State Senator Laura EllmanSPRINGFIELD – Middle school students across Illinois will soon have the opportunity to get a head start on their high school education, thanks to legislation led by State Senator Laura Ellman. House Bill 3039, recently signed into law, allows seventh and eighth grade students to earn high school credit for certain high school-level courses.

Ellman believes, “Students need support and resources to be successful throughout their academic journey,” (D-Naperville). She continued, “Middle school students preparing for high school deserve to be evaluated based on their academic abilities, not limited by where the course is taught or who is teaching it.”

Under the new law, middle school students who are enrolled in high school courses may earn credit if they:

  • Take the course at the high school without taking high school student’s seats
  • Take the course at their middle school and pass the same final exam used at the high school, demonstrating proficiency
  • Take the course from a teacher properly licensed or endorsed to teach that subject at the high school

Ellman spoke on the matter, “Receiving high school credits prior to starting high school can help students accelerate their academic path and feel more prepared for the shift in academic difficulty”. She continued to state, “By focusing on the efforts Illinois students put into their education, we are supporting their future.”

House Bill 3039 was signed into law Friday and takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.