Gov. Pat Quinn is heeding President Barack Obama's call during his latest State of the Union address to raise the high school dropout age in Illinois. In next week's State of the State address, Gov. Quinn is expected to propose legislation to the General Assembly that would raise the minimum dropout age in Illinois; the governor has hopes that the bill will pass this year.

“Every child in Illinois deserves a quality education that will serve them throughout their lives,” Governor Quinn said in a press release. “The best way to ensure that our children have the chance to achieve and succeed is to make sure they stay in school long enough to earn their diploma.”

Illinois' current minimum dropout age is 17 years old, making it one of 29 states that allows students to voluntarily leave high school before the age of 18.