As legislators return to Springfield for this year’s session of the General Assembly, Illinois has the opportunity to not just protect higher education in a time of crisis, but elevate it to new heights as we progress into 2026 and beyond. Last year brought unprecedented challenges and changes at the federal level against higher education, and the damage from those actions will make access to affordable college opportunities only greater for students. But the Partnership for College Completion has legislative proposals that would meet this pivotal moment in higher education, knock down barriers, and secure the equity-centered investments Illinois urgently needs to get more students to and through college.
This year marks PCC’s celebration of a decade of improving college access and affordability, increasing college completion, and eliminating degree completion disparities for students. In 2026, PCC will focus on these priorities:
1. Adequate and Equitable Funding for Public Universities
Illinois has cut state appropriations to universities in half during the last 20 years, shifting costs to students and families least able to afford them. Because Illinois is one of the only states that has no model for how it funds its universities, the resulting disinvestment falls hardest on institutions with the least resources that enroll greater percentages of students from low-income backgrounds and students of color. This underfunding has resulted in Illinois experiencing the largest enrollment declines of any state in the country.
University leaders, students, unions, advocates, and legislators have informed the proposed Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Formula (SB 13/HB 1581) through years of research and refinements. The formula:
- Calculates what each university needs based on their unique mission and student population
- Increases resources to all universities, while prioritizing the most underfunded
- Directs the resources needed for an estimated 122,000 more Illinois bachelor’s degree-holders, who would contribute $692 million per year in state taxes when fully funded
In collaboration with a broad coalition of partners, PCC will continue to advocate for this critical legislation to bend the cost curve and open opportunities for students to realize their educational goals. The culmination of this advocacy will be at the 2026 Higher Education Advocacy Day in Springfield, Ill., on Thursday, April 16.
2. Invest $71 Million more into the Monetary Award Program
The Monetary Award Program (MAP) was created in 1967 with the intent of covering the full cost of tuition at Illinois public colleges for all students from low-income families. As recently as 2022, every eligible low-income Illinois student could receive MAP. However, lagging state investment has led to a shortfall, making college unattainable for thousands of Illinoisans who qualify and apply for aid. Additionally, MAP distributions are not keeping pace with tuition and fees due to this underfunding. The maximum MAP award now covers only 47% of what it costs to attend a public university.
MAP makes college affordable for low-income students, yet in 2023 and 2024, more than 67,000 eligible students were denied grants. Illinois students need a minimum of $71 million more invested into MAP to avoid another 35,700 eligible low-income Illinois students from being denied state aid.
If Illinois continues to disinvest in MAP, students from low-income families will have to make up the difference–going deeper into debt through student loans, working long hours, or attending school on a part-time basis, if they decide to attend college at all.
3. Create Stable Funding for Prison Education Programs (HB 4427 / SB 2954)
Providing educational opportunities to incarcerated residents reduces recidivism and improves employment opportunities–outcomes with broad bipartisan support. Yet Illinois’ degree programs in prisons have diminished dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, Illinois had more than 3,300 degree-seeking incarcerated students in higher education in prison (HEP) programs. Now there are fewer than 390.
Enrollment has not rebounded primarily because of the lack of a funding source. Currently, college programs operate at no cost to incarcerated students, but institutions that offer degree programs do so at their own expense.
By redirecting just 0.5% of Illinois’ cannabis revenue, our state could provide grants to HEPs that would not only stabilize enrollment, but also educate an additional 215 students–a 52% increase. This estimated $1.4 million in annual revenue would cover this investment, along with funding to administer it. Using cannabis revenue aligns with the fund’s purpose of addressing harm caused to communities by disinvestment, violence, and decades of inequitable drug enforcement policies.
Representative Rep. Michael Crawford is sponsoring the bill as HB 4427, and Senator Willie Preston is sponsoring the bill as SB 2954.
Higher education serves as a public good, uplifting individuals and communities, promoting and protecting democratic engagement, and fueling innovation for the good of society. Through our legislative priorities, PCC reinforces its commitment to ensuring every student in Illinois has the pathway to take advantage of the opportunities that come with earning a college degree.