ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAM ACT

Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB4386

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4386

Introduced 1/14/2026, by Rep. Jed Davis

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Online Degree Pathway Pilot Program Act. Establishes the
Online Degree Pathway Pilot Program to provide a single, unified, online
bachelor's degree program culminating in a degree conferred by a
participating university. Provides that application for admission to the
Pathway Program shall begin on March 15, 2027 for the 2027-2028 academic
year. Provides that the University of Illinois shall serve as the primary
degree-granting institution for the Pathway Program. Provides that a
student enrolled in any of grades 9 through 12 in a public or nonpublic
school is eligible to enroll in dual enrollment courses at any public
community college. Provides that credit earned under the Pathway Program
or through dual enrollment shall transfer automatically and apply fully
toward a bachelor's degree curriculum. Provides that the Board of Higher
Education shall develop statewide articulation maps ensuring full
alignment among community college courses and university upper-division
courses. Prohibits a public university or State agency from circumventing
or attempting to circumvent the Act through certain actions. Requires the
Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board to
jointly submit an annual report to the General Assembly. Grants joint
rulemaking authority to the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois
Community College Board. Repeals the Act 5 years after the effective date
of the Act. Contains a severability clause, and makes other changes.
Effective immediately.
LRB104 17506 LNS 30933 b
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT
MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

HB4386
LRB104 17506 LNS 30933 b
1

AN ACT concerning education.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 1.
Short title.
This Act may be cited as the
Online
5
Degree Pathway Pilot Program Act.

6

Section 5.
Purpose.
The purpose of this Act is to
7
establish a pilot program for a unified, statewide, low-cost,
8
bachelor's degree pathway that eliminates transfer barriers,
9
reduces tuition costs, expands dual-enrollment opportunities,
10
and provides students in this State with a seamless route from
11
high school to bachelor's degree completion. This Act promotes
12
affordability, access, and workforce readiness without
13
increasing the financial burden on taxpayers.

14

Section 10.
Definitions.
As used in this Act:
15

"Community college tuition rate" means the in-district,
16
per-credit-hour tuition rate charged by a public community
17
college in this State.
18

"Dual enrollment course" means a community college course
19
taken by a high school student under Section 25 that confers
20
both high school and college credit.
21

"Participating university" means the University of
22
Illinois or any other public university designated by the

HB4386
- 2 -
LRB104 17506 LNS 30933 b
1
Board of Higher Education to confer degrees under this Act.
2

"Pathway Program" means the Online Degree Pathway Pilot
3
Program established in Section 15.
4

"Seamless transfer" means automatic acceptance and
5
application of credit without reevaluation, reclassification,
6
or additional requirements.

7

Section 15.
Statewide online degree pathway established.
8

(a) The Online Degree Pathway Pilot Program is established
9
to provide a single, unified, online bachelor's degree program
10
culminating in a degree conferred by a participating
11
university.
12

(b) Application for admission to the Pathway Program shall
13
begin on March 15, 2027 for the 2027-2028 academic year. The
14
Illinois Community College Board shall receive and consider
15
applications for admittance to the Pathway Program.
16

(c) The Pathway Program shall consist of:
17

(1) 60 credit hours completed through any public
18

community college in this State; and
19

(2) 60 credit hours completed through a participating
20

university, delivered online.
21

(d) All coursework within the Pathway Program shall be
22
prealigned through statewide curriculum agreements.
23

(e) No transfer application, credit reevaluation, or
24
additional prerequisites may be imposed on a student
25
participating in the Pathway Program.

HB4386
- 3 -
LRB104 17506 LNS 30933 b
1

(f) A student shall pay one tuition rate, equal to the
2
community college tuition rate, for all 120 credit hours in
3
the Pathway Program, regardless of whether coursework is
4
delivered by a community college or a participating
5
university.
6

(g) No more than 2,000 students may be accepted into the
7
Pathway Program annually.

8

Section 20.
Degree-granting authority.
9

(a) The University of Illinois shall serve as the primary
10
degree-granting institution for the Pathway Program.
11

(b) The Board of Higher Education may authorize additional
12
public universities to confer degrees under this Act.
13

(c) All coursework completed through the Pathway Program
14
shall apply fully toward a bachelor's degree without
15
reevaluation.

16

Section 25.
Dual enrollment.
17

(a) A student enrolled in any of grades 9 through 12 in a
18
public or nonpublic school in this State is eligible to enroll
19
in dual enrollment courses at any public community college in
20
this State.
21

(b) Subject to appropriation, the Illinois Community
22
College Board shall pay the full community college tuition
23
rate for up to 30 semester credit hours of dual enrollment
24
courses for each eligible student.

HB4386
- 4 -
LRB104 17506 LNS 30933 b
1

(c) Courses taken under this Section shall apply toward:
2

(1) high school graduation requirements; and
3

(2) the first 60 credit hours of the Pathway Program.
4

(d) A participating university shall accept all dual
5
enrollment credit earned under this Section without a
6
reevaluation or reduction of credit.
7

(e) A student may exceed 30 credit hours under this
8
Section at the student's own expense or through locally
9
negotiated agreements.
10

(f) Dual enrollment tuition payments under subsection (b)
11
of this Section apply only to students participating in the
12
Pathway Program and count toward the Pathway Program's annual
13
enrollment cap under subsection (g) of Section 15.

14

Section 30.
Seamless transfer mandate.
15

(a) Credit earned under the Pathway Program or through
16
dual enrollment shall transfer automatically and apply fully
17
toward a bachelor's degree curriculum.
18

(b) No public university may:
19

(1) deny a transfer of credit;
20

(2) require a reevaluation of credit;
21

(3) impose additional prerequisites; or
22

(4) require duplicative coursework.
23

(c) Any violation of this Section is void and without
24
effect.

HB4386
- 5 -
LRB104 17506 LNS 30933 b
1

Section 35.
Curriculum alignment.
2

(a) The Board of Higher Education shall develop statewide
3
articulation maps ensuring full alignment among community
4
college courses and university upper-division courses.
5

(b) No public university may independently alter
6
curriculum requirements in a manner that undermines or
7
increases the cost of the Pathway Program.

8

Section 40.
Anti-circumvention.
No public university or
9
State agency may circumvent or attempt to circumvent this Act
10
by:
11

(1) adopting internal policies that impose
12

above-baseline requirements;
13

(2) reclassifying courses to prevent transfer;
14

(3) creating duplicative or remedial requirements; or
15

(4) imposing fees, surcharges, or administrative
16

barriers on Pathway Program students.
17

Any such action is void ab initio.

18

Section 45.
Reporting.
On or before March 15, 2028 and
19
each year thereafter, the Board of Higher Education and the
20
Illinois Community College Board shall jointly submit a report
21
to the General Assembly summarizing:
22

(1) the number of students participating in the
23

Pathway Program;
24

(2) the number of dual enrollment credits earned;

HB4386
- 6 -
LRB104 17506 LNS 30933 b
1

(3) student cost savings compared to traditional
2

pathways;
3

(4) systemwide transfer compliance; and
4

(5) recommendations for program improvement.

5

Section 90.
Rulemaking.
The Board of Higher Education and
6
the Illinois Community College Board may jointly adopt any
7
rules necessary to implement this Act.

8

Section 95.
Repealer.
This Act is repealed 5 years after
9
the effective date of this Act.

10

Section 97.
Severability.
The provisions of this Act are
11
severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.

12

Section 99.
Effective date.
This Act takes effect upon
13
becoming law.

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