{"id":1641,"date":"2023-06-05T13:35:41","date_gmt":"2023-06-05T13:35:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stand.org\/illinois\/?p=1641"},"modified":"2023-10-10T17:08:59","modified_gmt":"2023-10-10T17:08:59","slug":"dual-credit-funding-providing-new-opportunities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stand.org\/illinois\/our-stories\/dual-credit-funding-providing-new-opportunities\/","title":{"rendered":"Dual Credit Funding Approved"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Illinois\u2019 FY24 budget was full of investments for education; $250 million investment in the Governor\u2019s Smart Start initiative to expand access to early childhood education, an additional $350 million for Evidence-Based Funding to ensure each and every Illinois\u2019 student receives a high-quality education, and an increase of $100 million for Monetary Award Program (MAP) scholarships to make college a reality for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These funds are historic investments in Illinois\u2019 students, but I am most excited about a smaller but no less historic appropriation for Dual Credit course expansion. The budget included $3.15 million for the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) for Dual Credit grants and administration, the state\u2019s first ever Dual Credit appropriation. These funds will help expand access to underserved populations and support teachers as they complete the coursework needed to be fully credentialled to teach these rigorous college-level courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since these grants will be brand new, the ICCB now has the opportunity to develop details of how the funds will be allocated. There\u2019s no shortage of critical places of investment to promote equitable Dual Credit access up and down Illinois, including funding for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n