On June 24, 2022, Governor JB Pritzker signed into law Public Act 102-1100 changing the name of the Illinois High School Equivalency Certificate to the State of Illinois High School Diploma. The change is effective January 1, 2023. This change recognizes the value of high school equivalency completion and will aid Illinois graduates in establishing reciprocity with educational requirements in other states.
Requirements to achieve the diploma remain the same as the certificate. Candidates must complete their high school equivalency through GED® or HiSET® testing, or through Alternative Methods of Credentialing. Candidates must also meet the Illinois Constitution requirement either obtained in high school or by using the online Constitution module at https://ilconstitution.org.
The Equivalency Portal will reflect the change in terminology beginning January 1, 2023. Printed diplomas and certificates will reflect the new language. The URL for the portal will move to https://www.ilhsdiploma.com. No action is required by ROE staff to access the new portal as it is strictly a change to the URL. The current https://www.ilhsequivalency.com/ address will remain active for another year.
No action is required for those who currently hold a High School Equivalency credential. The credential itself remains valid. Any printed copies of their certificate or transcript remain valid. Persons wishing to receive new copies to reflect the updated language may do so, though it is not necessary, and will follow normal procedures and costs for obtaining them through the appropriate Regional Office of Education (ROE). Candidates may find the appropriate ROE to contact by searching the locator at: http://iccbdbsrv.iccb.org/roesearch/citysearch.cfm or by contacting the ICCB office at: [email protected].
ROEs are encouraged to do test prints as soon as possible after the changeover to ensure print quality. If there are issues, please contact us and we will work to resolve the issue.
Questions may be sent to [email protected] or can be directed to Kimberly Dismuke, Senior Director for High School Equivalency, [email protected], or Jeff Newell, Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, [email protected].