Manufacturing Pathways Consortium Celebrates Signing of SB 3070, Protecting CTE Opportunities for Illinois Students

McHenry County, IL — September 1, 2026 — The Manufacturing Pathways Consortium (MPC) is celebrating the signing of Illinois Senate Bill 3070, marking an important victory for student choice, Career and Technical Education (CTE), and the future of Illinois' skilled workforce.

The legislation addresses concerns surrounding an upcoming Illinois high school graduation requirement that would require students to complete two years of foreign language coursework beginning with students entering ninth grade in the 2028–2029 school year. Educators and manufacturers raised concerns that the additional requirement could unintentionally limit students' ability to participate in multi-year CTE programs, including advanced manufacturing, CNC machining, welding, and other technical pathways.

MPC member, Dr. Patrick Enright of Richmond-Burton School District 157 and Nippersink District 2, first brought the issue to MPC's attention after recognizing the potential impact the requirement could have on students pursuing CTE coursework. With educators, manufacturers, and community partners already gathered around the same table, MPC was able to elevate the concern and bring it to the attention of the Technology & Manufacturing Association (TMA).

TMA took the issue to the state level, working with manufacturers, industry partners, and legislators to develop and advocate for a legislative solution. That effort became Senate Bill 3070, which received bipartisan support in the Illinois General Assembly before being signed into law.

“I am proud to be part of a coalition of local educators, regional manufacturers, and state lawmakers that successfully advocated for an update to Illinois graduation requirements,” said Dr. Patrick Enright. “Moving forward, students can satisfy the world language requirement with two years of CTE coursework, including fine arts. While we continue to strongly encourage world language study, this adjustment removes schedule barriers—opening the door for more students to jumpstart their career training and discover high-demand pathways before graduation.”

For MPC, the journey of SB 3070 demonstrates exactly why bringing education, industry, and community partners together matters.

“I think this perfectly sums up the importance of collaboration,” said Jake Homuth, Convener of the Manufacturing Pathways Consortium. “The Consortium’s purpose is to elevate the conversation, bringing awareness and connection to the community. This specifically solidifies the reason for bringing everyone to the table. Building something bigger and better takes a group like this, willing to sit together and move from challenges to opportunities. We achieve more together as a consortium by building that shared mission and vision.”

The concern was never about diminishing the value of foreign language education. Instead, it was about ensuring students have the flexibility to pursue coursework aligned with their individual interests, talents, and career goals. For a student interested in manufacturing, a welding class, machining program, engineering course, or other hands-on technical experience may be their first opportunity to discover a career they never knew existed.

MPC extends its appreciation to Dr. Enright for recognizing the potential impact of the requirement and bringing the concern forward, and to TMA for taking that concern to Springfield and leading the legislative effort. MPC also recognizes the educators, manufacturers, community partners, and lawmakers whose collaboration helped turn a locally identified challenge into a statewide solution.

SB 3070 is more than a legislative victory. It is an example of what can happen when the right people are brought together and move from identifying challenges to creating opportunities.

A win for student choice. A win for Career and Technical Education. And a win for the future of manufacturing in Illinois.

About the Manufacturing Pathways Consortium

The Manufacturing Pathways Consortium (MPC) is a collaborative group of manufacturers, educators, and community partners focused on building a sustainable talent pipeline and increasing awareness of careers in manufacturing. Through initiatives such as the Common Hiring Application, the Summer High School Internship Program, Manufacturing Month events, and ongoing employer collaboration, MPC works to strengthen long-term workforce development across the region.

For more information about the Manufacturing Pathways Consortium, visit mfgpathways.com or contact Maria Andrade, mandrade@mchenry.edu.