ISAC Student PortalISAC Communiqué
Volume 33, Number 9C
March 2024
| Messages sent to: | Multiple Subscription Groups |
| ISAC Communiqué |
Welcome to the March 2024 ISAC Communiqué, which is a compilation of e-Messages sent through ISAC's e-Messaging service throughout 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.
Attend the Very First Illinois National College Fair!
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on March 29, 2024.
The Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC) is excited to be hosting the first ever Illinois National College Fair (INCF)!
For the first time ever, IACAC will host a college fair that brings in colleges and universities from across the globe to meet with your students. The planning committee is excited about this event and thrilled to bring this opportunity to students who are often overlooked by college recruiting programs.
Resources for You and Your Students!
High School Counselor Toolkit
In the toolkit you will find a kit to help advertise the fair to your school community, resources for families to help not only navigate the fair but also to help in college planning, and more!
Bus Grant Application
Need help with transportation costs? IACAC will provide transportation grants to help defray the cost of bringing a group from your school or organization.
StriveScan Registration
We encourage you to help your students register in advance using StriveScan. IACAC will be offering students who register and attend the chance at one of two $500 scholarships!
For questions, contact IACAC at iacac@iacac.org.
Spring into FREE Professional Development Webinars in April!
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 26, 2024.
We are excited to share the free webinars happening in April. Please share these offerings with colleagues and partners! All webinars below are in Central Time. To register, visit the Professional Development Calendar. Professional Development and Continuing Education hours will be available. For questions, contact isac.outreachtraining@illinois.gov.
Get Ready for Financial Aid Offers!
Join us on Tuesday, April 2, from 10-10:45 a.m. for an overview of how college financial aid offices package available assistance to create a financial aid offer for a student. Learn how to identify key elements within a financial aid offer, as well as changes to packaging language, to assist your students in making an informed decision on their postsecondary plans.
A FAFSA Q&A with ISAC
Tune in with ISAC on Tuesday, April 9, from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. to discuss the latest updates on the 2024-25 FAFSA and any open issues with possible work arounds. You will have the opportunity to have questions answered live from ISAC's Professional Development team.
Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative
Join us on Wednesday, April 10, from 1-1:45 p.m. for an overview of this free resource for high schools to help identify students who have and have not completed a financial aid application. Learn how to view your Class of 2024 financial aid application completion data, opt-out form submissions, and tips for troubleshooting common issues.
Illinois PaCE Updates
Join us on Thursday, April 18, from 11-11:45 a.m. as we provide the most recent updates to legislation regarding implementation of the Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework in schools, as well as resources available to schools and districts to support their college and career readiness efforts.
Supporting Students Through the Appeals Process
Join us on Tuesday, April 23, from 11-11:45 a.m. to demystify the appeal process and empower attendees with the knowledge to assist students in securing the financial support they need. Explore the specific eligibility criteria for a financial aid appeal, from changes in financial circumstances to unforeseen challenges faced by students.
Verification and Professional Judgment
Join us on Tuesday, April 30, from 10-10:45 a.m. to learn about the next steps a student may need to take after submitting a financial aid application. We will discuss common verification items requested by colleges and how students can navigate the professional judgment process.
Don't Forget – Submit Your CCE Conference Proposal
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 25, 2024.
July 18, 2024 – Tinley Park Convention Center
Please play an active role in helping make the 2024 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference a valuable peer-to-peer learning experience by submitting an interest session proposal to share your insights, experiences, and creative solutions.
One of the significant strengths of the conference comes from sessions developed and led by dedicated educators and professionals like you that highlight programs, resources, and partnerships impacting student success. Each year the conference draws a broad group of concerned stakeholders, and this year we're showcasing the role of community health on educational equity. We encourage proposals addressing a wide range of issues related to, but not limited to: college and career readiness; student retention, persistence, and completion; education, business, and the economy; supporting marginalized student populations; college costs and affordability; and leveraging community resources. Session proposals should also explain how the information shared contributes to community health. Attendees look for sessions that provide in-depth information, practical ideas, and best practices and specific strategies. You're invited to 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 complete session proposals submitted by April 8, 2024.
We look forward to seeing you on July 18, 2024, at the Tinley Park Convention Center, Tinley Park, Illinois. Registration for the conference will open later this spring. Please share this e-Message with colleagues in your organizations and others in your network.
2024 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 Department of Employment Security
- 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
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
- iCan Dream Center
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
Helping Illinois reach its Goal 2025: to increase the proportion
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
Registration Open for the 2024 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 25, 2024.
Registration is now open for the third annual Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Symposium! We are excited to offer the symposium at two different locations this year. The symposiums will take place from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. (CT) and we look forward to seeing you at one of the two locations!
I Hotel & Illinois Conference Center (Champaign) on Tuesday April 16, 2024
- Registration will close on Friday, April 12, or when full capacity is reached (whichever comes first)
Elgin Community College on Wednesday, May 8, 2024
- Registration will close on Friday, May 3, or when full capacity is reached (whichever comes first)
Submit a Session Proposal Today!
We encourage schools, districts, community-based organizations, regional offices of education, and more to submit a session proposal for the symposium at Elgin Community College! Session proposals must be received by Friday, April 12 at 11:59 p.m. (CT).
For more information and to register, visit the PaCE Symposium page. For questions, contact isac.pace@illinois.gov.
First Gen Symposium Session Materials Are Now Posted!
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 22, 2024.
The First Gen Symposium planning committee at ISAC thanks everyone who attended the first annual First Gen Symposium, including the presenters for sharing their knowledge and expertise. We also thank North Central College for their partnership in hosting the first symposium!
We are pleased to announce that the presentations shared during the symposium are now posted at the First Gen Symposium page.
To learn more about upcoming professional development opportunities, visit the Professional Development Offerings page. For questions, contact isac.outreachtraining@illinois.gov.
Join Us for a Half-Day Training on PaCE Implementation
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 21, 2024.
Thank you to everyone who joined us to learn about getting started with the Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework! We are excited to announce registration for our April trainings is now open to school counselors, administrators, college and career staff, and others who support students to be college and career ready. This training is free to attend. Registration will close on April 4, or once full capacity has been reached – which may be before April 4, 2024.
This training is perfect for those at any level in the process of implementation, who are looking for ideas on how to build a PaCE culture, collect and use data, and work PaCE into their school day. This training will include time to connect with ISAC and work with your team.
We look forward to seeing you at one of two locations:
- University of St. Francis (Joliet) – Thursday, April 11, 2024, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Shawnee Community College (Ullin) – Thursday, April 18, 2024, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
For more information and registration details, visit the In-Person PaCE Trainings page. For questions, contact isac.pace@illinois.gov.
2024 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 March 18, 2024.
2024 CCE Conference – Community Health
Please join us for the 15th annual College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference on Thursday, July 18, 2024, at the Tinley Park Convention Center, Tinley Park, Illinois. The annual conference is the state's foremost college access and success and career readiness event. Diverse stakeholders come together and learn from each other 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.
Equity continues to be at the heart of the CCE conference as we strive to ensure all students have opportunities for college access and success and they are career ready. At last year's conference, our collective question was: How do we advance educational equity for Illinois students and parents? This year we consider the role of community health on educational equity. As we champion CCE to highlight how education is an essential component of other policy areas, we need to highlight the role community health plays in advancing educational equity for Illinois students and families. So this year, let's explore these questions: Can you have educational equity without community health? Can you have community health without educational equity? Community health encompasses various aspects contributing to the well-being of a particular population. Community is a multifaceted concept allowing partners to define it based on who their work serves and how they do their work (e.g., geographic, social, cultural, virtual, professional, intentional/specific purpose, economic, interfaith, neighborhood, supportive, and more). Communities can be dynamic, evolving entities shaped by its members' interactions and shared experiences. Partners should approach defining health as it relates to their work in a holistic way that includes: mental, physical, and environmental. We know from other initiatives supporting educational equity, collective efforts maximize impact and partnerships enhance sustainable solutions. Informed planning leads to effective policies, resource allocation, and tailored programs.
Call for Proposals: Due April 8, 2024
Please consider helping to make this conference a valuable professional development and collaborative experience by submitting a conference interest session proposal. Please click here to access the session proposal form. Presenting at the CCE conference is a terrific way to support and engage in active learning with colleagues, share your knowledge and stories 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 and 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. In support of the conference theme, session proposals also should explain how the information shared contributes to community health. Priority consideration will be given to completed session proposal forms submitted by April 8, 2024. For more details on submitting a proposal, please visit the conference website.
Please share this e-Message with colleagues in your organizations and others in your network.
2024 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 Department of Employment Security
- 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
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
- iCan Dream Center
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
Helping Illinois reach its Goal 2025: to increase the proportion
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025.
Do You Send Paper Transcripts? Make the Switch to Electronic, It's Easy!
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, and Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants on March 14, 2024.
The ISAC Transcript Exchange is available for free to all
Illinois public and private high schools!
Join ISAC for a webinar to hear about this great opportunity!
The ISAC Transcript Exchange, powered by Parchment, provides the opportunity for high school students to request their transcripts and other credentials 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).
The ISAC Transcript Exchange – Parchment Preview
Join us on Tuesday, April 9, from 10-10:45 a.m. to learn how the ISAC Transcript Exchange benefits high schools across the state of Illinois, efficiencies by switching from paper to electronic transcripts, an overview of the student and administrator experiences, and how to navigate the student and admin dashboards.
To register, visit the Professional Development Calendar. For questions on ISAC's Transcript Exchange, contact Lenore.Smith@illinois.gov.
Note: ISAC will not be offering Continuing Education credits or Professional Development hours for this webinar.
Discontinuation of Authy Desktop Application – Mobile App Now Required for GAP Two-Factor Authentication
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on March 12, 2024.
The Authy desktop application, as part of the two-factor authentication process used by some schools when accessing the Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal, is being discontinued by its owner on March 19, 2024.
Those schools currently using any desktop app, including Authy, should be advised that ISAC now requires use of a mobile app on a separate device for two-factor authentication purposes.
We recommend any of the following free mobile apps, although we do not endorse one product over another:
- Google Authenticator
- Microsoft Authenticator
- Authy Authenticator
The use of desktop apps for authentication does not provide a high level of security. In the event of a compromise of the user's computer and/or credentials, an app on the user's desktop does not have the additional layer of protection that using a separate device provides. Use of a separate mobile device for two-factor authentication increases the overall security of GAP and the student-specific data it contains.
The GAP Access Two-Factor Authentication User Guide is being updated and we will let you know through the Counselor and FAA Messages Boards when it has been posted.
Don't Forget to Submit a Session Proposal for the 2024 Illinois 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 12, 2024.
We look forward to seeing you this spring at our third annual Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Symposiums in Champaign and Elgin, Illinois!
Are you implementing a new program, creating a new experience for students, or wanting to share how your school designed your PaCE Framework? We encourage you to submit a session proposal for one or both symposiums! The deadline to submit a proposal is Friday, March 15 at 11:59 p.m. (CT).
High schools, school districts, Regional Offices of Education (ROE), Education for Employment (EFE) offices, and more are invited to share their knowledge and lessons learned on implementing a PaCE Framework.
For more information, visit the PaCE Symposium page. For questions, contact isac.pace@illinois.gov.
Join Us to Learn about the One-Time Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Account Adjustment
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 6, 2024.
learn how you can take advantage of this adjustment!
Millions of federal loan borrowers have received loan forgiveness or updated payment counts due to the one-time IDR Account Adjustment. The adjustment is a set of temporary changes that allows federal student loan borrowers to receive credit for certain previously ineligible payments while under an IDR plan and/or pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
This one-time adjustment period is coming to an end and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) wants to make all federal student loan borrowers aware of this opportunity! To help borrowers across the state, ISAC is hosting free webinars on how federal direct loan and FFEL borrowers can navigate this process. To learn more, visit the Federal Student Loan Forgiveness page.
For registration details, visit the Professional Development Calendar. For questions, contact isac.borrowersupport@illinois.gov.
Countdown to April 30: How to Benefit from Federal Student Loan Debt Relief
Join us in March to learn about the steps you can take to apply and what happens after applying for the adjustment. All webinars are in Central Time (CT).
- Wednesday, March 13, 9-9:45 a.m.
- Tuesday, March 26, 3-3:45 p.m.
February 2024 ISAC Communiqué
Sent on March 1, 2024.
The February 2024 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 February 2024 ISAC Communiqué include:
- Join Us for Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Training Opportunities
(sent February 29, 2024) - FREE Professional Development Webinars in March
(sent February 27, 2024) - Coming Soon: Changes to ISAC's Partner Services!
(sent February 26, 2024) - Join Us to Learn about the One-Time Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Account Adjustment
(sent February 22, 2024) - Are You Taking Advantage of Our Free Service? You Should Make the Switch from Sending Paper Transcripts to Electronic!
(sent February 21, 2024) - Waitlist Available for the First Annual First Gen Symposium
(sent February 13, 2024) - Join ISAC for Our NEW Illinois PaCE Training!
(sent February 6, 2024) - MAP Priority Date for Returning Recipients Extended
(sent February 1, 2024) - January 2024 ISAC Communiqué
(sent February 1, 2024)
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.
