SB3904 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 22509 CMG 31650 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB3904

Introduced 1/21/2022, by Sen. Dale Fowler

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

110 ILCS 205/9.41 new

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Subject to appropriation, requires the Board of Higher Education to create the Illinois College Info Portal for the purpose of providing a simple, statewide, online student-parent interface that allows users to receive information about Illinois public universities, including information about available programs and financial aid. Sets forth specific requirements for the portal system. Sets forth provisions concerning promoting, integrating, and linking the portal. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Board of Higher Education Act is amended by adding Section 9.41 as follows:

(110 ILCS 205/9.41 new)

Sec. 9.41. Illinois College Info Portal.

(a) Subject to appropriation, on or before July 1, 2023, the Board shall create the Illinois College Info Portal. The Board shall be responsible for the administration and coordination of the Illinois College Info Portal.

(b) The Illinois College Info Portal shall be a simple, statewide, online student-parent interface that allows registered users to receive information about public universities in Illinois, with an emphasis on providing the most cost-efficient means of sharing information. The portal must incorporate a waiver that meets the requirements of the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 so that a student's information may be provided to a public university primarily for the purposes of recruitment, marketing, and program development. Through the portal system, public universities shall provide to interested parties information on available programs and financial aid. The portal system must be automated to allow information about a public university and career-interest information to be sent to a primary data administrator within the university at numerous times throughout the year. In addition, the portal system must:

(1) enable the student or parent to sign up to receive information about a public university, all public universities, or only public universities offering programs relating to the student's academic major or career-interest area; and

(2) allow a menu of choices, such as:

(A) allowing the student or parent to choose to select all information from a public university, information relating only to financial aid, or information relating only to certain degree programs;

(B) allowing the student or parent to decide how the student or parent wants to receive the information, with an emphasis on providing the most cost-efficient means of sharing information, whether by email, postal mail if deemed appropriate by the university, text message, or any other method; and

(C) ensuring streamlined information from other sources utilized by colleges and universities so that such efforts are not redundant.

(c) The Illinois College Info Portal shall be heavily promoted by all pertinent State agencies, including the Secretary of State if possible. School districts and school counselors are encouraged to integrate the portal into relevant experiences as part of the Illinois PaCE Framework.

(d) The Illinois College Info Portal shall be linked to student-facing websites, such as the Illinois Student Assistance Commission's Student Portal, the State Board of Education's Student Voices, and the Department of Employment Security's Illinois Career Information System.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.