JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

ISAC in the News

December 30, 2020 - Aún hay fondos disponibles para pagos de estudios universitarios: ¿cómo se pueden solicitar? - El programa se conoce como ‘FAFSA’ y está a disposición de todos los estudiantes que sean residentes legales o ciudadanos. Sin embargo, pese a que para aplicar solo se necesita llenar un formulario, muchos no lo están haciendo porque se les dificulta responder los requerimientos y tampoco han podido comunicarse con alguien que los guíe debido a las limitaciones que deja la pandemia.

November 28, 2020 - Work, classes, financial aid — and now COVID-19: Life as a poor college student has only gotten tougher during the pandemic - In Illinois, fewer students have applied for federal and state financial aid since schools closed down in March compared with the same time last year, according to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, which administers need-based grants to college students.

November 27, 2020 - A New Report Says Illinois Should Change How It Funds Higher-Ed - A new report reflects on the long-term cost of cutting education funding during past recessions and how Illinois can learn from those mistakes during the COVID recession.

November 12, 2020 - Without graduated income tax, Illinois state universities brace for ‘almost inevitable’ budget cuts ‘because there’s just nothing left' - In Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s first remarks after voters rejected his administration’s signature proposal for a graduated-rate income tax in Illinois, the first-term Democrat singled out higher education as one of the many state-supported areas that could lose funding as lawmakers try to balance the next budget.

November 10, 2020 - Drop in FAFSA Completion Is a Slow-Motion Train Wreck for College Enrollment & Students’ Futures. It’s Not Too Late to Stop It - Through Oct. 30, completions are down 16.1 percent, which amounts to roughly 117,000 fewer completions than in the previous year.

November 10, 2020 - Save on Your Student Loans - Student loans can help you or your loved ones achieve important educational goals. Here’s how to borrow, manage them properly and repay at the lowest possible cost.

November 1, 2020 - Without New Federal Stimulus, Illinois Higher-Ed Funding Could Face A 'Cliff' - Every year, tens of thousands of Illinois college students who qualify and apply for a Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant receive nothing. The need-based aid is "first come, first-served" and the state runs out of money well short of meeting the demand.

October 27, 2020 - New Dashboard Tracks FAFSA Completion Rates - The National College Attainment Network has created a dashboard to track completion rates of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid by state. The interactive dashboard, called the #FormYourFuture FAFSA Tracker, ranks states by how many of their high school seniors have completed the FAFSA. It also measures change in completion rates year over year.

October 21, 2020 - Experts discuss possible solutions to college affordability in Illinois - State lawmakers hope to craft a plan to make college more affordable, especially for many in low-income communities.

October 7, 2020 - Southern Illinois University extends tuition-free offer to transfer students with family incomes below $63,575 - Southern Illinois University is extending its offer to cover all tuition and fees of some first-time students in 2021 to also include some transfer students.

October 6, 2020 - Guest View | Eric Zarnikow: State offers college funding help - Our message to students and families is this: Don’t give up on your educational goals and plans — there are more resources to help you than you might have thought. October’s College Changes Everything (CCE) Month is all about getting you the support you deserve, including all the financial aid for college for which you are eligible.

October 4, 2020 - Help is there as annual college financial aid search begins - October is College Changes Everything® (CCE) Month in Illinois, when students are completing both their college applications and financial aid forms at the same time.

July 5, 2020 - Watch now: Help available for college students facing financial difficulties - Financial considerations come into play for those who may have lost income or savings because of the pandemic. But state and university officials said that those who have had a change in their financial situation can still contact their college’s financial aid office to review their changed financial circumstances.

June 24, 2020 - Así fue como estos padres obtuvieron ayuda económica para los estudios de su hijo en medio del coronavirus - Melissa y Henry Guandique escribieron una carta a la oficina de apoyo financiero de la universidad de su hijo Álex para apelar la cantidad que se les había asignado del fondo de ayuda federal luego de quedarse sin trabajo debido a la pandemia.

June 24, 2020 - This is how these parents obtained financial aid for their son's studies in the middle of the coronavirus - Melissa and Henry Guandique wrote a letter to the financial support office at their son Alex's university to appeal the amount that had been allocated to them from the federal aid fund after they lost their jobs due to the pandemic. After three weeks, the institution notified the family that they will receive 35% more than the money initially promised. We tell you her story.

June 24, 2020 - COVID-19 Financial Losses Could Mean More Financial Aid For Illinois College Students - Prospective and currently enrolled college students may be eligible for additional financial aid if their economic circumstances have changed significantly since they first filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

June 23, 2020 - Illinois school reopening plan released, classes to resume in fall 2020: Free cloth face masks to be provided to all Illinois students, teachers, staff - Governor JB Pritzker laid out the guidelines for how schools will be able to reopen this fall as part of his Phase 4 recovery plan for Illinois, which takes effect Friday.

June 17, 2020 - Opinion | Eric Zarnikow: Students can seek adjustments in financial aid - Students whose financial situation has been negatively impacted should contact the financial aid office at the college or university they plan to attend to explain how their financial situation has changed.

May 27, 2020 - 4 Things To Know About How Illinois’ New Budget Will Impact Education - Educators are breathing a sigh of relief after state lawmakers kept funding for schools level. But many wonder how long that can last.

May 26, 2020 - Save on Your Student Loans - Student loans can help you or your loved ones achieve important educational goals. Here’s how to borrow, manage them properly and repay at the lowest possible cost.

May 13, 2020 - Many Illinois Student Loan Borrowers Will Soon Have A Better Idea Of Their Debt - In Illinois, public college and university students and their guardians will soon have a better idea of how much they’ve borrowed -- and an estimate of how much they’ll be paying back per month.

May 13, 2020 - How Is The Pandemic Impacting College Finances In Illinois? It’s Not Pretty. - The COVID-19 shutdown has led to budget cuts, threatens struggling universities and could exacerbate inequities at community colleges.

April 30, 2020 - Decision Points Loom for College Leaders - Scenario planning is getting attention as a tool for navigating an uncertain time. But when will leaders need to make big decisions?

April 18, 2020 - Higher education emergency fund raises $550k - Illinois Board of Higher Education, Illinois Community College Board, and Illinois Student Assistance Commission are rallying funders to support grants to meet emergency needs of low-income students at the state’s public colleges and universities.

March 24, 2020 - ¿Cuáles son los pagos de préstamos que se suspenderán durante 60 días por el coronavirus - El presidente Trump anunció que todos los créditos estudiantiles que fueron otorgados por el Departamento de Educación estarán cubiertos por esta medida.

February 27, 2020 - Illinois MAP grant funding increase expected to benefit an added 10,000 students - The state commission that oversees higher education grants for low-income students detailed the diminishing buying power of state financial aid Thursday during a budget request hearing.

February 27, 2020 - MAP is back: Increased funding to help low-income college students - The annual budget address presented by the Illinois governor is not the hottest event of the year for most college students.

February 20, 2020 - Illinois Higher Education Leaders Withholding Judgment On Pritzker’s Budget Bet - The budget plan unveiled by Gov. JB Pritzker’s this week holds back funding increases for public schools and higher education if a proposed graduated income tax doesn’t pass in November, endangering funding for two of his top priorities.

February 20, 2020 - Pritzker seeks $27 million to save prepaid tuition program - In his new budget, the governor is seeking to make good on promises to Illinois families made under the state's College Illinois prepaid tuition program. (A subscription may be required to view this article.)

February 20, 2020 - Pritzker budget would hike spending, amount hinges on voters - Gov. JB Pritzker proposed a $40.7 billion state budget Wednesday – virtually flat from the current level – but dressed it up by dangling the prospect of a $1.4 billion revenue boost if voters approve a radical income-tax overhaul this fall.

February 3, 2020 - Recent Illinois Case Addresses the Intersection of Public Data and Privacy in Public Records Laws - A recent Illinois Appellate Court decision raises interesting questions about how provisions protecting “private information” in open records laws should be interpreted in a world in which a vast wealth of information about individuals is available publicly, including online.

January 7, 2020 - New Law Allows Illinois To Offer MAP Grants To Marginalized Students - More Illinois students now qualify for college financial aid. State government will now offer money to students who might have been disqualified from getting federal help.

January 6, 2020 - Ayuda financiera para estudiantes indocumentados y transgénero en IL - El acta llamada "Rise Act" expande las oportunidades a universitarios.

January 6, 2020 - Illinois law gives tuition assistance to undocumented and transgender students - Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law Monday that will provide tuition assistance to undocumented citizens and transgender students.