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1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION | ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
3 | Representatives wish to recognize Joliet Junior College on the | ||||||
4 | occasion of the successful launch of its 12x12x12 dual credit | ||||||
5 | program; and | ||||||
6 | WHEREAS, Dual credit programs provide students with the | ||||||
7 | opportunity to earn both high school and college credit for | ||||||
8 | the same course that they are taking in high school, saving | ||||||
9 | students over 80% of the cost of taking college courses and | ||||||
10 | improving their chances of succeeding in obtaining a college | ||||||
11 | degree; and | ||||||
12 | WHEREAS, As the nation's first community college, Joliet | ||||||
13 | Junior College has long stood at the forefront of higher | ||||||
14 | education since its establishment in 1901, expanding from | ||||||
15 | serving just six students to more than 30,000 students today; | ||||||
16 | and | ||||||
17 | WHEREAS, Joliet Junior College has established itself as a | ||||||
18 | statewide leader in dual credit enrollment through its | ||||||
19 | 12x12x12 dual credit initiative, which was launched in fall | ||||||
20 | 2023; its dual credit program, referenced as 12x12x12 for | ||||||
21 | students earning 12 college credits for $12 per credit hour by | ||||||
22 | 12th grade, is open to the 23 separate high school districts |
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1 | that fall within the community college's district; and | ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, Under Joliet Junior College's 12x12x12 dual | ||||||
3 | credit program, a dual credit course of 3 credit hours costs | ||||||
4 | students only $36, while taking the same course at the | ||||||
5 | community college after graduating high school would normally | ||||||
6 | cost at least $453, saving students over $400 per college | ||||||
7 | class; and | ||||||
8 | WHEREAS, To further break down barriers to education based | ||||||
9 | on socioeconomic status, Joliet Junior College's Board of | ||||||
10 | Trustees unanimously supported a policy that waives dual | ||||||
11 | credit fees for high school students who are enrolled in the | ||||||
12 | National School Lunch Program (NSLP); and | ||||||
13 | WHEREAS, Joliet Junior College's execution of its 12x12x12 | ||||||
14 | dual credit program has proven positive thus far with a | ||||||
15 | reported 23.9% increase in applicants for fall 2023, | ||||||
16 | representing 1,052 new dual credit students at the community | ||||||
17 | college from the previous fall semester, including a 70% | ||||||
18 | increase in African American student participation, or 210 new | ||||||
19 | students, and a 38% increase in Hispanic student | ||||||
20 | participation, or 277 new students; and | ||||||
21 | WHEREAS, Through Joliet Junior College's 12x12x12 dual | ||||||
22 | credit program, college administration has expressed hopes to |
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1 | impact thousands of lives by building a strong pathway to | ||||||
2 | education after high school and crafting a collaborative | ||||||
3 | message and vision for the influence education has on the | ||||||
4 | quality of life; and | ||||||
5 | WHEREAS, In fall 2024, Joliet Junior College will be | ||||||
6 | offering dual credit opportunities to high school students as | ||||||
7 | early as freshman year; therefore, be it | ||||||
8 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
9 | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
10 | we recognize Joliet Junior College on the successful | ||||||
11 | implementation of its 12x12x12 dual credit program, and we | ||||||
12 | commend the community college for continuing to inspire | ||||||
13 | learning, transform lives, and strengthen communities; and be | ||||||
14 | it further | ||||||
15 | RESOLVED, That we encourage community colleges to pursue | ||||||
16 | and implement similar dual credit programs of their own; and | ||||||
17 | be it further | ||||||
18 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
19 | presented to President Dr. Clyne Namuo of Joliet Junior | ||||||
20 | College as an expression of our esteem and respect. |