ISAC Communiqué

Volume 35, Number 5C
November 2025

Messages sent to:   Multiple Subscription Groups
  ISAC Communiqué

Welcome to the November 2025 ISAC Communiqué, which is a compilation of e-Messages sent through ISAC's e-Messaging service throughout November.

The articles in this electronic Communiqué have been organized according to the Counselor subscription groups to which the messages were distributed.

Questions?

Questions regarding information in this electronic Communiqué can be directed to Partner Services by calling 866.247.2172 or sending an email message to  [email protected]. On occasion, you may be directed to a specific contact person or area; when this occurs, we will provide the appropriate information in the individual article or message.

MULTIPLE SUBSCRIPTION GROUPS

Reminder: Free ISAC Webinar!
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admissions Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations, and Public Libraries on November 20, 2025.

You can still register for ISAC’s professional development webinars! Please share these opportunities with colleagues and partners. Professional Development and Continuing Education hours are available.

For registration details and more information, visit the Upcoming Professional Development Offerings page

For questions, contact [email protected].

Early Announcement of 2026-27 State Scholars Has Begun
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on November 7, 2025.

Links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website (isac.org) unless otherwise noted.

First Early Announcements of 2026-27 State Scholars Completed

ISAC is pleased to announce that the 2026-27 State Scholar Program (SSP) early announcement processing cycle has begun for those high schools that have chosen to participate. Scholars whose high schools participate in the early announcement process can benefit by including this academic achievement on their college admission applications.

  • High schools for whom Scholars are named may check an individual student's status by viewing the "Selected for State Scholar" column on the "Student Results" screen within the SSP system.
  • A "Finalist" report may be generated via the SSP system. Instructions for generating this report are provided in the SSP Online Processing User Guide.

Weekly Announcement of State Scholars

From this point forward, a weekly announcement of 2026-27 State Scholars will be made for students attending high schools that have submitted sixth semester data with no unresolved discrepancies and have chosen to participate in the early announcement process. Results for these high schools will be reflected in the SSP system on Wednesday mornings.

Reminders

  • Although the October 31, 2025 deadline for the first round of early announcements has passed, ISAC will continue to accept sixth semester data until the final round of announcements has been completed (anticipated for early December).
    • Submit your students' sixth semester data as soon as possible to make sure they are included as 2026-27 State Scholars are determined throughout the fall.
  • Students with an Illinois Standard Test Score (ISTS) of 30 or higher are automatically designated as State Scholars; students with an ISTS lower than 30, but whose Weighted Selection Score (WSS) is greater than or equal to the cutoff score of 47, are also designated as State Scholars.
  • High schools choose whether to include their eligible students for consideration in the early processing cycle.
    • Checking the "Run Selection" box (located on the "State Scholar Program: Search By School: Results" screen of the SSP system) allows the high school's students to be included for consideration in the next round of 2026-27 State Scholar announcements.
    • For high schools that submit sixth semester data via an Excel spreadsheet, the "Run Selection" checkbox becomes available to check after ISAC has reviewed the file.
      • Once ISAC has reviewed the file, an email is sent to the high school's Primary Administrator (principal) and the School Contact (as listed in the SSP system's "State Scholar Program: Search by School: Results" screen) to indicate the "Run Selection" box is available to check.
      • Before checking the box, be sure to review all submitted student data for accuracy.
  • Students whose high schools submit sixth semester data, but choose not to participate in the early announcement process, will be considered for State Scholar designation when the last announcement round takes place in late fall.
  • A sample press release, which can assist schools in announcing State Scholars, will be provided at the ISAC website after final announcements have been made.
  • In past years, ISAC has mailed congratulatory letters directly to State Scholars. Unfortunately, recent changes in ACT and SAT data prevent us from obtaining mailing addresses for some students.
    • In the current processing cycle (for students entering college in 2026-27), ISAC will print and mail State Scholar congratulatory letters to participating high schools after the final round of announcements has been completed.
      • We ask schools to distribute the letters to State Scholars in a manner that works best for them.
    • Beginning with next year's cycle (for students entering college in 2027–28), ISAC will no longer print and mail congratulatory letters.
      • High schools will access student notifications through the SSP system and share them with their State Scholars.
      • Detailed instructions for accessing student notifications will be provided when this functionality becomes available.

Resources Available Online

The following resources provide additional information about the State Scholar Program, including submitting sixth semester data, participating in the early announcement process, downloading and printing Certificates of Achievement, and validating State Scholar badges:

Early Bird Registration Open for 13th Annual  Success Network Conference - Register Today!
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on November 5, 2025.

Please join us at the 13th annual Illinois Education and Career Success Network (Success Network) annual conference – Stronger Together: Creating Opportunity for Every Learner – on Thursday, February 26, 2026. Our one-day event will return to Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Illinois. The Success Network's annual conference is designed for a diverse group of stakeholders committed to enhancing equitable postsecondary attainment across Illinois. This includes leaders from secondary and postsecondary education, local and state government, community-based organizations, policymakers and advocates, grantmakers, employers, and workforce development. The conference serves as an engaging learning opportunity where attendees collaborate to share best practices, explore innovative strategies, and discuss systemic challenges affecting students, particularly those from marginalized communities. Participants can expect a dynamic environment that fosters networking, knowledge exchange, and actionable insights aimed at driving systemic change to support student success throughout Illinois.

Early Bird Pricing: Register now to save 15% with Early Bird pricing – available now through December 31, 2025, or until the first 150 tickets are sold (whichever comes first).

The Illinois Education and Career Success Network (formerly the Illinois 60 by 2025 Network) is a growing network of communities in Illinois that are committed to advancing equitable postsecondary attainment. The Success Network was launched and is organized by: Advance Illinois, Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University (EdSystems), and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).

2026-27 Financial Aid Application Completion Data Available
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on November 4, 2025.

Effective today (Tuesday, November 4, 2025), 2026-27 Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative functionality is available in the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal.

All Illinois senior students at a public high school are required to complete a financial aid application – either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) – as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma. Students and/or parents who choose to not complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application may submit the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form.

ISAC's Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative is available to public and private high schools to help identify students who have completed a financial aid application, as well as those who have opted to complete the Nonparticipation Form. Completion data is available every day in GAP Access.

Operational details are provided in the Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative – Access, Agreement, and Program User Guide.

Senior Class Rosters for Public and Private High Schools

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) provides ISAC with all public high school senior class roster information to match with financial aid applications and Nonparticipation Forms. Therefore, public high schools do not upload their 2026-27 senior class rosters.

Private high schools can upload their Class of 2026 rosters into GAP Access to have the information matched with completed financial aid applications. Private high schools must complete a Student Record Upload for the Class of 2026 by July 31, 2026.

Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form

Students and parents can complete the Nonparticipation Form via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of ISAC's Student Portal. A student or parent will need to create a Student Portal account to complete the form. Once the form has been completed with information matching the roster data, the opt-out box will auto-populate with a check mark next to the student's name in GAP Access.

How ISAC's Training Team Can Help

ISAC provides support and assistance for the Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative and other college-going activities to both students and partners:

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ISAC COMMUNIQUÉ

October 2025 ISAC Communiqué
Sent on November 3, 2025.

The October 2025 edition of the ISAC Communiqué is now available for your review, and may be accessed via the Partner e-Messages & Newsletters section of the e-Library for Partners at isac.org. This electronic version of ISAC's newsletter is a compilation of information provided to Counselor partners via ISAC's e-Messaging service over the past month.

Topics covered in the October 2025 ISAC Communiqué include:

  • Reminder: FREE ISAC Webinars!
    (sent October 27, 2025)
  • Reminder: Make the Switch to Electronic Transcripts!
    (sent October 16, 2025)
  • Reminder: Registration Closes Soon
    (sent October 14, 2025)
  • Make the Switch to Electronic Transcripts!
    (sent October 2, 2025)
  • Register for Upcoming Book Discussions
    (sent October 2, 2025)
  • 2026-27 FAFSA, Alternative Application, and Important Dates
    (sent October 1, 2025)
  • September 2025 ISAC Communiqué
    (sent October 1, 2025)

Encourage Your Colleagues to Sign Up for e-Messaging

ISAC's e-Messaging service is our primary means of communicating information to Counselor partners.

Encourage your colleagues who have not done so to subscribe through the Counselors e-Messaging sign-up page at isac.org today, so that they won't miss future announcements or updates from ISAC.

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