In 1965, the Illinois General Assembly established the Illinois Community College Board to create a system of public community colleges that would be within easy reach of every resident. More than 50 years later, the Illinois Community College System covers the entire state with 48 colleges and one multi-community college center in 39 community college districts. Community colleges serve nearly one million Illinois residents each year in credit and noncredit courses and many more through their public service programs.
Community colleges are similar to each other and yet each college is unique. While this may appear to be a contradiction, it is not. Illinois community colleges share a common mission. They prepare people for college, for transfer to other colleges or universities, and for good paying jobs that demand high skills. Community colleges also provide adult literacy and continuing education and services. What makes each college unique is how the college responds to the communities it serves.
The Illinois Community College System is coordinated by the Illinois Community College Board comprised of citizens appointed by the Governor. Locally elected boards of trustees* set policies that guide their colleges in achieving local and statewide goals. Within the System, organized groups represent students, faculty, trustees, staff, administrators, and college presidents, and all of these groups are actively involved in the decision-making process for the System. Colleges meet both local and statewide needs for education and workforce development through high-quality, affordable, accessible, and cost-effective programs and services.
*The Board of Trustees of the City Colleges of Chicago is appointed by the Mayor of Chicago.
ICCB Mission Statement
- To administer the Public Community College Act in a manner that maximizes the ability of the community colleges to serve their communities.
- To promote cooperation within the system and accommodate those state of Illinois initiatives that are appropriate for community colleges.
- To be accountable to the students, employers, lawmakers, and taxpayers of Illinois.
- To provide high-quality, accessible, cost-effective educational opportunities for the individuals and communities they serve.
ICCB Board Goals
The Board hereby supports and affirms the mission of the state’s community college system in providing all Illinois residents with opportunities for economic and personal growth, civic engagement, and cultural awareness. The Board is committed to working with community colleges to ensure racial and ethnic diversity on our campuses and to promote inclusive learning environments. The system’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is essential to students’ personal and professional growth and success academically, social-emotionally, and in the workforce. To meet this responsibility, the Board has committed to the following three goals:
- GOAL 1: To support all students with a focus on minority, first-generation, and low-income students across urban, rural, and suburban communities, through the promotion of evidence-based best practices that close equity gaps resulting in system-wide improvement of equity metrics across enrollment, retention, advancement, and completion.
- GOAL 2: To support a seamless transition for students into and through postsecondary education and the workforce by fostering the development of robust career pathways aligned to the needs of business and industry, strong engagement at all levels of the community college system, and with a focus on meeting students where they begin their educational journey, resulting in equitable access and outcomes for all students.
- GOAL 3: To contribute to economic and workforce development by supporting the Illinois community college system’s effort to provide high-quality, dynamic workforce training opportunities that build essential skills for high-value work through apprenticeships, work-based learning opportunities, and competency-based instructional models that result in equitable economic mobility through increased credential attainment.
The Board will implement its goals with a focus and commitment to equitable access, opportunities, and outcomes for all students. The Board will promote best practices, enable evidence-based decision-making, and support system-wide continuous improvement.
Alignment with Education and Workforce Initiatives
- Complete College America Co‐Requisite to Scale Project
- Transitional Math Pathways Project
- Governor’s Cabinet on Children and Youth
- IL Workforce Education Strategic Plan
- IL Adult Education Strategic Plan
- Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act – IL Unified Plan
- IL Postsecondary Report Card