Illinois Dual Credit Information
There are several pathways for students to pursue dual credit courses, among receiving institutions. More than ninety percent of the dual credit coursework is offered through the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), please see http://www2.iccb.org/academic_affairs/dual-credit/for more information.
Four-year public and independent institutions also participate in dual credit within the State of Illinois. Please see the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s Dual Credit website for the most up-to-date information. Note: The Dual Credit Quality Act has a limitation for out-of-state providers, Section 17.
Professional Development Plans – Teachers
High school teachers in Illinois who do not yet fully meet the Higher Learning Commission’s requirements to teach dual credit have a limited time opportunity to start teaching dual credit under a professional development plan while they work to complete the requirements.
Plan Criteria (to January 1, 2023) A teacher qualifies for a professional development plan according to the Dual Credit Quality Act if the teacher:
A. has a master’s degree in any discipline and has earned 9 graduate hours in a descipline in which he or she is currently teaching or expects to teach; or
B. has a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 18 graduate hours in a discipline that he or she is currently teaching or expects to teach and is enrolled in a discipline-specific master’s degree program; and
C. agrees to demonstrate his or her progress toward completion to the supervising institution, as outlined in the professional development plan.
Plan Criteria (January 1, 2023 to January 1, 2025) A teacher will qualify for a professional development plan accordiing to the Dual Credit Quality Act if the teacher:
A. has a master”s degree in any discipline, has earned 9 graduate hours in a discipline in which he or she currently teaches or expects to teach, and agrees to demonstrate his or her progress toward completion to the supervising institution, as outlined in the professional development plan; or
B. is a fully licensed instructor in career and technical education who is halfway toward meeting the institution’s requirements for faculty in the discipline to be taught and agrees to demonstrate his or her progress toward completion to the supervisiing institution, as outlined in the professional development plan.
Participating Institutions
Enabling Legislation
In Illinois, “Dual credit course” means a college course taken by a high school student for credit at both the college and high school level. In 2010, Illinois passed the Dual Credit Quality Act (110 ILCS 27/1) (link includes amendments for the Dual Credit Quality Act) to accomplish all of the following:
- To reduce college costs.
- To speed time to degree completion.
- To improve the curriculum for high school students and the alignment of the curriculum with college and workplace expectations.
- To facilitate the transition between high school and college.
- To enhance communication between high schools and colleges.
- To offer opportunities for improving degree attainment for underserved student populations.
Additional Information
Dual Credit Endorsement: The Illinois Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board, and the Illinois State Board of Education collaborated to create a new endorsement for Nine Dual Credit Disciplines. A Dual Credit Endorsement, as designated in 110 ILCS 27/Dual Credit Quality Act, is an endorsement valid for grades 11-12 to be placed on the Professional Educator License (PEL) at the request of an instructor who meets the appropriate credential standards. The Content-Specific Endorsement will be a recognized credential that will help with the portability of approved coursework for qualified high school dual credit teachers across the State of Illinois. The nine areas include: English Composition, English Literature, General Math, Statistics, Calculus, Speech, History, Biology, and Psychology.
The Illinois Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (ILACEP) is the state’s chapter of the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP). It serves the schools, organizations and institutions that support dual credit opportunities for Illinois’ high school students through professional development resources and a spirit of fellowship among secondary and post-secondary educators and supporters.