Legislators in the state of Illinois declared the week of March 18-24, 2018 to be Dual Credit Week to promote awareness of a valuable educational opportunity for high school students. Legislators note in their resolution that “awareness of this program can provide pathways to higher education for all students, especially those from underrepresented communities.”
The state of Illinois has had a great collaboration among the Illinois Board of Education, the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois Board of Higher Education along with the universities, community colleges and high schools that administer or facilitate the participation in dual credit programs. The state also has a very active chapter of dedicated dual credit professionals, the Illinois Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (ILACEP). The state chapter has had several statewide meetings and has recently started a webinar series to facilitate professional development for dual credit administrators.
The state of Illinois resolution also states that, "During State fiscal year 2016, there was a total of 54,871 unduplicated high school students enrolled in one or more Illinois community colleges."