Gov. Pritzker Proposes Expanding Access to Four-Year Degrees at Community Colleges

GODFREY- ​ Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined students and leadership from Lewis and Clark Community College to propose a new community college baccalaureate degree program. Through this consumer-driven, student-centered program, community colleges would be enabled by the State to offer four-year bachelor degrees, making degrees more accessible while meeting the needs of employers in key sectors, and keeping education costs low for students and working families.

“As the home of the third largest community college system in the nation, Illinois should be doing all that it can to leverage these world-renowned institutions to meet those goals,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We have some really terrific four-year institutions that are a vital part of the higher education system in Illinois, but we need to recognize that there are geographic, financial, and accessibility constraints that close off too many students from attending those schools. With lower tuition rates and a greater presence across the state – especially in rural areas – community colleges provide the flexibility and affordability for students to pursue a quality education that works for them.”

"This initiative gives students more options to earn a four-year degree in high-demand fields in their region, particularly in rural communities, with more flexibility and affordability," said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. "It’s a practical step to help more Illinoisans gain the skills they need for good-paying jobs while strengthening our workforce across the state.”

Community colleges are central to expanding access to affordable education, strengthening the state’s workforce, and creating more economic opportunity for Illinoisans. While traditional four-year institutions are a vital part of our postsecondary ecosystem, they are not universally accessible for students and they are not sufficient to address the unmet workforce needs of in-demand sectors like nursing, advanced manufacturing, early childhood education, and more. Community colleges are located in every region of the state, offer more flexible education options for working students, and have lower tuition than traditional universities.

To meet student and workforce needs, 24 states have already implemented policies that allow community colleges to offer baccalaureate degree options. In Illinois, the proposed BA degree program applications would be reviewed and approved by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), and the accrediting organization associated with the degree type.

The initiative centers equity and affordability with the following provisions:

“To meet Illinois’ current and future workforce needs, we need to meet more students where they are, and for many, that means staying close to home and providing more affordable education opportunities. ​ Baccalaureate degrees at the community college level open access to students that might otherwise not be able to pursue these opportunities. Not because they aren’t smart or hard-working, but because they simply lack the resources to do so,” said ICCB Executive Director Brian Durham.

“Although our public universities provide quality education and paths to successful careers, there remain gaps in access and affordability. Community colleges represent a core pillar of Illinois’ higher education system and this bill will allow them to close these gaps and meet the needs of our undergraduate students,” said State Senator Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island). “Giving community college students the opportunity to pursue a bachelor’s degree will provide a more affordable, targeted and community-based path to a fulfilling career. ​ This legislation represents a commitment to our state’s higher education institutions and students.”

“A vibrant economy needs the right people in the right place at the right times to build, innovate, and imagine a better tomorrow," said Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl (D-Northbrook). "That’s why it’s time for Illinois to join the 24 states nationwide that benefit from community colleges partnering with employers to create high-paid job pathways for students in fields with the greatest shortages, like nursing and early childhood education. Over 78% of students in community college plan to continue on to a bachelor's degree, and we are helping more of them do just that.”

"More than 500,000 students were served by our community colleges in the last year," said Jim Reed, Executive Director of the Community College Trustees Association. "Students choose and trust our community colleges because they provide a quality education, with affordable tuition and flexible schedules that work for students in all stages of their education career and life circumstances. That trust is exactly why we support the Governor’s initiative to allow community colleges to offer applied bachelor's degrees to address workforce needs."

Support for this program is aligned with Governor Pritzker’s commitment to prioritize initiatives that have a positive impact on Illinois’ working families. The proposed FY26 budget includes a 3% increase in operating dollars for public universities and community colleges and a $10 million increase for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) which provides critical tuition assistance. In addition to support for a new community college baccalaureate degree program, Governor Pritzker is also proposing a direct admission program to streamline college admissions to public postsecondary institutions and save Illinois families money. Governor Pritzker is also proposing a classroom cellphone ban for K-12 schools across Illinois to restrict personal electronic use during class instruction.

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