CHICAGO — Illinois students will soon have more opportunities to earn college credit during high school thanks to a new law spearheaded by State Senator Cristina Castro.

“The two biggest barriers facing students today are time and money,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “Dual credit helps lift this burden, giving high school students a head start so they can save money on tuition and accelerate the time it takes to earn a degree.”

Dual credit instruction makes higher education more attainable, especially for first-generation and lower-income students, by offering high school students the opportunity to earn both college and high school credit through a single course. Students who earn dual credit in high school complete their college and university degrees at higher rates and are often able to save money as a result of having fewer college credits to pay tuition for.

Students have flocked toward dual credit programs in recent years. Illinois saw an 11.5% increase in dual credit enrollment in 2024 compared to the prior year.

Capitalizing on increased interest, Castro led the charge to increase student access to high-quality dual credit programs in Illinois. Under the new law, school districts are required to seek partnerships with local community colleges to offer dual credit courses to students. School and community college districts will work together to ensure their curriculum is in line and establish guidelines on factors like class sizes. Recognizing that some students might not have access to a nearby college campus, the law allows credentialed high school instructors to teach dual credit courses at high schools, further reducing the burden on students.

“An important piece of this plan is giving school districts the ability to team up with postsecondary institutions to offer dual credit opportunities in every corner of our state,” Castro said. “We are opening the doors to local partnerships so even more students can benefit.”

House Bill 2967 was signed into law Monday and takes effect immediately.