Important Dual Credit Think Tank Survey Seeking Responses

This summer, the Dual Credit Think Tank consistently engaged in work following the legislative session based on the goings-on with HB5020, including June and July meetings that identified topics and questions for legislators, and the Legislative Webinar on August 1. 

Now, a survey regarding dual credit has been developed based on not only the August 1 webinar but also the conversations that took place during the June and July Think Tank meetings. This survey has two key purposes: 

• The results of this survey will inform communications from the Dual Credit Think Tank to policymakers about what is important to the field, both school districts and postsecondary institutions, for continued efforts around HB5020 or around new legislative proposals. 

• The results of this survey will also inform the Illinois P-20 Network for developing time-sensitive and needed professional learning opportunities to support school districts, postsecondary institutions, and regions with their efforts to develop dual credit programming for students. 

While the survey is anonymous, we optionally request that participants complete the final section with your organization’s information. In that event, survey responses will still be kept confidential, but this additional data will allow us to engage in more detailed and complex analyses that include demographic and funding data from other sources. 

Please complete this survey by Friday, September 6, 2024, and please share the link to the survey widely with other school districts and postsecondary institutions. We hope to have responses from organizations in communities throughout the state. 

Checking in on HB5020 and Dual Credit Legislation

On August 1, 2024, the Illinois P-20 Network’s Dual Credit Think Tank held a meeting that featured a panel to discuss HB5020, the legislative process, and the current and future state of a possible amendment to the Dual Credit Quality Act. Panelists included Representative Diane Blair-Sherlock, the representative for Illinois’ 46th District in the House and the sponsor of HB5020; Aimee Galvin of Stand for Children Illinois, who led the original writing of HB5020 and who continued to engage in negotiations throughout the legislative session; and, Bobby Johnson, a staff member for the Senate Democrats and the staffer who is responsible for the Senate’s Higher Education Committee. Senator Cristina Castro, who sponsored HB5020 in the Senate, was invited to attend and had planned to attend until approximately one week before the meeting when she notified the Illinois P-20 Network of a conflict and was able to secure Mr. Johnson in her place.

The meeting focused on key questions that had been identified by Dual Credit Think Tank members at the June and July meetings. Topics covered included:

• An overview of key elements of HB5020 from the perspective of each of the panelists
• The current status of HB5020
• Likely next steps for HB5020 and/or other future legislation related to dual credit in Illinois
• Teacher credentialing for high school teachers teaching dual credit
• Ability of school districts to partner with postsecondary institutions other than their own community college
• Reference to school districts’ progress to offer College and Career Pathway Endorsements (i.e., requires six credit hours of early college credit) and the need for continued alterations to dual credit policy in Illinois
• Research into the long-term impact of dual credit within and across Illinois
• Potential funding to specifically support dual credit across Illinois, particularly given funding to support Advanced Placement

Representative Blair-Sherlock stressed that this bill went through multiple revisions in the House before ultimately being passed on to the Senate. She pointed out that through the negotiation process around these revisions, key stakeholders and interest groups expressed that, at the time of the floor vote by the full House, they were either in support of the bill or neutral on HB5020. She also expressed frustration that, though it moved into the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, at that point new issues appeared to pop up, and the bill became stuck in the Senate’s Rules Committee without even receiving a hearing.

Mr. Johnson identified three key disagreements that remained among interest groups as he understood it. The two smaller issues were conversations about who dictated class size limits (the school district or the postsecondary institution) and the right to refusal as it relates to partnering with only the school district’s local community college. The third, and more significant issue, that Mr. Johnson identified was the education and/or work requirements for a high school teacher to be credentialed as a dual credit teacher. On this point, both the panelists and participants stressed that many postsecondary faculty members feel that this teacher credentialing is the key to ensuring high-quality instructional experiences and to maintaining the same rigor that is in place in the postsecondary setting, which is key to meaningful dual credit offerings.

In addition to the panelists and over 70 attendees, representatives from both the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) and Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) were in attendance. Among those statewide leaders was ICCB Executive Director Brian Durham, who spoke about ICCB’s ongoing involvement in continued conversations about HB5020 with community college presidents as well as through a recent meeting ICCB convened with a small group of school district superintendents and community college presidents on the topic. From ICCB’s perspective, there is an ongoing commitment to continuing to negotiate with key stakeholders and this commitment is shared with community college presidents from across Illinois.

While there is much work to continue being done, the meeting concluded with the following key points:

• There is a commitment to addressing teacher credentialing and the professional development plans further, particularly considering the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) policy change last November, whether through HB5020 as early as this fall’s Veto Session or through a new bill.
• There would likely be strong support in examining funding around dual credit, particularly given the support of Advanced Placement, though it was recommended that this would be most effectively approached through separate legislation after the passage of some form of the currently proposed legislation that addresses teacher credentialing.

Though it is not entirely clear how, when, or who will lead these next steps, the Dual Credit Think Tank will continue to fulfill its role in providing a forum for the practitioners doing the work to better understand policymaking processes and share their expert thoughts and experiences throughout the process.

If you are not currently a member of the Dual Credit Think Tank and you are interested in participating, please complete this short Dual Credit Think Tank New Member Form.

HB5020 Update – Next Steps in the Senate

At the time of this posting, HB5020 has made no movement through the Illinois Senate’s Assignments Committee or towards a floor vote in the Senate. Questions have appeared to emerge about whether this bill will move forward through the legislative process, and Illinois P-20 Network partners are asking questions about how they can impact the legislation.

As we have previously written on this topic, the Illinois P-20 Network takes no position on HB5020 itself. We do believe that well-designed dual credit coursework is one component of a high-quality and equitable approach to career and college readiness. Additionally, the Illinois P-20 Network continues to commit to:

1. Share updates to the Dual Credit Think Tank, specifically, and to the field broadly.
2. Provide opportunities for practitioners from both postsecondary institutions and school districts to share their feedback on key elements of discussion that are still being considered with the next amendment to HB5020.

In a previous post, the Illinois P-20 Network has explained how to file a witness slip for a committee. In addition to that, on this or any other bill (or any topic more broadly), educators can and should contact their elected officials in the General Assembly that represent the district(s) in which their organization resides as well as the elected officials that represent their personal residence.

• Illinois Senate Members
• Illinois House of Representatives Members

Phone calls and emails that detail your experience and explain the impact of potential legislation are most helpful. Included concrete and verifiable data not only provides greater veracity to your arguments, but better substantiates your expertise in the field and should improve the overall quality of the legislative debate.

Continue to check on the Illinois P-20 Network News feed for updates on HB5020.

HB5020 Update – To the Senate

As we continue to work to provide accurate and detailed updates to the field regarding HB5020 (previous updates here and here and here and here), we wanted to share that yesterday evening, Thursday, April 18, 2024, the Illinois House of Representatives overwhelmingly (and possibly unanimously) passed HB5020. It will now move to the Senate for consideration.

HB5020 Update – Amendment 002

Update 3 – 12 PM – 17 April 2024 – This morning, the Higher Education Committee met and heard Amendment 002. HB5020 passed unanimously from the Committee, and the bill will now head to the House floor in its current form.

Update 2 – 3.45 PM – 16 April 2024 – The update below proved to be incorrect. The amendment was not able to be fully filed through General Assembly processes in time for today’s Higher Education Committee hearing. The full text of Amendment 002 is now posted on the General Assembly website. The Amendment will now be heard at a 10.30 AM Higher Education Committee hearing tomorrow, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Witness Slips specifically for Amendment 002 can be filed at this Amendment 002 Witness Slip link. For directions on how (and why) to file a Witness Slip, check out this previous HB5020 News post on the Illinois P-20 Network website.

Update – 3 PM – 15 April 2024 – As we understand it, and while it has not yet been confirmed with posting on the General Assembly’s website, the Higher Education Committee will hear Amendment 002 to HB5020 at 11 AM on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.

HB5020 is an amendment to the Illinois Dual Credit Quality Act, and throughout this legislative process, the Illinois P-20 Network remains committed to:

1. Share updates to the Dual Credit Think Tank, specifically, and to the field broadly.
2. Provide opportunities for practitioners from both postsecondary institutions and school districts to share their feedback on key elements of discussion that are still being considered with the next amendment to HB5020.

As stated in last week’s update following the April 3, 2024, hearing of the Higher Education Committee, work continued with key stakeholders on an additional amendment. A range of parties have agreed to updated components of the legislation (outlined below) that will be included in Amendment 002, which is currently being officially drafted by the General Assembly’s Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB). Once posted by the LRB, the bill will return to the Higher Education Committee for another hearing, which is expected to be early next week. If approved by the Committee, the bill will then be up for a floor debate in the Illinois General Assembly House of Representatives. This floor debate must also take place next week, and as a result, it is expected that the HB5020 with Amendment 002 will, once again, be called before the Higher Education Committee early next week.

As the process evolves, anyone can view updates to the status of HB5020 on the Illinois General Assembly’s website. Additionally, the Illinois P-20 Network will continue to provide updates as quickly as possible to members of the Dual Credit Think Tank as well as posting News updates on our website and communicating via the every-other-week Illinois P-20 Network Newsletter.

Amendment 002 completely replaces Amendment 001, and this is referred to as a gut and replace. As of this posting, key components of the legislation include: (Please note that items below that new or updated elements from Amendment 002 have been noted in-text.)

Amendment 002 defines fully-qualified instructors as instructors who either a) meet the academic credentials which are defined as a master’s degree within the discipline to be taught or any master’s degree and not more than 18 graduate hours in the discipline to be taught; or b) is a career and technical education (CTE) instructor who meets the equivalent experience that is commensurate with achievement of academic credentials, as defined by the Dual Credit Instructor Qualification Framework. This is a new addition to the legislation in Amendment 002.

Amendment 002 defines minimally qualified instructors as instructors who are enrolled in a Professional Development Plan and either (a) have a master’s degree in any discipline and have completed a minimum of 9 hours of the graduate coursework requirements of the Dual Credit Instructor Qualification Framework for the course; or, (b) are a fully licensed CTE instructor who is halfway toward meeting the required equivalent experience criteria defined by the Dual Credit Instructor Qualification Framework. This is a new addition to the legislation in Amendment 002.

Amendment 002 expands the purpose of the Dual Credit Quality Act (DCQA) to emphasize the importance of collaborative local partnerships to provide meaningful dual credit opportunities to students and close opportunity gaps.

Amendment 002 requires school districts and community colleges to each designate a liaison and begin partnership negotiations within 60 calendar days of the school district’s initial request.

Amendment 002 offers parity in Priority Career Pathway courses with Illinois Articulation Initiative course offerings to expand opportunities for students for Priority Career Pathways that already exist at the community college.

Amendment 002 uses the standards established by the Developmental Education Reform Act (DERA) for student eligibility measures that recognize a broader range of student achievement, and ICCB will begin collecting data on what multiple measures are being used.

Amendment 002 requires clear communication plans and advanced notice for students and families, so they understand opportunities for early college credit and the necessary prerequisites.

Amendment 002 stipulates that course evaluations should occur within the same school year the course is taught to maintain rigorous standards.

Amendment 002 requires community college districts to reinvest revenues received from school districts for dual credit programming back into dual credit programming.

Amendment 002 allows high schools to use their district policies to determine class size, student technology access, and student accommodations if the course is taught by high school instructors at the high school and only if these policies do not interfere with rigorous student learning outcomes. Amendment 002 does stipulate that these district policies may not interfere with rigorous student learning outcomes. The language around this provision has been updated in Amendment 002.

Amendment 002 allows high schools to coordinate with their higher learning partner to determine course length and number of sections an individual instructor may teach for courses taught by high school instructors at the high school to ensure maximum student access while maintaining rigorous student learning outcomes.

Amendment 002 empowers school districts to offer dual credit courses equal weight with Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses. This is updated language in Amendment 002, in which “districts shall equally weight” from the original HB5020 text was changed to “districts may equally weight.”

Amendment 002 provides that if a community college disapproves of a course request…

• Creates a mechanism within ICCB to review instructor credential denials, which provides another avenue to resolve disputes between a high school and community college and keep more courses available through local partnerships rather than alternative providers.
• Allows high schools to engage an alternative provider for a particular course if their partnering community college disapproves of that course request.
• Permits a community college to reevaluate the course request annually to approve the course and offer the course as originally proposed.

Amendment 002 prohibits dual credit partnerships with for-profit postsecondary institutions.

Amendment 002 codifies the right of community colleges to have first refusal with local partnerships.

Amendment 002 requires all institutions (4-year, 2-year, public, private, in-state, out-of-state) offering dual credit to follow the elements of a dual credit partnership agreement established in section 16 of the Dual Credit Quality Act.

Amendment 002 further limits the use of out-of-state providers by requiring high schools to demonstrate to the IBHE that it has taken appropriate steps to use in-state institutions and must provide rationale if using an out-of-state institution.

Amendment 002 requires IBHE to publish a list of partnership agreements with both out-of-state and private institutions. The update in Amendment 002 adds private institution to this language.

Amendment 002 reconvenes the Model Partnership Agreement Committee biennially.

Amendment 002 defines “academic credentials” as master’s degree within the discipline to be taught or any master’s degree and not more than 18 graduate hours in the discipline to be taught.

Amendment 002 extends professional development plans in perpetuity to address the ongoing teacher shortage and growing student demand for dual credit coursework.

Amendment 002 strikes language allowing instructors with only a bachelor’s degree to enter a Professional Development Plan. This is a change in Amendment 002 from the previous versions of HB5020.

Amendment 002 entrusts the annual course review to the higher learning partner’s faculty department chair and the chief academic officer (or their designees).

Amendment 002 charges ICCB to conduct a study to examine the long-term and short-term outcomes for differing dual credit hour attainment. This is a new addition to HB5020 in Amendment 002.

Amendment 002 creates the Dual Credit Committee, a 29-member committee of secondary and postsecondary representatives to define two specific components: (1) the appropriate graduate coursework within disciplines covered by the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) for academically qualified and interim qualified instructors; and, (2) the equivalent experience required to be a fully qualified CTE instructor.

HB5020 Update

An update on developments with HB 5020 in Springfield today

On April 3, 2024, the Higher Education Committee held a hearing and among the bills heard was HB5020, an amendment to the Dual Credit Quality Act. Multiple people representing interest groups testified and shared their positions, and ultimately, there was a commitment to continue negotiations on an additional amendment to the legislation that is currently being drafted with additional stakeholder feedback. The Illinois P-20 Network will continue to do two things as this process moves forward:

1. Share updates to the Dual Credit Think Tank, specifically, and to the field broadly.
2. Provide opportunities for practitioners from both postsecondary institutions and school districts to share their feedback on key elements of discussion that are still being considered with the next amendment to HB5020.

Once the amendment in development is complete, HB5020 will come back to the Higher Education Committee for review.

As a reminder, through the legislative process, there may be changes to items listed below. This list simply captures key elements of HB5020 that have been agreed upon at this time. HB5020…

• Expands the purpose of the Dual Credit Quality Act (DCQA) to emphasize the importance of collaborative local partnerships to provide meaningful dual credit opportunities to students and close opportunity gaps.
• Requires school districts and community colleges to each designate a liaison and begin partnership negotiations within 60 calendar days of the high school’s initial request.
• Offers parity in Priority Career Pathway courses with Illinois Articulation Initiative course offerings to expand opportunities for students for Priority Career Pathways that already exist at the community college.
• Uses the standards established by the Developmental Education Reform Act (DERA) for student eligibility measures that recognize a broader range of student achievement, and ICCB will begin collecting data on what multiple measures are being used.
• Requires clear communication plans and advanced notice for students and families so they understand opportunities for early college credit and the necessary prerequisites.
• Stipulates that course evaluations should occur within the same school year the course is taught to maintain rigorous standards.
• Requires community college districts to reinvest revenues received from school districts for dual credit programming back into dual credit programming.
• Offers dual credit courses equal weight with Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses.
• Prohibits dual credit partnerships with for-profit institutions.
• Codifies the community college’s right of first refusal.
• Requires all institutions (4-year, 2-year, public, private, in-state, out-of-state) offering dual credit to follow the elements of a dual credit partnership agreement established in section 16 of the DCQA.
• Further limits the use of out-of-state providers by requiring high schools to demonstrate to the IBHE that it has taken appropriate steps to use in-state institutions and must provide rationale if using an out-of-state institution.
• Reconvenes the Model Partnership Agreement Committee biennially.
• Defines academic credentials as master’s degree within the discipline to be taught or any master’s degree and not more than 18 graduate hours in the discipline to be taught.
• Extends professional development plans in perpetuity to address the ongoing teacher shortage and growing student demand for dual credit coursework.
• Entrusts the annual course review to the higher learning partner’s faculty department chair and the chief academic officer (or their designees).
• Creates the Dual Credit Committee, a 29-member committee of secondary and postsecondary representatives to define two specific components: (1) the appropriate graduate coursework within disciplines covered by the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) for academically qualified and interim qualified instructors; and, (2) the equivalent experience required to be a fully qualified Career and Technical Education instructor.
• If a community college disapproves of a course request…
  • Creates a mechanism within ICCB to review instructor credential denials, which provides another avenue to resolve disputes between a high school and community college and keep more courses available through local partnerships rather than alternative providers.
  • Allows high schools to engage an alternative provider for a particular course if their partnering community college disapproves of that course request.
  • Permits a community college to reevaluate the course request annually to approve the course and offer the course as originally proposed.

In addition to the updates that are being provided by the Illinois P-20 Network, anyone can view the current text of HB5020 as well as its current status on the Illinois General Assembly website.

Factsheet Released on Proposed Amendment to the Dual Credit Quality Act

Stand for Children Illinois has released a two-page summary factsheet of House Bill 5020. This document provides information on student enrollment gaps across different demographic groups as well as highlights the pace at which dual credit continues to grow.  

More importantly, the factsheet provides a quick summary of the proposed amendment to the Dual Credit Quality Act. This includes: 

• Multiple measures for student eligibility and increased communication with families. 
• Statewide framework for minimum qualifications to teach (per the new HLC guidelines). 
• Guidance on partnering with alternative postsecondary institutions. 

The Illinois P-20 Network’s Dual Credit Think Tank will continue to collect feedback from educators across Illinois from both school districts and postsecondary institutions throughout the process.  

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Rodrigo López, Director of P-20 Initiatives (rodrigo.lopez@niu.edu).

Taking Steps to Address the Full Range of Dual Credit Challenges Together 

The Fall 2023 Illinois P-20 Network meeting consisted primarily of worktime for each of three key Illinois P-20 Network workgroups: Dual Credit Think Tank, IPIE, and KEEP Illinois. A summary of the Dual Credit Think Tank workgroup worktime follows below. 

The Dual Credit Think Tank brought together its membership while also welcoming educators new to the group from across Illinois. The primary task for the Dual Credit Think Tank at this meeting was to synthesize the recent policy changes adopted by the Higher Learning Commission’s (HLC) Board of Trustees at its November 2023 meeting. Over the past year, the group has worked on studying these now-approved changes and collecting feedback from practitioners on the potential impact of this policy change

With a significant representation from both school districts and postsecondary institutions and with participation from organizations like Stand for Children Illinois, the Think Tank started its workgroup session with a special message from Alex Perry from the College in High School Alliance, a national policy leader in early college credit. In his address to the group, Alex shared up-to-date information about student participation and the urgent need for states to affirm a clear, structured framework that appropriately considers the continued rise of dual credit enrollment.

Along with NIU’s Director of P-20 Initiatives Rodrigo López, Patrick McGill (Glenbard Township High School District 87) and Whitney Martino (West Aurora School District 129) led the group through a series of presentations and discussions that provided a deeper context and specific examples of the dual credit environment in Illinois. Aimee Galvin from Stand for Children Illinois also shared a series of key topics and questions for the group to consider in response to HLC’s policy changes. The expertise and unique experiences of the very diverse participants from across organizations and across Illinois identified the following next steps for the Dual Credit Think Tank.

1 – Amendments to the Illinois Dual Credit Quality Act should prioritize the following: 

• Instructor qualifications – Increased clarity and consistency 
• Equivalent experience – Guidance that differentiates between Career and Technical Education courses and General Education courses 
• Multiple measures – Development of a statewide framework that addresses dual credit programs’ unique needs

2 – Development of an Illinois Statewide Dual Credit Practices Guidance Framework that provides direction on the key components of dual credit operations, including but not limited to: 

• Course selection and implementation 
• Curriculum and instruction 
• Student eligibility and services 
• Registration and enrollment 
• Financial structures and budgeting 

The final portion of the Illinois P-20 Network meeting included each workgroup providing a summary of their work to all participants. Then, small group discussions considered what the 1-year and 3-year specific task priorities should be for the Illinois P-20 Network. As a next step, the Network’s leadership team will compile all of those suggested priorities, analyze them, and may then solicit additional feedback from across the Illinois P-20 Network. Ultimately, the goal will be that there are specific, actionable, and sustainable next steps for each of the workgroups. 

An Overview Webinar of HLC’s Proposed Policy Changes

On September 6, 2023, Rodrigo López, Director of P-20 Initiatives at Northern Illinois University, and Aimee Galvin, Government Affairs Director at Stand for Children Illinois, hosted an informational webinar for educators across Illinois on behalf of the Illinois P-20 Network’s Dual Credit Think Tank.

With attendees from across Illinois representing secondary and postsecondary institutions, Rodrigo and Aimee reviewed the Higher Learning Commission’s (HLC) proposed policy changes to Faculty Qualifications, resulting from the HLC’s Board of Trustees’ first reading of the policy this past summer. The Board is expected to vote on the proposed Faculty Qualifications policy during their upcoming meeting this November.

The webinar provided background context to these proposed policy changes, and the webinar also provided information on the current policy and guidelines (Determining Qualified Faculty Through HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation and Assumed Practices) as noted in the Assumed Practices – CRRT.B.10.020. Aimee from Stand for Children Illinois offered an overview of their organization’s philosophy on dual credit and shared some thoughts on potential implications for both school districts and postsecondary institutions in Illinois, which are included in the Stand for Children Illinois HLC Proposed Rule Change Comment Letter.

Next Steps for Practitioners to Consider (and for Action)

The proposed policy changes and the information shared by the Dual Credit Think Tank present a time-sensitive opportunity for both school districts and postsecondary institutions to engage in a conversation about how these changes may impact their goals and their directions moving forward. For example, the HLC is seeking to adopt Progress toward academic credentials as an alternative to approve instructors to teach college courses. In the context of dual credit, this allows dual credit partnerships to construct a framework to explore the use of Professional Development Plans as a means to be credentialed to teach dual credit courses, similar to what is described in the Dual Credit Quality Act. Additionally, Illinois P-20 Network partners might find value in learning more about implementing a local policy that uses Equivalent Experience to increase dual credit instructors within career and technical education.

Understanding that dual credit partnerships from across Illinois face their own unique challenges, the Dual Credit Think Tank encourages all members to critically analyze the proposed policy changes and participate in the open comment period.

Please note that comments to HLC regarding this proposed policy change remain open through September 18, 2023. Comments can be provided to HLC via email: policycomments@hlcommission.org

The full webinar can be viewed on YouTube or below.

Webinar Recap – HLC Proposed Policy Changes

On February 7, 2023, Rodrigo López, Director of P-20 Initiatives at Northern Illinois University, and Aimee Galvin, Government Affairs Director at Stand for Children Illinois, hosted an informational webinar for educators across Illinois on behalf of the Illinois P-20 Network’s Dual Credit Think Tank. With attendees from across Illinois and representing school districts, community colleges, universities, and other professional and interest groups, the proposed policy changes recently communicated by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) were shared. While the HLC proposed policy changes were the primary focus of the interview, Rodrigo and Aimee also reviewed the recent amendments to the Illinois Dual Credit Quality Act and shared the proposed rule changes to the ICCB System Rules Manual that pertain to dual credit (Section 1501.313).

View the webinar below or on the Illinois P-20 Network’s YouTube channel. Continue reading below the video for next steps.

Action Items

• If you are an HLC member institution, please consider submitting feedback on these proposed changes at this time. Learn more about HLC’s proposed revisions. Feedback by member institutions is due to HLC by February 15, 2023.
• Participate in the Dual Credit Think Tank’s next major task – Collecting and publishing best practices for reviewing the credentials and experiences of high school teachers beyond their earned academic credentials.

For more information on the Dual Credit Think Tank or to get involved, please contact Rodrigo López at rodrigo.lopez@niu.edu

HLC Call for Feedback

Proposed Policy Changes to Assumed Practices (CRRT.B.10.020)

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) has announced its proposed policy changes to Assumed Practices – CRRT.B.10.020. As one of six regional accreditors in the United States, these proposed changes, if approved by the Board, will help to “eliminate any restrictive impact of HLC’s requirements on student access to dual credit programs in underserved or rural areas.” Degree-granting postsecondary educational institutions in the State of Illinois, along with those located in the other 18 states, may be in a position to benefit and modify existing practices specific to the review and approval of faculty qualifications.

HLC member institutions have been requested to share feedback on these proposed changes before its formal comment process is initiated. Learn more about HLC’s proposed revisions. Feedback by member institutions is due by February 15, 2023.

The Illinois P-20 Network in collaboration with the Illinois Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (ILACEP) has worked with a diverse group of secondary and postsecondary educators to increase knowledge and support dual credit opportunities. As dual credit has become a critical component of schools’ early college credit programs, the Dual Credit Think Tank has focused its efforts on advocating for policies and practices that lead to an increase in the number of high school instructors teaching dual credit courses.

In June 2022, the HLC’s Board of Trustees extended the deadline for enforcement of faculty qualifications requirements in the context of dual credit education from September 1, 2023, to September 1, 2025. Institutions not in compliance with the requirements of Assumed Practice B.2.a, not only have an additional two years to get their dual credit offerings into compliance but may also have additional options with the approval of the policy changes.

Although recent amendments to the Dual Credit Quality Act have continued to address the challenges faced by dual credit programs to have more high school instructors credentialed to teach dual credit courses, revisions to HLC’s policies would make clear “that an institution can deem its faculty qualified on the basis of academic credentials, equivalent experience or some combination thereof” and that it may also “take into account substantial progress toward academic credentials in addition to achievement of such credentials” to create “parity between teaching assistants and dual credit instructors who are similarly situated in this regard.”

The Illinois P-20 Network Dual Credit Think Tank will be hosting an informational webinar on the HLC proposed policy changes to Assumed Practices – CRRT.B.10.020 on February 7, 2023, at 2 PM (CT) – Register today!

Dual Credit Think Tank Policy Brief Released

Strategies to Support Teachers in Credentialing for Dual Credit

In January 2022, the Illinois P-20 Network’s Dual Credit Think Tank launched a state-wide survey to gather examples from school districts of contract language, policies, procedures, and practices that support dual credit teacher licensure. Particularly in the face of the teacher shortage, school districts must identify new strategies to address these credentialing issues. While the recent amendment to the Illinois Dual Credit Quality Act includes an extension for teachers to secure a professional development plan which allows them to start teaching dual credit courses while they finish the minimum teaching qualifications as prescribed by the Higher Learning Commission, school districts continue to face significant challenges in supporting the necessary number of teachers in becoming credentialed to teach dual credit classes.

Additional support and resources are necessary to increase the number of teachers with dual credit credentials. Understanding school districts’ need for guidance on how they can leverage existing mechanisms, the Dual Credit Think Tank has published Strategies to Support Dual Credit Teacher Credentialing, a policy brief for educators and advocates that highlights best practices for schools to adopt in their aim to further support teachers’ journey towards meeting the minimum qualifications to teach dual credit courses. Specifically, the brief offers recommendations, based on the responses to the survey from earlier this year, on how school districts can collaborate with teachers via their collective bargaining agreements to implement financial assistance and incentives.

Transitional English – Learn more and provide feedback

Over the course of the 2018-2019 school year, in collaboration with the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Community College Board, and the Illinois Board of Higher Education, Education Systems Center led a committee of educators from school districts and postsecondary institutions in the development of the draft Course Parameters and Competencies for Transitional English. During this same period, the Illinois Community College Board awarded grants to support community colleges and school districts in beginning to develop and launch their Transitional English programs locally that would based their work on this statewide framework. The ICCB Transitional English Grant awardees represent a variety of institutions, geographic regions, and demographics throughout Illinois.

On June 2, 2020, Education Systems Center, the state agencies, and representatives of the Competency Development Group presented a statewide Transitional English webinar to provide background and explanation regarding Transitional English.

Educators and the public can provide feedback on the draft framework using this Transitional English Public Comment Survey through July 31, 2020.

The image below provides an outline of the process of moving from where it is today to full implementation.

At the time of the publication, the State of Illinois is in the left-most circle. Based on the feedback, there may be adjustments to the draft framework. Then, during Fall 2020, it is anticipated that the state agencies will review the course parameters and competencies and then adopt them. At that point, the work will shift to implementing the statewide portability panel in order to ensure that all students who are successful in Transitional English can be placed in the appropriate college English class across Illinois.

For more information, visit the Illinois Community College Board’s official Transitional English website.

Survey – What support do you need with Perkins V?

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) jointly implement Perkins V and they continue to provide resources for school districts, community colleges, and EFEs to move through the Perkins Grant process successfully. The following websites include resources and support documentation from these state agencies:

• ISBE Perkins V Information
• ICCB Perkins V Information

Based on feedback from school districts and community colleges, Education Systems Center, the Center for Governmental Studies, and the P-20 Network, all based out of Northern Illinois University, are seeking to determine if there are additional needs related to the Perkins V processes, and if so, how our organizations may be able to assist. This short survey is designed to provide that feedback to know what needs may exist that require additional support.