IAG Advocacy Alert
Indiana High School Diplomas
Update on the Changes Coming to Indiana’s High School Diploma
The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and the Indiana State Board of Education (SBOE) are proposing significant changes to Indiana’s high school diploma for the first time since the 1980s. Pursuant to recent legislation, the IDOE/SBOE announced these changes in March 2024 and published a proposed draft rule in the Indiana Register on June 24th. In response to the 8,000 comments they received, the IDOE/SBOE announced significant revisions to their proposal on August 14. On October 8, the IDOE/SBOE published a second draft of the proposed rule. Here is a summary of the proposed revisions compared to the current Core 40 Diploma and a summary of the proposed revised diploma seals.
Where are we now?
In this most recent revision, the IDOE/SBOE moved away from their previously proposed two diploma tracks to settle on one diploma for all students. The proposed New Indiana Diploma will resemble the current Core 40 Diploma with a couple exceptions. The New Indiana (42 credit) Diploma has:
1 additional Math credit (Personal Finance)
1 additional Science, Technology & Engineering credit (Computer Science)
1 College & Career credit
1 less Social Studies credit (though much of the former Economics curriculum will be covered in Personal Finance)
1 less Physical Education credit
12 Personalized Electives instead of the 5 Directed Electives and 6 Personalized Electives
In addition to greater flexibility in Electives, students will have greater flexibility in many of the core requirements. For example, under the Core 40 Diploma math requirement, all students were required to take Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. However, under the New Indiana Diploma, students will be required to take Algebra I, Personal Finance, and 4 additional math credits aligned to their personal goals.
Students also have the opportunity to earn optional two-tiered (Honors and Honors Plus) Enrollment, Employment, or Enlistment & Service diploma seals. Students may earn more than one type of seal. In public comments, IAG (and many others) expressed concerns about the loss of the Academic Honors Diploma framework. The IDOE/SBOE responded and the new optional Honors Enrollment Seal is very similar to the current Academic Honors Diploma with a couple exceptions.
In addition, in order to earn the Academic Honors Diploma, students are required to complete one of several credentials. One of these credentials requires students to earn 4 credits in 2 or more Advanced Placement (AP) courses and take the corresponding AP exam. In order to earn the New Honors Enrollment seal, however, students who opt to complete the credential by earning 4 credits in 2 or more AP courses must take and pass the corresponding AP exams.
The IDOE/SBOE also introduced an optional Honors Plus Enrollment seal (which bears some resemblance to their formerly proposed GPS Plus Diploma). To earn this seal, students must complete all the requirements of the Honors Enrollment seal and must also earn a “Credential of Value,” complete at least 100 hours of Work Based Learning, and demonstrate communication, collaboration and work ethic skills. Examples of “Credentials of Value” include an Associates degree, a Technical Certificate, the Indiana College Core, the AP Scholar with Distinction award, the Cambridge AICE Diploma, or the IB Diploma.
During the presentation on the revisions, Dr. Katie Jenner also noted that the New Honors Enrollment seal and many of the “Credential of Value” will be tied to financial incentives. This was a concern that IAG raised and will continue to pursue because Indiana schools have been receiving $30M in Academic Honors Grants stemming from the number of students who earn the Academic Honors Diploma. These funds, which are separate from the High Ability Grants, are used to support the Academic Honors Diploma and high ability programming.
How did we get to where we are today?
During the last two legislative sessions, the Indiana General Assembly directed the IDOE/SBOE to rethink the Indiana diploma and engage in the rulemaking process. Proposed changes to the Indiana diploma were initially announced at an SBOE meeting at the end of March.
In June, the IDOE announced the addition of three diploma seals.
On June 26, the IDOE/SBOE published a proposed draft rule in the Indiana Register.
IAG was an active participant in the new diploma rulemaking process. IAG met with representatives from IDOE to express concerns and offer recommendations for improving the proposed draft rule. IAG also filed a formal Public Comment.
On August 14, a second draft of the proposed rule was announced.
On October 8, the IDOE/SBOE published the second draft of the proposed rule in the Indiana Register.
IAG was again an active participant in the rulemaking process. IAG filed a second formal Public Comment. In this Comment, IAG raised concerns about some of the inconsistencies in the Rule and made suggestions for resolving them.
What will happen next?
IDOE and SBOE will consider the Comments they received. SBOE will adopt a Final Rule and will publish it in the Indiana Register by no later than December 31, 2024.
The IAG Advocacy team will continue to closely monitor this situation and will continue to voice the needs of Indiana's gifted youth. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us at advocacy@iag-online.org.
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Indiana Association for the Gifted advocates for gifted youth and gifted programs in Indiana. Learn more at www.iag-online.org.