ILLINOIS

Since 2006, Illinois has attempted to provide Back on Track options for returning dropouts and struggling students; however, these initiatives have never made it to the implementation stage due to lack of funding (e.g., the Illinois Hope and Opportunity Pathways Through Education (IHOPE) enacted under SB 1796 in 2009; the Technology Immersion Pilot Project ratified under HB 5077 in 2006). 

IHOPE was designed to provide community colleges with grants to target the recovery of high school dropouts. The Technology Immersion Pilot Project is a two-year program designed to implement software, online courses, or other technology courses improving academic achievement at schools with high dropout rates, low test scores and limited access to Advanced Placement courses. The state did appropriate one-time funding in 2004-05 for a former governor's Initiative, Getting Results Achieving Dreams and Success (GRADS). 

In July 2009, the state enacted SB 612, doubling the state cap on charter schools from 60 to 120 while limiting to five the number of charter schools operating in an urban center with a population of 500,000 or more. These charter schools are allowed to focus on high school dropouts, and have a maximum enrollment of 165 students.

In 2009, the Illinois State Board of Education received a multi-million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education to develop a longitudinal data system to measure the state's college readiness, graduation, and dropout rates. This funding will be provided from FY 2010 through FY 2013. Currently, Illinois does not report the National Governors Association's four-year cohort graduation rate, nor has it indicated when it will begin to do so.

In 2004, Illinois raised the compulsory attendance age to 17, allowing exemptions to students who are employed and have acquired parental consent. The state's maximum public school entitlement age is set at 21.