Indiana families prepare for overhaul to state high school diploma requirements

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Indiana students will have to prepare for a change in high school degree requirements.

The new requirements will take effect for all students beginning with the class of 2029, or students currently in eighth grade.

The new structure includes a base degree for all students. This encompasses the minimum credit requirements that must be met.

In addition to the basic degree, students can earn an Honors Seal or Honors Plus Seal with a specialization in enrollment (college readiness), employment (workforce development), or enlistment (military).

"The four years of high school should really support lighting that fire a purpose in our students and better connecting them to what's next," said Katie Jenner, Indiana Department of Secretary.

"The honors seals are similar to the opportunities many Hoosier students have today, such as the current academic honors designation, and are designed to be even more intentional, elevating what truly impacts future success," The Indiana Department of Education explained. "The honors plus seals reflect the opportunities that exist for some Indiana students today, and that Indiana leaders aim to expand access for more students across the state. The honors plus seals are designed to increase skill development, work-based learning experiences, as well as opportunities for students to increase their educational attainment by earning a credential of value."

Parents Michaele and Jason Mix have two children who attend elementary school in Sellersburg, Indiana.

The pair said the change to diplomas won't impact them in the immediate future, but could see it being a benefit for their children.

"It generally is a good idea because we tend to push people on the same track and it doesn't work for everybody," Jason Mix said.

However, Pam McCoy, the vice president for the Greater Clark Education Association has a few concerns over the change in degree requirements.

McCoy said the new plan eliminates a necessary diploma option for students with special needs.

The federally-required alternate diploma for students in special education with a significant cognitive disability will still be available.

However, McCoy said students who did not qualify for the federal option, had a general diploma that was better suited for them than the basic diploma, currently known as Indiana Core 40. That diploma, along with other current graduation requirements, will sunset Oct. 1, 2028.

"For our students that had special needs they didn't have as many requirements, they still had to get the 40 credits," McCoy said. "But as far as the math, the science and they didn't have as many requirements that they had to fulfill."

McCoy also said some requirements are vague and may be difficult to implement. For example, she said there may not be enough teachers to help students fulfill the new and sometimes specialized requirements.

McCoy cited school counselors being left out of the planning process as a reason for some of her concerns.

"Having to explain these to parents, it just it, it just it's mind blowing to me," McCoy said. "I think there's just a lot of unanswered questions."

The new requirements includes a personal finance class, which McCoy said is a positive.

The board is asking for both parents and educators to send in questions and feedback about the implementation process for the new diploma requirements by clicking here.

Now that the board has approved the final draft, it has to be reviewed by the state's attorney general and will become law once signed by the governor.

The process to update the state's requirements started earlier this year after a law passed in 2023 decided the state must change its future diploma tracks.

To learn more about the changes, click here.

To look at a comparison between current requirements and the new requirements, see the PDF in this story or click here.

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