Equity Plan Data from ICCB’s Centralized Data System
In response to the strategies outlined in A Thriving Illinois and then codified in recent Equity Plan legislation (P.A. 102-1046 (110 ILCS 205/9.16)), each public institution of higher education is required and each private institution of higher education is encouraged to develop and implement an equity plan and practices for its institution that, at a minimum, close gaps in enrollment, retention, completion, and student loan repayment rates for underrepresented groups, including students of color, low-income students, working adult students, rural students, and individuals with disabilities so that individuals, families, and communities throughout the state can thrive.
To implement, the Equity Plan Framework was developed in partnership with an Advisory Committee composed of 20 individuals from all sectors of higher education and was co-convened by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) and the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB).
The Equity Plan Framework Section III Analyze Data specifically states:
Analyze Data: Assess the equity gaps for Black, Latino, low-income, adult, rural students, students with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups, as identified in 110 ILCS 205/9.16.
A. IBHE/ICCB will provide data on current gaps and five-year trends in enrollment, persistence, advancement, completion, and student loan repayment rates, as collected statewide.
B. Provide any additional relevant institution-specific data that you analyzed.
C. Use IBHE/ICCB data and additional institutional data provided from Parts a and b above to identify gaps to be addressed.
D. Identify major barriers in policy and practices that have led to equity gaps for each group identified above.
E. Assess programs, efforts, curricular, or pedagogical changes that have been implemented to address the equity gaps and their outcomes. Describe any “lessons learned” that inform this plan and the practices/policies recommended.
Many institutions already have established benchmarks and outcomes with disaggregated subgroup data as part of local, state, and/or national equity efforts. To further assist with examining equity gaps and five-year trends (as specified in “A” above), ICCB has generated enrollment, persistence, advancement, and completion data for the community college sector. In consultation with IBHE, ICCB created the Equity Plan Framework – Technical Guide for Section III Analyze Data to provide purpose, methodologies, and definitions for each equity metric and subgroup. The subgroups include race/ethnicity, age (under 25 and 25 and older), gender, rural status, disability status, first generation status, Pell status, and single parent. The goal of the Equity Plan data from ICCB’s Centralized Data System and accompanying Technical Guide is to provide consistent and common outcomes and definitions for underrepresented subgroups across Illinois community colleges in examining benchmark data and measuring future progress.
Please use the Technical Guide as a companion resource in interpreting and examining the enrollment, persistence, advancement, and completion data below.
Statewide Equity Metrics Overall and by Subgroup
Select this link to download the Statewide Equity Metrics with Subgroups. Within the downloaded Excel workgroup, each tab contains an enrollment, persistence, advancement, and completion metric with statewide overall and subgroup outcomes.
Community College Equity Metrics Overall (Enrollment and Completion Metrics only include the Subgroups)
Select this link to download the Community College Equity Metrics Overall (Enrollment and Completion Metrics Only by Subgroup). Note the following:
- Of the metrics, only the Enrollment and Completions metrics have subgroup outcomes in the link. The other metrics are considered performance outcomes and must have cell suppression* applied for any cell count of less than 5. For the performance metrics (persistence and advancement) only the overall community college student counts are provided.
- Each community college’s subgroup outcomes for persistence and advancement metrics are shared separately and directly via ICCB’s secure mechanisms with community college Institutional Research staff. Thus, each community college will have access to their subgroup outcomes for all metrics as well as a student level microdata file with details on each student used to calculate the measure.
*More background on cell suppression requirements: Performance data shared publicly requires cell suppression (a disclosure limitation method which involves removing data (e.g., from a cell or a row in a table) to prevent the identification of individuals in small groups or those with unique characteristics). The community college-level persistence and advancement subgroup data contain too much cell suppression to share publicly.
An additional resource to assist Illinois community colleges in examining equity outcomes is the Illinois Postsecondary Profiles . This data and accountability website provides stakeholders with a powerful but user-friendly platform to access information on Enrollment, Affordability, Progress, Advancement, and Completion for 2- and 4-year Illinois higher education institutions. The Illinois community college data on the Illinois Postsecondary Profiles derives from ICCB’s Centralized Data System and mirrors much of the equity metrics and subgroups being shared in the files from the downloadable links above.
Equity Plan Data Presentations
Select this link to view a recording of ICCB’s Equity Plan Data from ICCB’s Centralized Data System webinar on March 13, 2024.
Select this link to download the slide deck.
If you have any questions pertaining to the Equity Plans, please email inquiries to iccb.equityplans@illinois.gov .