Nearly 10 years ago, Illinois adopted the “60 by 25” goal: that 60% of adults would have a postsecondary degree or credential by the year 2025 to meet projected workforce needs. Today, the percentage of jobs requiring postsecondary education is even higher. Postsecondary attainment varies widely across the state, from a low of 21% of adults to a high of 57% of adults having at least an associate degree. Illinois’ attainment is at 55% when certificates and short-term credentials are included.

However, the disparities in attainment outcomes are stark when we disaggregate by race/ethnicity. While 47% of white adults have a post-secondary degree, only 29% of African Americans and 20% of Latinx adults do.

There are several possible ways to help Illinois meet this goal, including adoption of legislation that would enable community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees. But a close second is addressing the glaring and disproportionate decline in Black community college student enrollment.

Research conducted by Dr. Deb Bragg and Tim Harmon shows that of the 29 Illinois degree-granting institutions where racially minoritized students constituted over 40% of total graduates in 2022, 14 were community colleges. And if we look at the subset of these 29 institutions with over 1,000 graduates (14 institutions), community colleges accounted for eight. In other words, our community colleges are taking the lead in educating our communities of color.

Level Up is a national coalition with a goal to unapologetically endorse a call to action to galvanize stakeholders toward a shared agenda that ultimately improves postsecondary outcomes leading to economic mobility for black learners.

ICCTA has partnered with Level Up and is reaching out to education stakeholders and more than a dozen community colleges, their presidents and trustees, to participate in an educational summit on economic mobility on April 30 at Malcolm X College. What better way to observe Community College Month than to jump start Illinois’ efforts to achieve our 60% post-secondary attainment goal?

Jim Reed, Jr., J.D., is the executive director of the Illinois Community College Trustees Association.