Dual Credit Information and Guidance for Community Colleges
What Is Dual Credit?
Dual credit is an instructional partnership between a community college and a high school that allows academically qualified high school students to take college level courses and earn both high school and college credit at the same time.
What are the Benefits of Dual Credit?
Dual credit programs help students, schools, and communities by:
- Giving students a head start on college through college-level coursework while still in high school
- Reducing the time and cost of earning a college degree
- Introducing college academic expectations and career pathways to students
- Creating seamless pathways from high school to college through aligned curricula that minimizes duplicated coursework
- Strengthening collaboration among high schools, community colleges, and local communities
- Maximizing state and local education resources through shared instruction and planning
Dual credit saves students time and money by accelerating progress toward a degree and helping students build confidence through early experiences with college-level coursework. At the same time, schools and colleges work together to deliver more efficient, coordinated, educational pathways that support college and career readiness across Illinois.
Dual Credit Committee
Dual Credit Committee Meetings
Dual Credit Committee meetings are subject to the Illinois Open Meetings Act. All meeting materials, including agendas, minutes, and related documents, are publicly below.
The Dual Credit Committee, established by Public Act 104‑0012, meets at least annually to review and provide guidance on the accessibility, quality, and alignment of dual credit programs in Illinois. The Committee’s work helps ensure that dual credit programs effectively serve students and support high-quality instruction statewide.
The Committee is also responsible for reviewing, updating, and refining the Model Partnership Agreement and its associated exhibits to reflect best practices and statutory requirements.
The Dual Credit Committee’s membership includes representatives from the Illinois Community College Board, Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, and secondary and postsecondary representatives from across the state. Additional Committee information is available below:
March 5, 2026
To be posted in March- Meeting Notice
- Agenda
- PowerPoint
March 6, 2026
To be posted in March- Meeting Notice
- Agenda
- PowerPoint
April 16, 2026
To be posted in April- Meeting Notice
- Agenda
- PowerPoint
Dual Credit Partnership Agreement Reporting
Effective July 1, 2025, any dual credit agreement that is entered into, amended, or renewed, between the community college and its partner high school(s) must be submitted within 30 days of execution.
Community colleges are required to submit applicable agreements using the link below:
RESOURCES For HIGH SCHOOL DUAL CREDIT INSTRUCTORS
A Dual Credit Endorsement, as designated in the 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. Refer to the links below for more information:
Model Partnership Agreement
The Illinois Community College Board and Illinois State Board of Education have adopted the Model Partnership Agreement (MPA) as a resource to support local high schools and community colleges as they establish or update dual credit partnerships.
The MPA is not a required or default agreement. Community colleges and school districts are encouraged to continue developing local agreements that reflect their unique partnerships and best serve their students. The MPA may be used in whole or in part, as a reference to help inform new agreements, update existing agreements, or address specific issues that arise during local negotiations.
The MPA is intended to assist partners by outlining key considerations, roles, and responsibilities related to dual credit delivery. The following documents are available to assist partnerships.
- Model Partnership Agreement Form with signed letter (PDF)
- Associated Exhibits of the Model Partnership Agreement (PDF)
- Model Partnership Agreement and Associated Exhibits (Word document)
Resources
- Dual Credit Quality Act (110 ILCS 27/1 et seq.)
- Illinois Community College Board Dual Credit Administrative Rule (23 Ill. Adm. Code 1501.313)
- Illinois Board of Higher Education Dual Credit web page
- Dual credit grant resources
- Dual credit reports