105 ILCS 5/3-15.12
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 105 - SCHOOLS|105 ILCS 5/ - School Code.|Article 3 - Regional Superintendent of Schools

 (from Ch. 122, par. 3-15.12)Sec. 3-15.12. High school equivalency.     The regional  superintendent of schools and the Illinois Community College Board shall make available for qualified individuals  residing within the region a High School Equivalency Testing Program and alternative methods of credentialing, as identified under this Section.  For that purpose the regional superintendent alone or with other  regional superintendents may establish and supervise a testing center or  centers to administer the secure forms for high school equivalency testing to qualified persons.  Such centers  shall be under the supervision of the regional superintendent in whose  region such centers are located, subject to the approval  of the  Executive Director of the Illinois Community College Board.  The Illinois Community College Board shall also establish criteria and make available alternative methods of credentialing throughout the State.An individual is eligible to apply to the regional superintendent of schools  for the region in which he or she  resides if he or she is: (a) a person who is 17 years  of age or older, has maintained residence in the State of Illinois,  and is  not a high school graduate; (b)   a person who is successfully completing an  alternative education program under Section 2-3.81, Article 13A,  or Article 13B; or (c) a  person who is  enrolled in a youth education program sponsored by the Illinois National  Guard.  For purposes of this Section, residence is that abode which the applicant  considers his or her home. Applicants may provide as sufficient proof of such  residence and as an acceptable form of identification a driver's license, valid passport, military ID, or other form of government-issued  national or foreign identification that shows the applicant's name, address, date of birth, signature, and photograph or other acceptable identification as may be allowed by law or as regulated by the Illinois Community College Board. Such regional superintendent shall determine if the  applicant meets statutory and regulatory state standards.If qualified the  applicant shall at the time of such application pay a fee established by the  Illinois Community College Board, which fee shall be paid into a special  fund  under the control and supervision of the regional superintendent.  Such moneys  received by the regional superintendent shall be used, first, for the  expenses incurred  in administering and scoring the examination, and next for other educational  programs that are developed and designed by the regional superintendent of  schools to assist those who successfully complete high school equivalency testing or meet the criteria for alternative methods of credentialing in furthering their academic development or  their ability to secure and retain gainful employment, including programs for  the competitive award based on test scores of college or adult education  scholarship grants or similar educational incentives.  Any excess moneys shall  be paid into the institute fund.Any applicant who has achieved the minimum passing standards as  established by the  Illinois Community College Board shall be  notified in writing by the regional superintendent and shall be  issued a high school equivalency certificate on the forms provided by the  Illinois Community College Board.  The regional superintendent shall  then certify to the Illinois Community College Board    the score of the applicant and such other and additional information  that may be required by the Illinois Community College Board.  The  moneys received therefrom shall be used in the same manner as provided  for in this Section.The Illinois Community College Board shall establish alternative methods of credentialing for the issuance of high school equivalency certification. In addition to high school equivalency testing, the following alternative methods of receiving a high school equivalency credential shall be made available to qualified individuals on or after January 1, 2018:(A) High School Equivalency based on High School     Credit. A qualified candidate may petition to have his or her high school transcripts evaluated to determine what the candidate needs to meet criteria as established by the Illinois Community College Board.(B) High School Equivalency based on Post-Secondary     Credit. A qualified candidate may petition to have his or her post-secondary transcripts evaluated to determine what the candidate needs to meet criteria established by the Illinois Community College Board.(C) High School Equivalency based on a Foreign     Diploma. A qualified candidate may petition to have his or her foreign high school or post-secondary transcripts evaluated to determine what the candidate needs to meet criteria established by the Illinois Community College Board.(D) High School Equivalency based on Completion of a     Competency-Based Program as approved by the Illinois Community College Board. The Illinois Community College Board shall establish guidelines for competency-based high school equivalency programs.Any applicant who has attained the age of 17 years and maintained  residence in the State of Illinois and is not a high school graduate, any person who has enrolled in a youth education program sponsored by the Illinois National Guard, or any person who has successfully completed  an  alternative education program under Section 2-3.81,  Article 13A, or Article 13B is eligible to apply for a high school equivalency  certificate (if he or she meets the requirements prescribed by the Illinois Community College Board) upon showing evidence that he or she has completed, successfully, high school equivalency testing, administered by the United  States Armed Forces Institute, official high school equivalency testing centers established in other  states, Veterans' Administration Hospitals, or the office of the State  Superintendent of Education for the Illinois State Penitentiary  System and the Department of Corrections.  Such applicant shall apply to the  regional superintendent of the region wherein he or she has maintained residence, and,  upon payment of a fee established by the Illinois Community College Board,    the regional superintendent shall issue a high school  equivalency certificate and immediately thereafter certify to the Illinois Community College Board the score of the applicant and such other and  additional information as may be required by the Illinois Community College Board.Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, any applicant who has  been out of school for at least one year may request the regional  superintendent of schools to administer restricted high school equivalency testing upon  written request of: the director of a program who certifies to the Chief  Examiner of an official high school equivalency testing center that the applicant has completed a  program of instruction provided by such agencies as the Job Corps, the  Postal Service Academy, or an apprenticeship training program; an employer  or program director for purposes of entry into apprenticeship programs;  another state's department of education in order to meet regulations  established by that department of education; or a post high school  educational institution for purposes of admission, the Department of Financial and  Professional Regulation for licensing purposes, or the Armed Forces  for induction purposes.  The regional superintendent shall administer  such testing, and the applicant shall be notified in writing that he or she is  eligible to receive a high school equivalency certificate  upon reaching age 17, provided he or she meets the standards established by the Illinois Community College Board.Any test administered under this Section to an applicant who does not  speak and understand English may at the discretion of the administering  agency be given and answered in any language in which the test is  printed. The regional superintendent of schools may waive any fees required  by this Section in case of hardship.  The regional superintendent of schools and the Illinois Community College Board shall waive any fees required by this Section for an applicant who meets all of the following criteria:(1)  The applicant qualifies as a homeless person,     child, or youth as defined in the Education for Homeless Children Act.(2)  The applicant has not attained 25 years of age     as of the date of the scheduled test.(3)  The applicant can verify his or her status as a     homeless person, child, or youth.  A homeless services provider that is qualified to verify an individual's housing status, as determined by the Illinois Community College Board, and that has knowledge of the applicant's housing status may verify the applicant's status for purposes of this subdivision (3).(4) The applicant has completed a high school     equivalency preparation course through an Illinois Community College Board-approved provider.(5) The applicant is taking the test at a testing     center operated by a regional superintendent of schools or the Cook County High School Equivalency Office.In counties of over 3,000,000 population, a high school equivalency certificate   shall contain the signatures of the Executive Director of the Illinois Community College Board and the superintendent, president, or other chief  executive officer of the institution where high school equivalency testing instruction occurred and any  other signatures authorized by the Illinois Community College Board.The regional superintendent of schools shall furnish the Illinois  Community College Board with any information that the Illinois  Community College Board requests with regard to testing and certificates under this  Section.  (Source: P.A. 99-78, eff. 7-20-15; 99-742, eff. 1-1-17; 100-130, eff. 1-1-18.)