Transitional instruction is designed to help students avoid remedial coursework in college. Students who successfully complete a transitional math or English class will receive guaranteed placement in credit-bearing math or English coursework at any Illinois community college approved for statewide portability.
All Illinois community colleges and accepting universities receiving information on a student’s portability code will grant the student the appropriate placement. The placement exempts a student from taking a placement test at the community college.
For Students
- Take and pass either/both transitional English and/or transitional math in your senior year of high school
- Ensure your high school has placed the portability code on your transcript upon graduation
- Use your portability code to guarantee placement into credit-bearing English and/or math coursework in any Illinois community college or approved four-year university
For High Schools
- Engage with your local community college to develop curriculum and a Memorandum of Understanding for your transitional instruction partnership
- Collaborate with your Local Advisory Panel to receive feedback and guidance on your transitional course
- Your partner college will apply for portability at the Statewide Portability Panel (held twice per year in October and March)
- Once approved, include the course’s portability code (and date of course completion) on students’ transcripts who have successfully taken and passed the course to ensure placement into credit-bearing coursework in college
For Colleges
- Engage high school partners to develop curriculum and a Memorandum of Understanding for your transitional instruction partnership
- Collaborate with your Local Advisory Panel to receive feedback and guidance on your transitional course
- Apply for portability at the Statewide Portability Panel (held twice per year in October and March)
- Once approved, ensure high school partners are including the portability code for the course (and the course completion date) for students who have successfully taken and passed the course
- Advise registrars to identify the portability code and use it as a means to place students into the next credit-bearing course for that subject
- Engage partner districts in continuous improvement strategies such as data reviews of outcomes for transitional learners and professional development for teachers and faculty involved in these courses
High school and college partners are invited to review the transitional instruction resources for guidance on submitting courses for portability.