active duty service, as verified on his or her U.S. Department of Defense form DD-214, calculated at specified credit hour rates (rather than for a period that is equivalent to 4 years of full-time enrollment, including summer terms). Provides that a grant may be transferred to a qualified dependent beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year. Amends the School Code to make a related change. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act. Provides that the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board shall develop a policy to foster the reverse transfer of credit for any student who has accumulated at least 30 (rather than 15) hours of academic credit at a community college and a sufficient number of hours of academic credit at a State university in the prescribed courses necessary to meet a community college's requirements to be awarded an associate degree. Provides that each State university shall automatically notify any transfer student accepted to the State university with at least 30 hours of academic credit at a community college of the option for the reverse transfer of credit within the student's first term of enrollment. Provides that a community college shall provide notification to a student wishing to reverse transfer earned academic credit with instructions on application for conferral of an associate degree. Provides that a community college or State university may not charge an application, transfer evaluation, or graduation fee or any other fee associated with conferral of an associate degree through reverse transfer. Provides that a community college shall include each student awarded an associate degree through reverse transfer within its student information system. Effective immediately.

Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Northeastern Illinois University for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, as follows: General Funds $42,401,300.