Illinois Code § 35

§ 35.

Goals and metrics. (a) By July 1, 2021 or within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, the Board of Higher Education's Strategic Plan Educator Workforce subgroup on the early childhood workforce must set goals for the Consortium for the enrollment, persistence, and completion of members of the incumbent workforce in associate, bachelor's, and master's degree programs, Gateways Credentials in Level 2, 3, or 4, and Professional Educator Licensure by September 30, 2024. The goals set for the Consortium must be data informed and include targets for annual enrollment and persistence. (b) Data from the Gateways Registry, March 2020, indicates that there are 7,670 individuals with an associate degree who would benefit from progressing to a baccalaureate degree and 20,467 individuals with a high school diploma or some college who would benefit from progressing to an associate degree. If the goals cannot be set in accordance with subsection (a), the goal for the Consortium shall be that by September 30, 2024, 20% of the individuals described in this subsection (b) who do not have a degree will have enrolled and be persisting toward or have attained a Gateways Credential in Level 2, 3, or 4 or an associate degree and, of the individuals who have an associate degree, will be enrolled and persisting toward or have attained a baccalaureate degree or will be persisting toward or have attained a Professional Educator License. (c) Student financial aid, including incentives and stipends, data-sharing, and professional statewide engagement and marketing campaign and recruitment efforts are critical to the Consortium's ability to quickly attract and enroll students into these programs. Navigators, mentors, and advisors are critical for persistence and completion. If federal funds are not appropriated for these purposes and the other purposes of this Section, the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board, the State Board of Education, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Early Childhood, in consultation with the advisory committee, shall adjust the initial target metrics appropriately by adopting challenging goals that may be attainable with less public investment. (d) The Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board, the State Board of Education, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Early Childhood, in consultation with the advisory committee, shall determine new metrics and goals for the Consortium as they relate to the remaining and future early childhood workforce, to be instituted after the close of the 2024-2025 academic year and going forward. Metrics must take into consideration that the pipeline depends on sustained, increased student enrollment and completion rates at the associate degree level if this State aims to continue with sustained, increased student enrollment and completion at the bachelor's degree level. (Source: P.A. 102-174, eff. 7-28-21; 103-594, eff. 6-25-24.)