Avelar Supports Bill That Makes Public University Tuition Affordable for Illinois Students
ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – To create more pathways for an affordable higher education for high school students, state Rep. Dagmara ‘Dee’ Avelar, D-Romeoville, is supporting a bill that would prioritize Illinois public school students for admission and tuition protections at public colleges and universities.
“The sad reality is that public school students get overlooked constantly in higher education applications even when they’re at the top of their class,” said Avelar. “With this legislation we are ensuring that these accomplished students get accepted to a school that has affordable tuition, great programs and are prioritized for admission.”
Avelar-supported House Bill 4343, aims to make higher education more affordable for Illinois high school students by amending multiple higher education Acts, including;
Requiring the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) to guarantee admission to at least one public university for top-performing high school graduates;
Requiring transparency through annual reporting that would illustrate admission, tuition and graduating trends for in-state students;
Requiring each public university to prioritize in-state students during admission cycles and ensuring there is a 70% residency requirement for high-demand programs with limited capacity;
Prohibiting the governing board of a public university from increasing its in-state tuition based on inflation beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year; and
Creating workforce incentive grants and loan forgiveness to encourage graduates, especially from underserved regions, to work in Illinois after graduation.
“Making higher education affordable and accessible has always been the goal in Illinois,” said Avelar. “Many times, we find that students have to choose between working a job they don’t want and a college education. Time and time again we see them choosing the job because they can’t afford the education,” said Avelar. “That’s why we’re focused on expanding accessibility for students of lower income families and underserved communities to be able to have the same college opportunities as other students who come from better funded schools or families.”
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