Illinois could use a remedial course in higher education management, says a new analysis. Illinois' final grade for public higher education is a C+, says the Student Impact Project's state report card.
That's not failing, to be sure, but it's certainly not exceeding any professor's expectations. The grade was calculated by looking at factors that influence students' college experiences. The state received full-on F's in two important areas. The organization gave Illinois one B, a C- and only one A grade.
This all adds up to bad news for the state's college students. According to the report, the average student debt load in Illinois is $28,028.
Check out how Illinois scored in these subject areas:
According to the organization, Illinois is not alone in its need for extra tutoring: 19 other states also received F's in tuition prices, while 30 states in total were given Fs for state education appropriations.
The Great Recession is largely to blame for these issues, says the Student Impact Project. College tuition in Illinois has risen by 23 percent since the recession (a figure better than the national average of 28 percent), and nearly every state is spending less on education than it was just a few years ago.
Illinois also received an A and another F. See in which areas the state was graded the best and the worst at Reboot Illinois.
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