About ICCB

History

In 1965, the Illinois General Assembly established the Illinois Community College Board to create a system of public community colleges that would be accessible to every resident. More than 50 years later, the Illinois Community College System is the third largest system in the United States, with 48 colleges and one multi-community college center throughout Illinois. The community colleges serve over 500,000 Illinois residents each year in credit and noncredit courses and serve many more through public service programs.

While each community college has its own unique brand and personality, they all share a common mission – To provide high-quality, accessible, cost-effective educational opportunities to the most diverse group of students and communities of any post-secondary option in Illinois. And as the state’s largest provider of public workforce training, community colleges are building a more resilient and productive Illinois: nine out of ten graduates remain in state, bolstering local workforces, building local economic resilience, and becoming role models for their families and communities.

The Illinois Community College System is coordinated by the Illinois Community College Board which is comprised of Illinois citizens appointed by the Governor. A locally elected boards of trustees* set policies that guide their colleges in achieving local and statewide goals.

*The Board of Trustees of the City Colleges of Chicago is appointed by the Mayor of Chicago.