The Superintendent or designee may investigate, coordinate, and implement a program for students in grades 7 and 8 to enroll in a course required for a high school diploma. If a program is available, students in grades 7 and 8 may enroll in a course required for a high school diploma when the course is offered by the high school that the elementary student would attend and either of the following is satisfied: (1) the student participates in the course at the high school and the elementary student’s enrollment in the course would not prevent a high school student from being able to enroll, or (2) the student participates in the course where the student attends school as long as the course is taught by a teacher who holds a professional educator license with an endorsement for the grade level and content area of the course.

A student who successfully completes a course required for a high school diploma while in grades 7 and 8 shall receive academic credit and a grade for the course. That academic credit shall satisfy the requirements of Section 27-22 of the School Code for purposes of receiving a high school diploma, unless evidence  of course rigor and content show that the course did not address the relevant Illinois Learning standards at the level appropriate for the high school grade during which the course is usually taken.  The student’s grade in the course shall also be included in the student’s grade point average on the high school transcript.

LEGAL REF.:  105 ILCS 5/10-22.43 and 5/27-22.10
23 Ill.Admin.Code §1.460.

CROSS REF.:  6:300 (Graduation Requirements), 6:310 (High School Credit for Non-District Experiences; Course Substitutions; Re-Entering Students) 6:320 (High School Credit for Proficiency)

ADOPTED:  November 22, 2004

REVISED:  March 26, 2012
April 11, 2016
January 23, 2017