ISAC Student PortalISAC Communiqué
Volume 34, Number 7C
January 2025
| Messages sent to: | Multiple Subscription Groups |
| ISAC Communiqué |
Welcome to the January 2025 ISAC Communiqué, which is a compilation of e-Messages sent through ISAC's e-Messaging service throughout January.
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 School Services at 866.247.2172 or at ISAC.schoolservices@illinois.gov. 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.
Spots Are Filling Up Fast, Don't Delay – Register Today
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on January 30, 2025.
Register now for the 12th annual Illinois Education and Career Success Network conference, themed Building the Future We Want: Increasing Equitable Postsecondary Attainment, on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. Join colleagues from across the state for this in-person, one-day conference being held at I Hotel & Illinois Conference Center in Champaign, Illinois. The conference is an engaging learning opportunity designed for leaders from secondary and postsecondary education, local and state government, community-based organizations, policy advocates, grantmakers, employers, and other stakeholders interested in equitably increasing postsecondary attainment in Illinois. View the agenda and register now.
ISAC Sessions
Please plan to join us for one or more of the following sessions being presented by Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) staff members.
- Navigating the Future: An In-Depth Look at the Illinois PaCE Framework
10:25 – 11:20 a.m.
ISAC Presenters
Ana Moya, Professional Development Specialist
Kimberly Korando, Assistant Director of College Access
- Unlocking Financial Aid: Navigating FAFSA Simplification and Supporting Students for 2025–26
11:30 a.m. – 12:25 p.m.
ISAC Presenter
Manuel Talavera, Professional Development Specialist
Professional Development Hours and Continuing Education Credits
ISAC will provide professional development (PD) hours for ISBE educator licensure or continuing education (CE) credits through the Illinois Department of Financial Regulations. Completion of the evaluation survey at the conclusion of the conference is required to earn PD hours or CE credits.
Please direct questions to Sam Nelson (Sam.Nelson@illinois.gov) or Ana Moya (Ana.Moya@illinois.gov).
Join ISAC for PaCE Middle School Curriculum Training
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 January 28, 2025.
We are excited to offer another opportunity to attend a half-day training on the Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Curriculum for 6th through 8th grade. During this training, you will gain an understanding of how student engagement with the curriculum helps meet the Illinois PaCE benchmarks for middle school, as well as learn about the structure and content of the curriculum.
Join us for this free event at Lincoln Land Community College - Rooms K115/117 of the Kreher Agriculture Center on Thursday, February 20, 2025, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Attendees can park at no cost in parking lot 14 or 16.
Registration is now open! Please share this opportunity with your networks! Registration will close on Thursday, February 18, 2025, or when full capacity is reached.
We thank Lincoln Land Community College for their partnership and donation of their space for this training.
For more information and registration, visit the Professional Development Offerings page. For questions, contact isac.pace@illinois.gov.
Upcoming Important Dates from ISAC
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 January 24, 2025.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to you and/or your college-bound students.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at ISAC's website (isac.org).
You may either scroll through the remainder of this message, or click on the appropriate link(s) to go directly to a specific section:
2025-26 (July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026)
2024-25 (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025)
General Information (Not Specific to One Academic Year)
March 1: Illinois SETTW Application Deadline
Remind your college-bound seniors who plan to pursue a career in teaching that March 1, 2025 is the priority application consideration date for the 2025-26 Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program. In order to complete the online application, the student must log in to the ISAC Student Portal (if they have not already done so, they may create a profile here).
Complete applications received after March 1 will be considered only if available tuition waivers remain after all timely complete applicants have been awarded.
March 31: MTI Scholarship Application Deadline
Remind your college-bound seniors who plan to pursue a career in teaching that March 31, 2025 is the priority application consideration date for the 2025-26 Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program. In order to complete the online application, the student must log in to the ISAC Student Portal (if they have not already done so, they may create a profile here).
In addition to the MTI application, a 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) (if applicable) must also be submitted by March 31.
Complete applications – including the 2025-26 FAFSA (or Alternative Application, if applicable) – received after March 31 will be considered only if MTI funding remains after all timely complete applicants have been awarded.
June 30: College Assessment Exam Deadline for State Scholar Consideration
Eligibility for the State Scholar Program is based, in part, on a student's highest qualifying ACT or SAT score. For students who are currently (or will soon be) high school juniors, only exams taken between August 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025 qualify for consideration in the State Scholar announcements that will be made during their senior year (i.e., high school juniors, who will be college freshmen during the 2026-27 academic year, will be named Scholars during the fall of 2025).
High school juniors who are potential candidates will need to take one of the accepted exams during the specified timeframe to be considered for State Scholar designation, even though Illinois' public institutions are now prohibited from requiring the submission of student test scores as part of the admissions process.
Further details are provided for students at the State Scholar Program page of our website.
FAFSA and Alternative Application Remain Available
The 2025-26 FAFSA remains available online, and – if not already done – should be completed as soon as possible by students who will be attending college between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. FAFSA results are used to determine eligibility for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant, as well as several other forms of federal, state and institutional financial assistance.
In addition, the 2025-26 Alternative Application is also available (in English and Spanish). Further details are provided at ISAC's Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act page.
Encourage your college-bound students to check out the Financial Aid Planning area for information regarding resources that are available to help them complete the financial aid process.
Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative and Nonparticipation Form
All Illinois public high school students are required to complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma. Please see ISAC's Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative/Performance Metrics page, as well as a December 3 e-Message, for more information.
ISAC is on track to release 2025-26 completion information in February 2025, to help schools identify students who have not filed a financial aid application.
Students and/or parents who choose to not complete either the FAFSA or the Alternative Application may complete the Financial Aid Application Nonparticipation Form online via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal. A student and/or parent will need to create a profile to complete and sign the Nonparticipation Form.
February 28: State Scholar Appeal Deadline
As announced in a November 21 e-Message, more than 16,500 qualified Illinois high school students were designated as 2025-26 State Scholars last fall.
In order to ensure there are no errors in the announcement of State Scholars, counselors are encouraged to carefully review the sixth-semester roster data they submitted to ISAC. Appeals regarding the announcement of 2025-26 State Scholars must be received at ISAC by February 28, 2025.
January 27-31: Financial Aid Certification Series
ISAC's Financial Aid Certification virtual series, consisting of five sessions, will take place from Monday, January 27 through Friday, January 31, 2025. Further details, including details regarding each session and access to online registration, are provided in a January 8 e-Message. Participants who attend all five sessions will have the opportunity to receive a financial aid certificate from ISAC after successfully completing a post-series assessment.
February 25: Success Network Conference
If you have not already done so, register today for the 12th annual College Success Network conference – Building the Future We Want: Increasing Equitable Postsecondary Attainment – being held on February 25, 2025, at I Hotel & Illinois Conference Center in Champaign. Further details, including access to online registration, are provided in a January 10 e-Message.
April 17: Next Commission Meeting
The next meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Further details, including a listing of tentative agenda items, will be available prior to the meeting via the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area.
Visit the Commission Meeting Schedule page for information regarding all meetings scheduled in 2025.
Throughout the Spring: Professional Development Webinars
A January 14 e-Message provides information and access to registration for upcoming professional development offerings that will be available throughout the spring.
Updated MAP Estimator Available
Make sure your college-bound juniors know about the MAP Estimator (which is located in the Toolbox area of the ISAC Student Portal, and was recently updated to reflect the 2025-26 MAP formula). Students planning to attend an Illinois college may use this tool to get an idea of their possible eligibility for the MAP grant.
Holiday Schedules
ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays:
- Wednesday, February 12, 2025 – Lincoln's Birthday
- Monday, February 17, 2025 – Presidents' Day
Staff will again be available the first business day immediately following each holiday.
For Assistance
Access the Counselors area anytime, or send an e-mail message to School Services. With the exception of days when ISAC staff members are unavailable, we will review and respond to messages during regular business hours of Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CT).
Do You Send Paper Transcripts? Make the Switch to Electronic, It's Easy!
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators, High School Counselors/Teachers, Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange High School Participants, and Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange College Participants on January 16, 2025.
Don't forget to register and join ISAC for a webinar to hear about this great opportunity!
The ISAC Transcript Exchange is available at no cost at all
Illinois public and private high schools!
The ISAC Transcript Exchange, powered by Parchment, provides the opportunity for high school students to request their transcripts and other credentials be sent electronically to the college(s) of their choice, the Common App, and other organizations requesting transcripts (e.g., scholarship providers and third-party verifications).
The ISAC Transcript Exchange – Parchment Preview
Join us on Wednesday, January 22, from 10-10:45 a.m. (CT) to learn about the ISAC Transcript Exchange, including how to navigate the student and administrator dashboards and gain efficiencies by switching from paper to electronic transcripts. Attendees will hear directly from a School Counselor on how the ISAC Transcript Exchange has made a difference at their school and for their students.You will also have the opportunity to get any questions answered directly by a Parchment representative.
To register, visit the Professional Development Offerings page
For questions on ISAC's Transcript Exchange, contact Lenore.Smith@illinois.gov.
Note: ISAC will not be offering Continuing Education or Professional Development hours for this webinar.
Free PaCE and Professional Development Webinars this Spring!
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 January 14, 2025.
We are excited to share the following free webinars happening this Spring. Please share these offerings with colleagues and partners! Professional Development and Continuing Education hours will be available.
Illinois PaCE Overview:
Join us on Tuesday, February 11, from 11 – 11:45 a.m. (CT) for a webinar on the Postsecondary Workforce Readiness (PWR) Act, an in-depth explanation of the Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework, the steps involved with creating and implementing your own school/district specific PaCE aligned Framework, and PaCE support and resources available through ISAC.
What's Next after the FAFSA:
Join us on Tuesday, February 18, from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. (CT) for a webinar on how to support your students after they submit a FAFSA/Alternative Application. This webinar will also cover what is included in the FAFSA Submission Summary, how to make corrections to the FAFSA, as well as how to support students through the verification and professional judgment process.
Illinois PaCE Updates & Q&A:
Join us on Tuesday, March 4, from 11 – 11:45 a.m. (CT) for a webinar on updates to legislation regarding Implementation of the Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Framework in schools, as well as resources available to schools and districts to support their college and career readiness efforts with the Illinois PaCE Framework.
FAFSA Q&A with ISAC PD:
Join us on Tuesday, March 18, from 11 – 11:45 a.m. (CT) for a webinar on the latest updates on the 2025-26 FAFSA and any open issues with possible work arounds. Attendees will have the opportunity to have questions answered live from ISAC's Professional Development team.
Spring to Action: Increasing FAFSA Completion:
Join us on Tuesday, April 15, from 11 – 11:45 a.m. (CT) for a call-to-action webinar to learn more about how ISAC can support your students and families with free year-round assistance. Learn more about the latest updates to the FAFSA, best practices for navigating financial aid completion, FAFSA corrections and verification processes. Take action to ensure your students have the assistance and support they need.
Supporting Students Transition to College:
Join us on Tuesday, May 6, from 11 – 11:45 a.m. (CT) for a webinar that addressed the impact of summer melt. As the academic year concludes, many students face a critical juncture: the transition from high school to college. However, this transition period, often referred toas "summer melt," presents numerous challenges that can hinder students' enrollment in higher education institutions. Join this webinar to explore effective strategies for supporting students through this delicate phase.
For registration details and more information, visit the Professional Development Offerings page.
For questions, contact ISAC.Outreachtraining@illinois.gov.
Don't Delay - Register Today
Sent to Principals/Superintendents/Administrators and High School Counselors/Teachers on January 10, 2025.
Register now for the 12th annual Illinois Education and Career Success Network conference, themed Building the Future We Want: Increasing Equitable Postsecondary Attainment, on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. Join colleagues from across the state for this in-person, one-day conference being held at I Hotel & Illinois Conference Center in Champaign, Illinois. The conference is an engaging learning opportunity designed for leaders from secondary and postsecondary education, local and state government, community-based organizations, policy advocates, grantmakers, employers, and other stakeholders interested in equitably increasing postsecondary attainment in Illinois. View the agenda and register now.
Keynote Speaker: Wil Del Pilar, PhD
Wil Del Pilar, PhD is senior vice president at Ed Trust, a national policy and advocacy group. In his role, Wil spearheads Ed Trust's mission to highlight inequities and outline solutions in order to improve access, success, affordability, and completion in higher education for low-income students and students of color. Prior to joining Ed Trust, Wil served in Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf's administration as deputy secretary of postsecondary and higher education, where he developed and implemented the state's strategic vision for higher education. Before joining Governor Wolf's team, Wil had experience in the Pennsylvania Department of Education, working as an executive assistant in the state's higher education office. In this role, he managed an array of services for the state, including the College Access Challenge Grant and the Pennsylvania Information Management System.
ISAC Sessions
Please plan to join us for one or more of the following sessions being presented by Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) staff members.
- Navigating the Future: An In-Depth Look at the Illinois PaCE Framework
10:25 – 11:20 a.m.
ISAC Presenters
Ana Moya, Professional Development Specialist
Kimberly Korando, Assistant Director of College Access
- Unlocking Financial Aid: Navigating FAFSA Simplification and Supporting Students for 2025–26
11:30 a.m. – 12:25 p.m.
ISAC Presenter
Manuel Talavera, Professional Development Specialist
Professional Development Hours and Continuing Education Credits
ISAC will provide professional development (PD) hours for ISBE educator licensure or continuing education (CE) credits through the Illinois Department of Financial Regulations. Completion of the evaluation survey at the conclusion of the conference is required to earn PD hours or CE credits.
Please direct questions to Sam Nelson (Sam.Nelson@illinois.gov) or Ana Moya (Ana.Moya@illinois.gov).
The Illinois Education and Career Success Network (formerly the Illinois 60 by 2025 Network) is a growing network of communities in Illinois that are committed to advancing equitable postsecondary attainment. The Network was launched and is organized by: Advance Illinois, Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University (EdSystems), and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).
Become Certified in Financial Aid!
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 January 8, 2025.
This is a reminder to join us for our Financial Aid Certification (FAC) series to support students through the financial aid process! The series includes a detailed breakdown of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), the information required to complete the FAFSA or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid, and tips for students to better understand financial aid offers. Upon completion of the training, participants will be equipped to assist students and families in the financial aid process from beginning to end.
This virtual series will consist of 5 sessions taking place from Monday, January 27 through Friday, January 31, 2025. Participants who attend all five sessions will receive a link to the post-series assessment for the opportunity to receive a financial aid certificate from ISAC. Participants who score at least an 80% or higher on the assessment, will receive an ISAC-issued certificate within 2-3 weeks after the training.
The Financial Aid Process1/27/25Learn about the financial aid process from start to finish |
The FAFSA Line-By-Line1/28/25Learn more about how to apply for the FAFSA |
Verification &
1/29/25 |
Working with Special Student Populations1/30/25Learn how to support unique student populations through the financial aid process. |
Packaging and Financial Aid Offers1/31/25Learn about the process of receiving and analyzing financial aid offers (award letters). |
Register Here |
Professional development hours and continuing education credits will be available for each session to those who attend and complete an evaluation.
For more information regarding future offerings, visit our Professional Development Offerings webpage.
For questions, contact ISAC.Outreachtraining@illinois.gov.
December 2024 ISAC Communiqué
Sent on January 2, 2025.
The December 2024 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 December 2024 ISAC Communiqué include:
- Become Certified in Financial Aid!
(sent December 17, 2024) - Do You Send Paper Transcripts? Make the Switch to Electronic, It's Easy!
(sent December 11, 2024) - 2025-26 FAFSA, Alternative Application, and Important Dates
(sent December 6, 2024) - Financial Aid Application Completion Initiative
(sent December 3, 2024) - November 2024 ISAC Communiqué
(sent December 2, 2024)
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.
