Lawmakers tasked the Indiana Department of Education with creating new graduation requirements by the end of this year. Those requirements were unanimously approved by the Indiana State Board of Education this week, but there is still a lot of work to do before they are fully implemented by schools.
The new requirements must be approved by the attorney general within 45 days of their approval by the state board. After that, they must receive the governor’s signature.
The new base diploma is meant to create more flexibility for students to pursue various pathways. IDOE’s next step is to prepare courses and descriptions that align to those new requirements. Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner said that should be done by the end of this year.
“Right out of the gate, our schools are asking what that course flexibility looks like, so you’re going to see us stepping on the gas and getting that out hopefully right before the holidays,” she said.
Early next year, IDOE will release guidance for schools regarding work-based learning and credentials of value. Some other pieces, like creating an accountability system for the new diploma, will take more time. The IDOE is working with stakeholders and lawmakers to determine what accountability for student performance and seal attainment might look like.
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Jenner said the department wants to create an advising tool that uses artificial intelligence to help students navigate available pathways. The tool would likely start with a career aptitude test, then list courses and schedules that would help the student earn a diploma and specific seals for enrollment, employment and enlistment.
She added that such a tool could ease the burden on schools when they implement the new diploma and seals, especially when it comes to advising students.
“I think we have such an opportunity to better utilize technology to take some of that workload off our school counselors,” she said.
Jenner said the IDOE will ask lawmakers for money to build that tool, so it will not be ready until spring 2025.
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State officials will also look at increasing flexibility for high school and college teacher accreditation.
“At the high school level, we’re hearing more and more scenarios where there’s a retired businessperson, a retired employee, or, quite frankly, someone who missed their calling for teaching and wants to come back in,” Jenner said. “In order to get back in the classroom to share what they’ve done for years, they have to jump through a number of hoops.”
She added that any flexibility measures for high school teacher accreditation requirements will not be extended to elementary and middle school teacher accreditation requirements.
“That’s where the foundations are built,” Jenner said. “We need our elementary teachers to know the science of reading research and best practice and have that support.”
Schools will be able to opt students in to receiving the new diploma during the 2025-2026 school year. However, students must earn a seal if they opt in early. The new diploma and seals will be effective for all graduating seniors in the class of 2029.
Kirsten is our education reporter. Contact her at kadair@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @kirsten_adair.