ISAC Student PortalISAC Communiqué
Volume 31, Number 3C
March 2022
| Messages sent to: | Multiple Subscription Groups |
| ISAC Communiqué |
Welcome to the March 2022 electronic ISAC Communiqué, which is a quarterly compilation of e-Messages sent through ISAC's e-Messaging service throughout January, February and March.
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 School Services at 866.247.2172 or at ISAC.schoolservices@illinois.gov. 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.
Deadline Extended – Submit Your Proposal
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on March 30, 2022.
In an effort to be responsive to the level of interest from participants, we are extending our priority consideration date to submit interest session proposals to Friday, April 8, 2022. We hope this will give those who require it additional time to finalize their proposals for the conference. Please complete the online session proposal form (more information about interest session submission is available on the conference web page).
As a reminder, the annual College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference gathers a wide range of participants, and we encourage proposals that cover a wide range of themes related to college access and completion such as, but not limited to: college and career readiness; student retention, persistence, and completion; education, business, and the economy; and college costs and affordability. Sessions should provide in-depth information, practical ideas, and specific strategies for the audience, and demonstrate and promote positive steps taken to address college access, completion issues, and career readiness and sharing of specific lessons learned.
We also want to acknowledge the people who have already submitted their interest session proposal. Thanks so much to you all!
Please share the information in this e-Message with colleagues in your organization and other partners.
2022 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- Generations Serving Generations
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025
New Webinars: FAFSA Completion Initiative & Recognition of Excellence
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 March 29, 2022.
For a limited time, we will be hosting two new webinars to discuss the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Completion Initiative and the Recognition of Excellence awards.
As we approach the end of the 2021-22 school year, our goal is to ensure that our high school partners are aware of how these two initiatives can support and recognize your efforts in assisting students through the financial aid application process. Different webinars will be available for public and private high schools. Keep reading for more details!
Public High Schools: Don't miss out, use the FAFSA Completion Initiative to your advantage!
Join us to learn how to access your students' financial aid application completion data through ISAC's Gift Assistance Program (GAP) Access portal. Through this free service to districts and schools, ISAC can share data on a weekly basis to identify students who have not filed a financial aid application (FAFSA or the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid).
We will discuss how you can sign up for the GAP Access portal and how the information available there can help you provide a targeted outreach to students who have not completed an application, as well as track compliance for the state’s FAFSA Graduation Requirement (for students at Illinois public high schools). We will even show you how to sort, filter, and export the data needed to document compliance with the FAFSA Graduation Requirement!
Intended audience: Illinois public high schools (but all are welcome)
Webinar Dates:
April 12, 1-2 p.m. (CT)
May 3, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. (CT)
Private High Schools: Take action, participate in ISAC's Recognition of Excellence Awards!
Starting with the Class of 2021, ISAC is annually recognizing the efforts of high schools that focus on supporting their students and families through the financial aid process. Four levels of recognition have been defined and are used to determine recognition awards. Each week schools are recognized for their completion efforts on ISAC's Financial Aid Application Completion Performance Metrics page. At the end of the school year, public and private high school honorees will receive a Recognition of Excellence banner along with the level of recognition for that year's senior class.
While ISAC can obtain public school rosters from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for public schools to participate in this, private high schools must upload their own roster to be considered for this recognition. To learn more about how your school can participate and how you can use ISAC's GAP Access portal to identify students who need targeted supports for completing a financial aid application, join us!
Intended audience: Illinois private high schools (but all are welcome)
Webinar Dates:
April 18, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. (CT)
May 5, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. (CT)
All webinars are open to school counselors, college and career staff, principals, and anyone who wants to learn more about each initiative! To register, visit www.isac.org/pd/webinars.
Professional development (PD) hours and continuing education (CE) credits will be awarded to attendees at the rate of one unit per contact hour. Attendees interested in receiving these must attend the session in its entirety and complete the corresponding evaluation forms.
If you have questions, contact ISAC's Professional Development team at isac.outreachtraining@illinois.gov.
There's Still Time to Submit Your Proposal
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on March 24, 2022.
Time is running out to submit an interest session proposal for the 2022 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference before the priority consideration deadline of March 31, 2022. One of the things that makes this conference so valuable to its attendees is the interest sessions developed and led by dedicated educators and professionals like you. We invite you to submit a proposal to showcase the work you do that contributes to student success. As a reminder, this year's virtual conference will be taking place during the week of July 11, 2022.
We have a broad group of stakeholders who attend this annual conference, and we encourage proposals that cover a wide range of themes related to college access and completion such as, but not limited to: college and career readiness; student retention, persistence, and completion; education, business, and the economy; and college costs and affordability. Sessions should provide in-depth information, practical ideas, and specific strategies for the audience, and demonstrate and promote positive steps taken to address college access, completion issues, and career readiness and sharing of specific lessons learned. Please complete the online session proposal form (more information about interest session submission is available on the conference web page).
Deadline – Priority consideration will be given to completed session proposal forms submitted by March 31, 2022.
Please share the information in this e-Message with colleagues in your organization and other partners.
2022 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- Generations Serving Generations
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025
Don't Forget: Parchment Preview Webinar (March 30th)
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on March 23, 2022.
Are you wondering if you should make the switch from paper to electronic transcripts? If so, don't miss the upcoming Parchment Preview webinar that ISAC will host, in collaboration with Parchment, at 10 a.m. (CT) next Wednesday (March 30th).
During this 45-minute webinar, attendees will learn about the ISAC Transcript Exchange through Parchment, including how to navigate the student and administrator dashboards and gain efficiencies by switching from paper to electronic transcripts. You will also hear directly from a counselor regarding how their high school and students have benefited from utilizing the Exchange process.
The ISAC Transcript Exchange provides the opportunity for high school students to request that transcripts be sent electronically to the college(s) of their choice, the Common App, and other organizations requesting transcripts (e.g., scholarship providers and third-party verifications). ISAC's Transcript Exchange is available to all public and private high schools and districts at no cost.
Current students can request that transcripts be sent electronically to destinations worldwide, free of charge. Alumni are also able to use Parchment for transcript requests that include a transcript fee. To protect the privacy and confidentiality of transcript data, documents are sent through a secure transcript service in compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
This webinar is offered at no cost to counselors, school administrations, and members of the public. Registration is free but required. To register for this webinar, visit our website at www.isac.org/pd/webinars.html.
To learn more about the ISAC Transcript Exchange, visit the website at www.isac.org/transcript-exchange. For questions on ISAC's Transcript Exchange, contact Lenore Smith at Lenore.Smith@illinois.gov.
Note: ISAC will not be offering Continuing Education (CE) credits or Professional Development hours (PD) for this webinar.
Register Now for the Illinois PaCE Symposium!
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on March 21, 2022.
The Illinois PaCE Symposium will feature breakout sessions designed to inform and inspire schools across the state to implement a postsecondary and career expectations framework that will support students on preparing for life after high school. For a complete list of sessions that will be offered during the symposium, please visit the Illinois PaCE Symposium webpage. Here is a sneak peak of some of the sessions that will be offered:
General Session:
Support for Students Driven by State Policy
1-2 p.m. (CT)
This session will highlight how the PaCE Framework fits into the broader Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act (PWR) of 2016 and can be leveraged to support students to meet the College and Career Readiness Indicator (CCRI) that is part of Illinois' ESSA School Quality framework. The session will begin with an overview of the PWR Act, which takes a student-based and competency-based approach to helping students achieve college and career readiness. Attendees will also learn about the CCRI, a multiple measures approach to student college and career readiness, and how it was designed in close alignment to the Illinois PaCE Framework to enhance the supports provided to students to be college and career ready. Participants will learn how the PWR frameworks, especially PaCE, can help them best support students to be college and career ready and meet the CCRI.
Speakers:
Heather Taylor, School Counseling Principal Consultant, Illinois State Board of Education
Emily Rusca, State Policy & Strategy Director, Education Systems at Northern Illinois University (NIU)
Breakout Session:
Career Spark-JA Inspire: Collaborating with Employers to Help Educators Meet PaCE Framework Objectives Through an Interactive Work and Career Readiness Learning Experience
10-10:50 a.m. (CT)
In this session, we will share how a central Illinois in-person and virtual learning experience centered around a career expo is helping educators meet PaCE Framework objectives for grades 8-12 and helping employers promote high growth, high demand careers in the region. An overview will be presented as well as measurable outcomes from the past 5 years of the program, best practices, and lessons learned.
Speakers:
Angie Houck, Program Director, Junior Achievement of Central Illinois
Mary Pille, President, Junior Achievement of Central Illinois
Breakout Session:
Aligning Your Acronym PaCE Crosswalk to CCRI
11–11:50 a.m. (CT)
Connect the benchmarks from the On PaCE to Thrive framework to the Illinois State Board of Education required CCRI data collection. See the connections between the two and align your support of student career development to meet both. The first half of the presentation will focus on a crosswalk from the On PaCE to Thrive framework to the CCRI data collection. The second half of the presentation will feature a panel of four Career and Technical Education (CTE) System Directors sharing how their offices support the regional implementation of PaCE and CCRI.
Speakers:
Cassie Blickem, Director, Valley Education for Employment Systems (VALEES)
Nancy Awdziejczyk, Executive Director, Northwest Educational Council for Student Success
Amy Romito Kastory, Executive Director, NSERVE
Kaleb Smith, Director, Madison County CTE System
Networking Session:
Let's Network to Stay in Touch
2:15-2:45 p.m. (CT)
Come join us for some fun activities to unwind from a day of learning! This session will provide an opportunity to network and hold informal conversations between other educators. Attendees will have the opportunity to further collaborate and connect on initiatives occurring within their communities.
Need to Register? Visit the Illinois PaCE Symposium page to register. The symposium will be held virtually at no cost to attendees.
Reminder: Parchment Preview Webinar (March 30th)
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on March 16, 2022.
Are you wondering if you should make the switch from paper to electronic transcripts? If so, don't miss the upcoming Parchment Preview webinar that ISAC will host, in collaboration with Parchment, at 10 a.m. (CT) on Wednesday, March 30th.
During this 45-minute webinar, attendees will learn about the ISAC Transcript Exchange through Parchment, including how to navigate the student and administrator dashboards and gain efficiencies by switching from paper to electronic transcripts. You will also hear directly from a counselor regarding how their high school and students have benefited from utilizing the Exchange process.
The ISAC Transcript Exchange provides the opportunity for high school students to request that transcripts be sent electronically to the college(s) of their choice, the Common App, and other organizations requesting transcripts (e.g., scholarship providers and third-party verifications). ISAC's Transcript Exchange is available to all public and private high schools and districts at no cost.
Current students can request that transcripts be sent electronically to destinations worldwide, free of charge. Alumni are also able to use Parchment for transcript requests that include a transcript fee. To protect the privacy and confidentiality of transcript data, documents are sent through a secure transcript service in compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
This webinar is offered at no cost to counselors, school administrators, and members of the public. Registration is free but required. To register for this webinar, visit our website at www.isac.org/pd/webinars.html.
To learn more about the ISAC Transcript Exchange, visit the website at www.isac.org/transcript-exchange. For questions on ISAC's Transcript Exchange, contact Lenore Smith at Lenore.Smith@illinois.gov.
Note: ISAC will not be offering Continuing Education (CE) credits or Professional Development hours (PD) for this webinar.
Don't Forget – Submit Your Proposal
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on March 14, 2022.
You can play an active role in helping make the 2022 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference a valuable peer-to-peer learning experience by submitting an interest session proposal. We invite you to share your insights, experiences, and creative solutions by submitting an interest session proposal highlighting programs, resources, and partnerships impacting student success. One of the strengths of the conference comes from sessions developed and led by dedicated educators and professionals like you. This year's virtual conference will be taking place during the week of July 11, 2022.
The annual conference draws a broad group of stakeholders, and we encourage proposals that cover a wide range of themes related to college access and completion such as, but not limited to: college and career readiness; student retention, persistence, and completion; education, business, and the economy; and college costs and affordability. Sessions should provide in-depth information, practical ideas, and specific strategies for the audience, and demonstrate and promote positive steps taken to address college access, completion issues, and career readiness and sharing of specific lessons learned. Please complete the online session proposal form (more information about interest session submission is available on the conference web page).
Deadline – Priority consideration will be given to completed session proposal forms submitted by March 31, 2022.
Please share the information in this e-message with colleagues in your organization and other partners.
2022 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- Generations Serving Generations
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025
Registration Now Open for the Virtual Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Symposium
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 March 8, 2022.
Register now for the first annual Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Symposium taking place on April 21, 2022. As a result of the COVID surge, the symposium will shift to a fully virtual event. Our theme is Increasing Shared Commitment through the Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework. The symposium will showcase the excellent work happening across Illinois and the importance of increasing shared commitment in advancing postsecondary and career readiness through the Illinois PaCE Framework.
HEAR FROM VARIOUS SPEAKERS ON
- What PaCE is and how it can strengthen postsecondary readiness efforts
- State updates from the field including the College and Career Readiness Indicator and Postsecondary and Career Expectations
- Tools to support postsecondary planning
- Tactics for implementing postsecondary and career readiness initiatives
More information about the symposium can be found at the Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations Symposium page, including the agenda, session details, and registration.
The symposium is 100% virtual and is offered at no cost to attendees. See you there!
Don't Forget: Verification and Professional Judgment Webinar – Tuesday, March 15, 2022 | 1–2 p.m. (CT)
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 March 3, 2022.
Learn how you can help students navigate the verification process and address special circumstances!
Join us to learn what verification is, why students may be selected for it, and what students should do to complete this process. Additionally, we will talk about how institutions use professional judgment to address special circumstances for students and their families.
This webinar is open to school counselors, college and career staff, college access professionals, and anyone else directly working to support students throughout the financial aid process. For details and registration, visit www.isac.org/pd/webinars.
If you have questions, contact ISAC's Professional Development team at isac.outreachtraining@illinois.gov.
you might be eligible for a loan forgiveness program!
Join ISAC for free Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Webinars
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 March 1, 2022.
Recent temporary changes, including a limited waiver, to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program may benefit public sector and non-profit employees. Some of these changes offer benefits available for a limited time, so you don't want to miss out on this info!
Session Description:
Did you know that public service employees may be eligible for Federal Student Loan forgiveness? The PSLF program allows Federal Student Loan borrowers to apply for forgiveness if they are employed full time by a government, 501(c)(3) organization, or public-serving nonprofit, and meet other requirements.
If you want to learn more about PSLF or if you have applied for PSLF and been denied, this is the session for you. In this session, we will discuss the existing PSLF program as well as a new Limited Waiver for PSLF that will allow borrowers to receive credit for payments that previously did not qualify for PSLF. The Limited Waiver ends October 31, 2022, don't miss out!
March Webinar Dates:
March 9, 5-6 p.m.
March 24, 12-1 p.m.
Learn more and register: https://www.isac.org/pslf. For questions on the webinars, contact the Professional Development staff at isac.pslf@illinois.gov.
2022 CCE Conference: Save the Date & Call for Proposals
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 February 25, 2022.
Save the Date & Call for Proposals
2022 CCE Conference: Moving Forward Together
Please mark your calendars for the 2022 College Changes Everything® (CCE) virtual conference taking place the week of July 11, 2022. The annual conference is the state's preeminent college access and success and career readiness event. This year's online event will showcase best practices, collaborations, and resources available to promote and support student college and career readiness and to help Illinois reach its Goal 2025 – to increase the proportion of adults in Illinois with high-quality degrees and postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
This year's conference theme is Moving Forward Together. As we continue to adapt, pivot, and respond to the ongoing challenges and uncertainty the pandemic presents to our education system and the state's workforce, it's critical we keep up our efforts to find new and innovate ways to be champions for all learners and for Illinois to reach its Goal 2025. Stakeholders from all parts of a student's community must work together to support and provide them with the knowledge and opportunities to be successful along their education pathways and as they transition to employment.
Call for Proposals: Due March 31, 2022 – Please Share Your Knowledge and Expertise
The Conference Planning Committee encourages you to help make this conference a valuable professional development experience by submitting a conference interest session proposal. The online session proposal form is available on the conference website. Presenting at the CCE conference is a terrific way to support and engage in active learning with attendees, share your ideas and expertise with a diverse audience, and enrich your own professional growth.
As the conference draws a broad group of professionals and stakeholders, we welcome proposals that cover a wide range of topics related to college access and completion and career readiness. Such topics might include, but are not limited to: college and career readiness; student retention, persistence, and completion; programs and services for underrepresented students; educational equity; student wellness and emotional support; career and technical education; partnerships; career development experiences; education, business, and the economy; college costs, financial aid, and affordability; and community stakeholder engagement.
Each 60-minute session should provide in-depth information, practical ideas, and best practices for the audience and demonstrate positive steps taken and lessons learned. Conference attendees appreciate the opportunity to hear from the students being served by the program(s) and/or service(s). To that end, we encourage you to include students in your sessions when possible.
- Deadline – Priority consideration will be given to completed session proposal forms submitted by Thursday, March 31, 2022. The online proposal form is on the conference website.
- Non-Commercial Policy – Please note that sessions are to be non-commercial forums. Individuals should refrain from using brand names or endorsing specific products. Sessions are not to be used as a place for direct promotion of products and services.
- Presenter Compensation Policy – The CCE conference does not provide any compensation for individuals accepted to serve as conference interest session presenters.
Conference registration will open later this spring. There will be no registration fee to participate.
Please share the information in this e-Message with colleagues in your organization and other partners.
2022 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- Generations Serving Generations
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025
Learn How Electronic Transcripts Save Time & Money
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on February 23, 2022.
Are you wondering if you should make the switch from paper to electronic transcripts?
ISAC is pleased to announce our upcoming Parchment Preview webinar. During this 45-minute webinar, which is offered in collaboration with Parchment, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the ISAC Transcript Exchange through Parchment, including how to navigate the student and administrator dashboards and gain efficiencies by switching from paper to electronic transcripts. You will also hear directly from a counselor regarding how their high school and students have benefited from utilizing the Exchange. This webinar is the perfect opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the Exchange process.
The ISAC Transcript Exchange provides the opportunity for high school students to request that transcripts be sent electronically to the college(s) of their choice, the Common App, and other organizations requesting transcripts (e.g., scholarship providers and third-party verifications). ISAC's Transcript Exchange is available to all public and private high schools and districts at no cost.
Current students can request that transcripts be sent electronically to destinations worldwide, free of charge. Alumni are also able to use Parchment for transcript requests that include a transcript fee. To protect the privacy and confidentiality of transcript data, documents are sent through a secure transcript service in compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
This webinar is offered at no cost to counselors, school administrations, and members of the public. Registration is free but required. To register for this webinar, visit our website at www.isac.org/pd/webinars.html.
To learn more about the ISAC Transcript Exchange, visit the website at www.isac.org/transcript-exchange. For questions on ISAC's Transcript Exchange, contact Lenore Smith at Lenore.Smith@illinois.gov.
Note: ISAC will not be offering Continuing Education (CE) credits or Professional Development hours (PD) for this webinar.
ISAC Transcript Exchange Lunch & Learn
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, and Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants on February 9, 2022.
Take an early lunch and join us for one or all of the following informative trainings for ISAC Transcript Exchange held by the Parchment team. Register now for the following topics:
- The Student Experience Overview – Register here
Thursday, February 10, 2022, at 11 a.m. Central
Topics covered in this training will include a deep dive into the Student Experience of creating an account and ordering a transcript, answers to common questions around Unofficial Self-Views, the ability for students to connect with Parchment Support, and much more. - To-Do List Best Practices – Register here
Thursday, February 17, 2022, at 11 a.m. Central
This training will provide a refresher on sorting, what to do with FedEx orders, how to prepare locally, messaging on hold, and cancel, as well as the admin experience and other best practices. - Third-Party Processing and Surcharges, and What to Provide for Verification – Register here
Thursday, March 3, 2022, at 11 a.m. Central
During this session, the team will review the process of a third-party requestor making a request on behalf of one of your students with the goal that you and your team have a clear understanding of how it all comes together.
Even if you can't attend a session live, please register anyway and you will be notified when a recording of the session is available after the training is over. You can access recordings of other prior Lunch & Learn trainings here.
If your institution is not currently participating with ISAC Transcript Exchange and you would like to learn more about it, please contact Lenore Smith at Lenore.Smith@illinois.gov.
Don’t Forget: PaCE Implementation Leader Training: Wednesday, February 23 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. (CT)
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 February 9, 2022.
Does your planning for the next school year include goals to increase college and career readiness? Are you looking to learn more about how to implement different strategies for college and career readiness?
The PaCE Implementation Leader Training provides an in-depth understanding of the PaCE implementation process and supports available to implement an Illinois PaCE Framework or customized PaCE Framework!
This training is available to school counselors, college and career staff, school administrators, and anyone working to advance college and career readiness efforts in their school or district. To learn more and register, visit www.isac.org/pace/webinars.
For questions about the Illinois PaCE Framework, contact ISAC’s Professional Development team at isac.pace@illinois.gov.
you might be eligible for a loan forgiveness program!
Join ISAC for free Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Webinars
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on February 3, 2022.
Recent temporary changes, including a limited waiver, to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program may benefit public sector and non-profit employees. Some of these changes offer benefits available for a limited time, so you don't want to miss out on this info!
Session Description:
Did you know that public service employees may be eligible for Federal Student Loan forgiveness? The PSLF program allows Federal Student Loan borrowers to apply for forgiveness if they are employed full time by a government, 501(c)(3) organization, or public-serving nonprofit, and meet other requirements.
If you want to learn more about PSLF or if you have applied for PSLF and been denied, this is the session for you. In this session, we will discuss the existing PSLF program as well as a new Limited Waiver for PSLF that will allow borrowers to receive credit for payments that previously did not qualify for PSLF. The Limited Waiver ends October 31, 2022, don't miss out!
February Webinar Dates:
February 10, 5-6 p.m.
February 22, 12-1 p.m.
Learn more and register: https://www.isac.org/pslf. For questions on the webinars, contact the Professional Development staff at isac.pslf@illinois.gov.
2022-23 FAFSA Completion Initiative Updates
Sent to Principals/Superindendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on January 31, 2022.
As processing of the 2022-23 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) and Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) has progressed from the fall into the new year, ISAC tools have provided the means for high school advisors to keep track of their students' application completion rates. The ability to track student activity is an important resource in achieving compliance with the requirement that Illinois public high school students complete one of the applications as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma.
A waiver process exists for students who choose not to file an application.
- See the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) website for the FAFSA Nonparticipation Form (available in English and Spanish).
- An "opt-out" box in the FAFSA Completion component of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs Access (GAP Access) portal allows high schools to indicate that the FAFSA mandate waiver provision has been exercised by a parent, guardian, or the student (if at least 18 years old or emancipated).
Class of 2021 Recognition of Excellence
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission would like to recognize the efforts of the high schools that focus on supporting their students and families through this financial aid process. Four levels of recognition have been defined and were used to determine the awards for the Class of 2021. To view the honorees, and for more information about the tiers and how your school can participate, visit https://www.isac.org/home/fafsa/index.html.
Updated Student Rosters
Effective immediately, the matching process for application completion data incorporates recently-loaded ISBE roster data for the high school graduating class of 2022. For public high schools, the FAFSA Completion student list in GAP Access, which was initially provided last fall (based on ACT and SAT exam scores), has been overlayed with these ISBE records unless the public school has done any of the following in the 2022-23 FAFSA Completion system:
- utilized the optional Student Record Upload function to upload their own list of seniors,
- checked the "opt-out" box – indicating that the FAFSA mandate waiver provision has been exercised – for any student, or
- added or deleted records.
As was also the case for 2021-22 completion data processing, if a private high school has not made any updates in the 2022-23 FAFSA Completion system – either by uploading their own student list or by adding or deleting records – their student data will be overwritten with "blanks" (i.e., no students will appear for the school).
Participation
Principals that have not already done so can sign up their respective high school for participation in ISAC's FAFSA Completion Initiative through our automated system at the GAP Access portal. Refer to the user guide for more information.
Reminder
In keeping with the goal of securing all confidential data, the principal of each high school is designated as that school's GAP Access Primary Administrator. While we understand principals are not usually involved in the day-to-day processes, we do require the current school principal to register and "activate" their own GAP Access account. If a high school has a new principal, they must have their own account.
Upcoming Important Dates from ISAC
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on January 28, 2022.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to you and/or your college-bound students.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at ISAC's website (isac.org).
You may either scroll through the remainder of this message, or click on the appropriate link(s) to go directly to a specific section:
2022-23 (July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023)
2021-22 (July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022)
General Information (Not Specific to One Academic Year)
March 1: Illinois SETTW Application Deadline
Remind your college-bound seniors who plan to pursue a career in teaching that March 1, 2022 is the priority application consideration date for the 2022-23 Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program. In order to complete the online application, the student must log in to the ISAC Student Portal (if they have not already done so, they may create a profile here).
Complete applications received after March 1 will be considered only if available tuition waivers remain after all timely complete applicants have been awarded.
March 31: MTI Scholarship Application Deadline
(Application Anticipated by End of January)
Remind your college-bound seniors who plan to pursue a career in teaching that March 31, 2022 is the priority application consideration date for the 2022-23 Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program. In order to complete the online application, which is anticipated to be available by the end of January, the student must log in to the ISAC Student Portal (if they have not already done so, they may create a profile here).
In addition to the MTI application, a 2022-23 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (if applicable) must also be submitted by March 31.
Complete applications – including the 2022-23 FAFSA (or Alternative Application, if applicable) – received after March 31 will be considered only if MTI funding remains after all timely complete applicants have been awarded. All minority students and qualified bilingual minority applicants who are college-bound seniors and meet the program's eligibility requirements should be encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
2022-23 FAFSA and Alternative Application Remain Available
The 2022-23 FAFSA remains available online, and – if not already done – should be completed and submitted as soon as possible by students who will be attending college between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023. FAFSA results are used to determine eligibility for several forms of federal, state and institutional financial assistance, including the Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant.
In addition, the 2022-23 Alternative Application is also available (in English and Spanish). As a reminder, students meeting the criteria of the Retention of Illinois Students and Equity (RISE) Act may file the Alternative Application – which is patterned after the FAFSA – to apply for the MAP grant. Because the failure to register for Selective Service no longer disqualifies an applicant from receiving federal student aid, students who have not registered may want to consider completing the FAFSA instead of the Alternative Application to maximize their financial aid opportunities. Further details are provided at ISAC's RISE Act page.
Every Monday: New FAFSA Completion Initiative Match Data Available
All Illinois public high school students are required to complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma. ISAC's FAFSA Completion Initiative is a resource that can help high schools monitor their students' compliance with this mandate.
The FAFSA Completion Initiative matches student lists of participating high schools against FAFSA and Alternative Application records. New 2022-23 match data is available weekly, on Monday mornings.
Further details – including an "opt-out" box allowing high schools to indicate that the FAFSA mandate waiver provision has been exercised, access to an updated user guide, and information on how to participate in the FAFSA Completion Initiative – are provided in an October 14 e-Message.
By June 30: High School Juniors Take College Assessment Exams for State Scholar Consideration
Eligibility for the State Scholar Program is based, in part, on a student's highest qualifying ACT or SAT score. High school juniors who are potential candidates will need to take one of the accepted exams during the specified timeframe to be considered for State Scholar designation, even though Illinois' public institutions are now prohibited from requiring the submission of student test scores as part of the admissions process. Further details are provided in a September 7 e-Message.
For current high school juniors, only exams taken between August 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 qualify for consideration in the State Scholar announcements that will be made during their senior year (i.e., high school juniors, who will be college freshmen during the 2023-24 academic year, will be named Scholars during the fall of 2022). Further details are provided for students at the State Scholar Program page of our website.
End of January: Appeal Deadline for State Scholar Program
As announced in a November 30 e-Message, more than 17,340 qualified Illinois high school students were designated as State Scholars last fall.
Available again this year is a digital Illinois State Scholar badge issued by ISAC, which State Scholars can display on their online profiles and social media accounts, as well as share with high school counselors, prospective colleges, employers, family members and others. Further details are provided in the congratulatory letters sent to State Scholars throughout the fall of 2021.
Appeals regarding the fall 2021 announcement of State Scholars must be received at ISAC by the end of January 2022.
Throughout the Spring: Monthly PaCE Framework Webinars
A January 13 e-Message provides information and access to registration for monthly Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework webinars being offered throughout the spring.
Throughout the Spring: Professional Development Webinars
A January 5 e-Message provides information and access to registration for the Professional Development webinar series that is being offered throughout the spring.
April 14: Next Commission Meeting
The next meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, April 14, 2022. Further details, including a listing of tentative agenda items, will be available prior to the meeting via the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area.
Visit the Commission Meeting Schedule page for information regarding all meetings scheduled in 2022.
April 21: PaCE Symposium
Mark your calendars for ISAC's first annual Illinois PaCE Symposium, which will take place on Thursday, April 21, 2022 in partnership with Elgin Community College. The PaCE Symposium will bring people together from across Illinois to share unique knowledge and skills in collaborating and advancing postsecondary and career readiness efforts through the Illinois PaCE Framework. Watch for more details, including an agenda and registration information, to be announced soon.
Holiday Schedules
ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays:
- Friday, February 11, 2022 – Lincoln's Birthday
- Monday, February 21, 2022 – Presidents' Day
Staff will again be available the first business day immediately following each holiday.
For Assistance
Access the Counselors area anytime, or send an e-mail message to ISAC's School Services Department. With the exception of days when ISAC staff members are unavailable, we will review and respond to messages during regular business hours of Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CT).
Postsecondary & Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework Webinars
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on January 13, 2022.
Does your planning for the next school year involve plans to increase college and career readiness? Is your school or district looking to learn more about how to implement different strategies for college and career readiness?
ISAC's Professional Development (PD) team encourages schools, districts, and communities to learn more about the Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework! The PaCE Framework offers schools, districts, and communities a tool to structure college and career readiness efforts for their students to make an informed decision about life after high school.
The PD team will be hosting several webinars on the Illinois PaCE Framework. During these monthly webinars, attendees will learn about the legislation behind PaCE, how to develop strategies to implement college and career readiness activities, and how to customize the PaCE Framework to the needs of their students.
All webinars are available to school and college and career counselors, school district administrators, and more. Registration is required but space is limited. For the full schedule and registration information, visit www.isac.org/pace/webinars.
For questions, contact the PD team at isac.pace@illinois.gov.
Don't Forget: Parchment Preview Webinar (January 19th)
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on January 12, 2022.
Are you wondering if you should make the switch from paper to electronic transcripts? If so, don't miss the upcoming Parchment Preview webinar that ISAC will host, in collaboration with Parchment, at 10 a.m. (CT) next Wednesday (January 19th).
During this 45-minute webinar, attendees will learn about the ISAC Transcript Exchange through Parchment, including how to navigate the student and administrator dashboards and gain efficiencies by switching from paper to electronic transcripts. You will also hear directly from a counselor regarding how their high school and students have benefited from utilizing the Exchange process.
The ISAC Transcript Exchange provides the opportunity for high school students to request that transcripts be sent electronically to the college(s) of their choice, the Common App, and other organizations requesting transcripts (e.g., scholarship providers and third-party verifications). ISAC's Transcript Exchange is available to all public and private high schools and districts at no cost.
Current students can request that transcripts be sent electronically to destinations worldwide, free of charge. Alumni are also able to use Parchment for transcript requests that include a transcript fee. To protect the privacy and confidentiality of transcript data, documents are sent through a secure transcript service in compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
This webinar is offered at no cost to counselors, school administrations, and members of the public. Registration is free but required. To register for this webinar, visit our website at www.isac.org/pd/webinars.html.
To learn more about the ISAC Transcript Exchange, visit the website at www.isac.org/transcript-exchange. For questions on ISAC's Transcript Exchange, contact Lenore Smith at Lenore.Smith@illinois.gov.
Note: ISAC will not be offering Continuing Education (CE) credits or Professional Development hours (PD) for this webinar.
Spring Professional Development Webinars
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on January 5, 2022.
Are you interested in learning more about public service loan forgiveness, increasing understanding of financial aid offers, and helping students through the verification process?
ISAC's Professional Development (PD) staff are back this Spring to bring you their webinar series! During these one-hour webinars, attendees will learn about how to help students navigate the financial aid process through a range of topics that include student loans, repayment plans, professional judgment, and much more!
The PD staff offers these webinars to school and college and career counselors, school district administrators, college admission counselors, other college-access professionals and more. Registration is required but space is limited. For the full schedule and registration information, visit the PD webpage at www.isac.org/pd/webinars.
ISAC offers Continuing Education (CE) credits and Professional Development (PD) hours to participants at a rate of one per contact hour. To earn these, it is necessary to attend the webinar in its entirety and complete an ISAC evaluation form. To receive PD hours, an additional evaluation from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) must be completed and submitted along with an Illinois Educator Identification Number (EIN).
For questions on upcoming webinars or requesting a training, contact the Professional Development staff at isac.outreachtraining@illinois.gov.
Reminder: Parchment Preview Webinar (January 19th)
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers, on January 5, 2022.
Are you wondering if you should make the switch from paper to electronic transcripts? If so, don't miss the upcoming Parchment Preview webinar that ISAC will host, in collaboration with Parchment, at 10 a.m. (CT) on Wednesday, January 19th.
During this 45-minute webinar, attendees will learn about the ISAC Transcript Exchange through Parchment, including how to navigate the student and administrator dashboards and gain efficiencies by switching from paper to electronic transcripts. You will also hear directly from a counselor regarding how their high school and students have benefited from utilizing the Exchange process.
The ISAC Transcript Exchange provides the opportunity for high school students to request that transcripts be sent electronically to the college(s) of their choice, the Common App, and other organizations requesting transcripts (e.g., scholarship providers and third-party verifications). ISAC's Transcript Exchange is available to all public and private high schools and districts at no cost.
Current students can request that transcripts be sent electronically to destinations worldwide, free of charge. Alumni are also able to use Parchment for transcript requests that include a transcript fee. To protect the privacy and confidentiality of transcript data, documents are sent through a secure transcript service in compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
This webinar is offered at no cost to counselors, school administrations, and members of the public. Registration is free but required. To register for this webinar, visit our website at www.isac.org/pd/webinars.html.
To learn more about the ISAC Transcript Exchange, visit the website at www.isac.org/transcript-exchange. For questions on ISAC's Transcript Exchange, contact Lenore Smith at Lenore.Smith@illinois.gov.
Note: ISAC will not be offering Continuing Education (CE) credits or Professional Development hours (PD) for this webinar.
Increasing Shared Commitment through the Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, College Admission Counselors, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants, Community Organizations and Public Libraries on January 4, 2022.
Don't forget that, due to a high level of interests from participants, we have extended our priority consideration deadline to submit interest session proposals to January 10th. If you have not done so already, please complete the online session proposal form.
As a reminder, the PaCE Symposium will bring people from across the state of Illinois to share unique knowledge and skills in collaborating and advancing postsecondary and career readiness efforts through the Illinois PaCE Framework. During the symposium, presenters will showcase PaCE implementation efforts and share their experiences and wisdom on how PaCE has strengthened postsecondary and career readiness in their schools. Sessions should provide in-depth information, practical ideas, and specific strategies for the audience that demonstrates and promotes steps taken to address the implementation of the PaCE Framework. It is encouraged to also share specific lessons learned and best practices on implementing the PaCE Framework. Each session will be 50 minutes long.
We are encouraging proposals that cover a wide range of themes related to the PaCE Framework such as, but not limited to:
- How your school created a PaCE Framework
- How your school executes activities to help meet the benchmarks in the PaCE Framework
- How your school/district organizes the work in relation to the PaCE Framework
- How the PaCE Framework has helped your community in supporting students on postsecondary and career readiness
- Which PaCE benchmark initiatives your school is excited to showcase around any of the three domains: Career Exploration and Development, Financial Aid and Literacy, and Postsecondary Education Exploration, Preparation, and Selection
We also want to acknowledge the people who have already submitted their interest session proposals. Thank you so much to you all!
The 2022 PaCE Symposium will take place on April 21, 2022 at Elgin Community College, Elgin, Illinois. Additional information about the symposium can be found on the symposium page.
Please consider sharing this call for proposals with your colleagues.
For questions about the PaCE Symposium, please e-mail isac.pace@illinois.gov.
Hosted in partnership with:
December 2022 ISAC Communiqué
Sent on January 3, 2022.
The latest 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 quarter.
Topics covered in this electronic Communiqué include:
- Learn How Electronic Transcripts Save Time & Money
(sent December 15, 2021) - Deadline Extended – Submit your Proposal
(sent December 14, 2021) - A Holiday Wish from ISAC
(sent December 8, 2021) - Reminder: Call for Proposals for PaCE Symposium
(sent December 7, 2021) - Reminder: PaCE Training on December 8
(sent December 2, 2021) - 2022-23 State Scholars Announced
(sent November 30, 2021) - Increasing Shared Commitment through the Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework
(sent November 18, 2021) - Reminder: Illinois PaCE Overview Webinar
(sent November 10, 2021) - High School2Career Webinars
(sent November 9, 2021) - Reminder: Parchment Preview Webinar (November 10)
(sent November 3, 2021) - Illinois Postsecondary & Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework Update Webinars
(sent October 27, 2021) - ISAC Transcript Exchange Upcoming Online Training Opportunities
(sent October 26, 2021) - State Scholar Early Announcements Begin
(sent October 21, 2021) - Learn How Electronic Transcripts Save Time & Money
(sent October 20, 2021) - 2022-23 FAFSA Completion Initiative
(sent October 14, 2021) - Reminder: PaCE Implementation Leader Training
(sent October 14, 2021) - Parchment Connect: Illinois Event Cancelled
(sent October 13, 2021) - ISAC Transcript Exchange – Parchment Connect: Illinois (October 21st at Blackburn College)
(sent October 5, 2021) - 2021 FAFSA Symposium: Session Recordings Now Available
(sent October 5, 2021) - 2022-23 FAFSA®, Alternative Application, and Important Dates
(sent October 1, 2021) - September 2021 ISAC Communiqué
(sent October 1, 2021)
Electronic newsletters are available at the beginning of each quarter (January, April, July, and October), and are the compilation of information announced via an e-Message to any of the Counselor subscription groups during the previous quarter.
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.
