Chicago builds smoother path to 4-year degree
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Chicago Public Schools and City Colleges have deepened a partnership with the University of Illinois at Chicago aimed at getting more local students through a bachelor's program.
Why it matters: With college costs soaring and the Trump administration referring borrowers in default to debt collectors, many families are looking for smoother paths to more affordable degrees that can be partially earned with credit from high school and community college classes.
State of play: Since first launching in 2020, CPS says, the program has:
- Increased early college enrollment by CPS students by 62%.
- Expanded access in 20 CPS schools to more in-demand career pathways in tech, health care, manufacturing and construction.
- Offered Spotlight Days to allow 3,000 middle and high schoolers to explore future careers.
- Expanded help from postsecondary navigators to 91 schools.
Driving the news: This updated iteration, called Chicago Roadmap 2.0, adds additional support to guarantee transfer admissions, ensure credits are transferable, keep students on track and launch an AI-powered degree planner.
What they're saying: "By strengthening this pipeline, we are making higher education more accessible, affordable and attainable," CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said in a statement.
The intrigue: The updated program is being rolled out a month after Gov. JB Pritzker's plan to allow some community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees hit a snag.
- The proposal failed to get a House committee vote last month after four-year colleges, including Northeastern Illinois and Chicago State, voiced concerns in a joint letter about "duplicating efforts and increasing costs at a time of limited resources."
Yes, but: The bill's not dead, Pritzker's deputy chief of staff Matt Hill tells Axios.
- "There is still much time this legislative session, and the governor looks forward to continuing discussions with lawmakers in both chambers and other stakeholders to advance shared goals" of boosting job training and making college more affordable.
Zoom out: Colleges are facing other financial threats from the Trump administration for policies allegedly out of alignment with the administration on DEI and antisemitism.
- Some higher education institutions have lost millions in research grants from federal agencies whose budgets have been cut by the administration.
In response: About 200 university leaders this week signed a letter decrying the Trump administration's "undue intrusion into education."
The latest: This week, faculty leaders at several Big Ten schools joined forces to adopt a NATO-style alliance to jointly defend against the Trump administration's attacks on higher education.
- The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's faculty senate has set a vote on joining the alliance for Monday.
What we're watching: How DePaul University president Robert Manuel fares when he testifies before a House committee on May 7 about alleged antisemitism.