The majority of community college students say they plan to transfer to a four-year university, 79% to be precise. But only 35% successfully do. That’s according to
research from the Partnership for College Completion, which also found that only 20% of those students complete a bachelor’s degree.
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New proposed legislation in Illinois aims to increase those rates by offering some four-year degrees at community colleges, but critics say efforts should instead be made in improving the transfer process — and are concerned it could cut into some universities’ enrollment. Jim Reed, executive director of the Illinois Community College Trustees Association, said the two school systems don’t need to compete for students. “The research shows that the students who are attaining their bachelor’s degree through the community colleges in states across the country are not your traditional students,” Reed said.” They’re not the 18- to 24-year-olds. These are individuals who are out in the workplace that are looking to increase their salary, their ability to move up in their workplace … And so those are not the students that we’re competing with against our public universities.” Instead, he said, it’s an opportunity to fill workforce gaps and improve access in areas with lower rates of higher education. “We’ve looked at sort of critical areas like nursing, early childhood education, cyber security, manufacturing,” he said. “These are all areas that are struggling to find qualified talent, and so that’s why the importance of this legislation is really focused on workforce needs.” The university funding plan, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, was the subject of a
Senate committee hearing Wednesday . The bill allowing community colleges to offer four-year baccalaureate degrees
did not advance out of a House committee before a March 21 deadline.
Peter Hancock of Capitol News Illinois contributed. Thanks to our sponsors:
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