Illinois Homeschool High School Diploma Requirements

Requirement:

3 units of Mathematics. Including 1 unit of Algebra I and 1 unit of Geometry.

Additional Context:

Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science course is eligible. The description for an AP Computer Science course shall indicate that the course is equivalent to high school mathematics course and qualifies as mathematics-based, quantitative course for purposes of fulfillment of state graduation requirements in mathematics.

Requirement:

2 units of Science. Including courses with a laboratory component. 

Additional Context:

For a science course to be considered a “laboratory course,” all enrolled students must engage regularly in laboratory investigations. ISBE recommends that students in laboratory courses engage in laboratory investigations at least once per week, but the exact frequency is at the discretion of the local school district.

A school laboratory investigation (also referred to as a lab) is defined as an experience in the laboratory, classroom, or the field that provides students with opportunities to interact directly with natural phenomena or with data collected by others using tools, materials, data collection techniques, and models (National Research Council 2006, p. 3). Students should have opportunities throughout the process to design investigations, engage in scientific reasoning, manipulate equipment, record data, analyze results, and discuss their findings.

Requirement:
4 units of Language Arts. Including 2 units of writing-intensive coursework, one of which must be in an English Language Arts course.

Requirement:

2 units of Social Studies. Including 1 year of U.S. History or combination of U.S. History and American Government. Must include 0.5 unit of Civics.

Additional Context:

No student shall receive a certificate of graduation without passing a satisfactory examination once on the following subjects:

- American patriotism and principles of representative government as enunciated in the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Illinois Constitution

- Proper use and display of the flag

- Method of voting by means of the Australian Ballot System and the method of counting votes for

candidates.