ISAC Student PortalISAC Communiqué
Volume 35, Number 12C
June 2026
| Messages sent to: | Multiple Subscription Groups |
| High School Counselors/Teachers | |
| ISAC Communiqué |
Welcome to the June 2026 ISAC Communiqué, which is a compilation of e-Messages sent through ISAC's e-Messaging service throughout June.
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.
Invitation: Engagement Opportunities on the Development on the New State Attainment Goal
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 June 30, 2026.
Thank you for your continued leadership in shaping Illinois' postsecondary and workforce landscape. Building upon the existing work across the state, Governor Pritzker established the Illinois State Attainment Working Group, which the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is a member of, to recommend a statewide postsecondary attainment goal for degrees and credentials of value by December 1, 2026. This handout provides an overview of the Working Group and its goals, defines 'attainment', and outlines the objectives for an Illinois value-centered attainment goal. The Working Group is engaging partners across the state to better understand what this attainment goal should look like and the types of credentials needed to meet state and regional workforce needs.
We are reaching out to invite you to participate in two stakeholder engagement opportunities:
- We invite you to complete a brief survey to inform the development of a state postsecondary attainment goal for 2040. We would greatly appreciate your input and perspective. This survey should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete and will close on Friday, July 17. Please complete the survey here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9HYZB97 - We invite you to participate in an upcoming regional engagement session offered July 7 through September 1 to inform recommendations for this new goal. The Working Group will host these one-and-a-half-hour engagement sessions across Illinois' 10 economic development regions. Please visit the Illinois State Attainment Working Group website for more details about the session dates, times, and locations, or you can RSVP directly HERE. We encourage you to RSVP soon to guarantee a seat.
Please also share these opportunities with your colleagues who may be interested in providing feedback. Should you have any questions in advance, do not hesitate to reach out to our colleague in this work, Katie Lynne Morton at [email protected].
CCE Conference in 3 Weeks: Don't Miss Out!
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 June 25, 2026.
www.collegechangeseverything.org
Dear Colleague,
Whether you work directly with students or are a part of shaping the systems they navigate, the 2026 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference is your opportunity to be part of that conversation, not as a passive observer, but as a contributor, change agent, and student advocate.
Register now and join us as we explore this year's powerful and dual-sided theme: Education Matters.
Education is consequential, transformative and urgent; it is the ladder of opportunity that helps transform lives. And, matters of education – the systems, policies, and barriers – require our attention and collective action.
This year, for our 16th gathering we call upon you to join us, a community of professionals dedicated to improving outcomes for all learners, with intention, commitment, and passion.
Come ready to be challenged, inspired and most importantly, to act.
More information about the conference is available on the conference website.
2026 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.
to help make education beyond high school accessible and affordable.
Join Us at the 2026 CCE Conference: Registration is Open!
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 June 18, 2026.
www.collegechangeseverything.org
Dear Colleague,
You are invited to register now for the 2026 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference as we come together on July 16th to explore this year's powerful and dual-sided theme: Education Matters.
Education is consequential, transformative and urgent; it is the ladder of opportunity that helps transform lives. And, matters of education – the systems, policies, and barriers – require our attention and collective action.
Whether you work directly with students or are a part of shaping the systems they navigate, CCE 2026 is your opportunity to be part of that conversation, not as a passive observer, but as a contributor, change agent, and student advocate.
Through conversations, storytelling, best practices, and calls to action, the CCE conference offers a space for learning, advocacy, and action. This year, for our 16th gathering we call upon you to join us, a community of professionals dedicated to improving outcomes for all learners, with intention, commitment, and passion.
Come ready to be challenged, inspired and most importantly, to act.
The conference agenda will available later this month. More information about the conference, the Tinley Park Convention Center, and hotel is available on the conference website.
2026 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.
to help make education beyond high school accessible and affordable.
Submit Data for SSP & OCCA Processing by July 1
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on June 16, 2026.
REMINDER: All State Scholar Program (SSP) and One Click College Admit (OCCA) data for Illinois students who will be college freshmen during the 2027-28 academic year must be submitted to ISAC no later than July 1, 2026.*
Refer to the following resources for instructions and guidelines regarding the High School Data Collection** process.
- High School Data Collection Guidance for SSP and OCCA
- User Guide for High School Programs
- May 18, 2026 "High School Data Collection and Processing Has Begun" e-Message
- "One Click College Admit: Data Collection Process" Webinar (recordings from May 27, 2026 and June 3, 2026 webinars)
Watch for additional updates regarding State Scholar processing and OCCA-related activities via the Counselor Message Board, the State Scholar Program News section, and ISAC's e-Messaging service.
* Chicago Public Schools Central Office can continue to coordinate with ISAC's Program Services team on their data collection process.
** "High School Data Collection" refers the collection of sixth semester data that supports both the SSP and the OCCA program.
New Tool Available to Support Middle School PaCE Framework
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 June 10, 2026.
support middle school career exploration!
Illinois Career Information System 360 (IL CIS360) is a free, comprehensive online system through the Illinois Department of Employment Security that offers career, education, and current labor market information in one easy-to-use tool.
The PaCE Career Plan within IL CIS360 allows students to explore all the activities connected to the PaCE framework by grade level. Educators can also use IL CIS360 to track PaCE implementation by generating reports.
To get started, create an account at https://portal.il.cis360.org/. Schools can create an admin account, or students can create their own accounts.
Additional information is available via several How-to Guides and FAQs, which are located on the IL CIS360 portal.
2026 CCE: Registration Open
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 June 4, 2026.
www.collegechangeseverything.org
Dear Colleague,
You are invited to register now for the 2026 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference as we come together on July 16th to explore this year's powerful and dual-sided theme: Education Matters.
Education is consequential, transformative and urgent; it is the ladder of opportunity that helps transform lives. And, matters of education – the systems, policies, and barriers – require our attention and collective action.
Whether you work directly with students or are a part of shaping the systems they navigate, CCE 2026 is your opportunity to be part of that conversation, not as a passive observer, but as a contributor, change agent, and student advocate as we explore:
- Which policies are quietly harming our students, and how do we work within imperfect systems while simultaneously pushing to change them?
- How do we dismantle the visible and invisible barriers that prevent students from accessing the education they deserve?
- How do we move from isolated programs to scalable institutional change that allows us to build educational ecosystems where innovation is not the exception, but the expectation?
- If education truly matters, what are we willing to change about our institutions, our practices, and ourselves, to prove it?
Through conversations, storytelling, best practices, and calls to action, the CCE conference offers a space for learning, advocacy, and action. This year, for our 16th gathering we call upon you to join us with intention, commitment, and passion.
Who Should Attend:
The annual conference is Illinois' preeminent postsecondary access and success event and brings together stakeholders committed to increasing the proportion of adults in the state with high-quality degrees and credentials. Its greatest strength lies in uniting a diverse statewide audience around educational opportunity and student success. Participants include: college access practitioners; high school leaders, counselors, and case managers; college and university administrators; employers and workforce development professionals; and policymakers and elected officials. The conference also offers stakeholders an opportunity to strengthen collaborative and collective leadership in pursuit of the state's goals.
We hope you will join us, a community of professionals dedicated to improving outcomes for all learners. Come ready to be challenged, inspired and most importantly, to act.
The conference agenda will be available later in June. More information about the conference, the Tinley Park Convention Center, and hotel is available on the conference website.
2026 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.
to help make education beyond high school accessible and affordable.
High School Counselors/Teachers
Commission Meeting Thursday, June 25
Sent to High School Counselors/Teachers on June 11, 2026.
The next regular meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will be held on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 1 p.m. (CT). You may attend the meeting at either the ISAC Deerfield or Springfield office location (see below for addresses).
Some of the items on the tentative agenda are:
- State Legislative Update
- Fiscal Year 2027 Monetary Award Program (MAP) Recompute Formula
- Proposed Administrative Program Rules and Amendments
- Fiscal Year 2027 Budget
- College Illinois!® Prepaid Tuition Program Investment and Program Updates
The complete listing of agenda items is included in the June 25, 2026 agenda book, which can be accessed via the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission area of our website (isac.org). The online agenda book will be updated within 1-2 business days following the meeting to reflect action taken.
Deerfield office
1755 Lake Cook Road
Conference Room 3030, 3rd floor
Deerfield
Enter through the east door and check in at the desk.
Springfield office
500 West Monroe
Conference Room, 3rd floor
Springfield
Enter from the rear parking lot (through the door on the east) and then use the elevator or stairs.
May 2026 ISAC Communiqué
Sent on June 1, 2026.
The May 2026 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 May 2026 ISAC Communiqué include:
- Upcoming Important Dates from ISAC
(sent May 28, 2026) - ISAC Administrative Rules Update – Public Comment Being Accepted
(sent May 26, 2026) - NEW One Click College Admit Webinars: Data Collection
(sent May 20, 2026) - High School Data Collection and Processing Has Begun
(sent May 18, 2026) - 2026 CCE: Call for Proposals Extended
(sent May 13, 2026) - April 2026 ISAC Communiqué
(sent May 1, 2026)
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.
