SR0903 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0903 LRB098 20072 GRL 55329 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois needs to close achievement gaps and provide a quality education for all; and

WHEREAS, Latinos are the fastest growing population in the State; and

WHEREAS, There is a current population of 2 million Latinos in Illinois, which makes up 16% of the State's population; and

WHEREAS, In the State of Illinois, Latinos contribute to 17% of the population of people between the ages of 18-24 and 25% of the population of people under the age of 18; and

WHEREAS, Despite the fact that such a large percentage of the Hispanic population in Illinois is of college age, Latinos make up only 14% of the college enrollment in the State; and

WHEREAS, Sixty-nine percent of Hispanic high school graduates in the class of 2012 enrolled in college that fall, 2 percentage points higher than the average rate; and

WHEREAS, Hispanic youth are less likely to enroll in a 4-year college than their white counterparts, at a rate of 56% compared to 72%; and

WHEREAS, Hispanic youth are less likely to attend a selective college and are less likely to be enrolled in college full-time; and

WHEREAS, Latino students are less likely to earn a bachelor's degree and have the lowest graduation rate in the State at 7%; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Community College System reported that there were 112,746 students identifying as Latino in 2012, constituting the second largest minority group; and

WHEREAS, By 2020, 67% of Illinois jobs will require a career certificate or college degree; and

WHEREAS, Seventeen percent of Latinos in Illinois currently have an associate degree or higher; and

WHEREAS, There is a 50% skills gap for Latinos in Illinois, double the average for the general population, and therefore a need for effective education to provide more training to work towards closing the gap; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board shall work along with the Illinois Latino Family Commission to develop a self-study guide that will be distributed to all public universities and community colleges throughout the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Latino Family Commission shall provide administrative support during the creation of the guide; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the self-study shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) identifying the current status and achievement levels for Latino students;

(2) examining the current practices that support Latino students;

(3) developing an action plan for improving Latino academic achievement; and

(4) creating a plan for increasing degree and certificate completion for Latino students; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board shall work with the Illinois Latino Family Commission to better understand low graduation and degree achievement among Latinos in public universities and community colleges and will generate a report on this self-study; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board shall report their findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor on or before July 1, 2015; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board shall make this report available to all Illinois public universities and community colleges.