Governor Pritzker’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Makes Historic Investments
in Higher Education
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[February 16, 2023]
SPRINGFIELD – Higher education leaders across the state
cheer Governor JB Pritzker’s budget announcement today, which includes a
fiscal year 2024 higher education budget of $2.47 billion, an increase
of $219 million (9.7 percent) compared to the previous fiscal year.
Notable highlights from the budget include a $100 million increase for
the Monetary Award Program (MAP), an $80.5 million (7 percent) increase
for public universities, $19.4 million (7 percent) increase for
community colleges and a $2.8 million increase to the Minority Teachers
of Illinois Scholarship Program (MTI) to recruit and retain minority
teachers.
“Governor Pritzker’s historic investments in higher education are
crucial to closing equity gaps and driving a diverse workforce that will
ultimately lead to an inclusive and thriving Illinois economy,” said
IBHE Chair John Atkinson. “We are thrilled the governor adopted many of
the Board’s recommendations to advance the goals in the state’s higher
education strategic plan and hope the General Assembly passes this
historic higher education budget.”
“Illinois community colleges have and continue to be our state’s most
effective resource for workforce development. This proposed budget
reflects the need for additional investment in community colleges
throughout the state that educate and train the workforce for the
industries of today and emerging industries that are growing by leaps
and bounds," said ICCB Board Chair Dr. Lazaro Lopez.
“The budget presented by Governor Pritzker shows his strong commitment
to a higher education system that is affordable, where institutions have
the resources they need to support students through degree completion,”
said IBHE Executive Director Ginger Ostro. “The historic, equity-driven
investments in the governor’s budget will close equity gaps for
students, especially Black, Latino, low-income, rural and working adult
students.”
The governor’s plan to increase MAP funding by $100 million takes
another giant step toward ensuring higher education is affordable for
students across Illinois, a crucial strategy in the state’s strategic
plan for higher education, A Thriving Illinois. The governor and General
Assembly have worked together to increase MAP funding by more than $200
million since Governor Pritzker took office. The proposed increase would
appropriate $701 million for MAP – putting the state closer to its MAP
funding goal.
“The current MAP funding has, for the first time in almost two decades,
allowed us to offer awards to every eligible student, and award amounts
are finally regaining ground after decades where the grant couldn’t keep
up with tuition and fees,” said Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC)
Executive Director Eric Zarnikow. “MAP grant size increased this year by
an estimated average of nearly 30 percent, and with the proposed
funding, we could see an increase of another 16 percent—increases that
could be life-changing for a low-income student. Moreover, support for
teacher programs, as well as other scholarships and grants, will help
develop a teacher workforce, school social workers and other
professionals that reflect the diversity of our students. This is a
proposed budget with a demonstrated commitment to students and families
and to continuing to improve accessibility and equity for all
Illinoisans.”
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The governor’s budget proposal includes a 7 percent increase in
operating funds or $19.4 million more for community colleges than
the previous year—the highest proposed increase in two decades. It
also includes an additional more than $18 million in workforce
training. This increased investment will ensure a robust trained
workforce for Illinois’ current and emerging industries and
countless good paying careers for tens of thousands of Illinoisans
from all walks of life. The funding will allow Illinois’ community
colleges to create new cutting-edge programs in several areas
including advanced manufacturing for vehicle electrification to
address the workforce needs in this rapidly growing industry, data
center curriculum development to support employers as they meet the
increasing needs of their businesses and to assist adult education
students in today’s digital learning age, especially for those with
financial or childcare challenges.
“Not only are Illinois community colleges the state’s most effective
workforce training partners, helping to keep industry running in
Illinois, but they also serve the most diverse population of
students across our state. This additional funding will provide
access to good paying careers for students with less financial
resources and give additional opportunities to high school students
that want to get a head start on their college education through our
dual credit programs," said ICCB Executive Director Brian Durham.
Highlights of Governor Pritzker’s fiscal year 2024 budget include:
• $100 million increase for MAP
• $80.5 million (7 percent) increase for public universities
• $19.4 million (7 percent) increase for community colleges
• $10 million for a new grant program to develop noncredit programs
in Advanced Manufacturing and Elective Vehicle Technologies
• $1 million for data center curriculum development
• $3.2 million for a new community college Dual Credit Grant program
• $5.2 million for new community college Noncredit Workforce
Training Grants
• $2.8 million increase to Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship
to recruit and retain minority teachers
• $2.75 million to expand English as a Second Language (ESL) and for
digital instruction in adult education programs
• $2.0 million to provide grants and supports to End Student Housing
Insecurity
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