LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The clock is ticking for Indiana to settle on its new graduation requirements before the end of the year.

In a law passed in 2023, it was decided that Indiana must change its future diploma tracks.

State Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser, D-Jeffersonville, hosted a town hall Monday night about the proposed changes.

While educators in the state say its an improvement from the first draft, there are still concerns. 

The latest degree requirement proposal includes one base diploma.

One difference between the current Core40 Indiana diploma and the proposed diploma is that it changes the required credit hours in certain subjects.

Students will also have the option to include an honors seal, and choose an emphasis in employment (workforce), enlistment (military) or education (college).

Depending on the specialty, students will have to complete additional classes, work-based learning credit hours or reach other benchmarks, like a certain score on the ACT or SAT.

"I think there's still a lot more room for growth and improvement," said Pam McCoy, vice president of the Greater Clark Education Association. "We owe it to our students."

McCoy not only has concerns over the timeline to implement the changes, but as a special education teacher what it means for her students.

"I am concerned because there is no general diploma track... I feel like my students, where would they fall? I feel like they're falling in the cracks if they can't reach that basic (proposed diploma)," said McCoy.

There is also concern about the base diploma being less rigorous than the current Core40 diploma.

While the proposed diploma requires two more credits, there are less restrictions on the type of classes a student will be required to take.

For example, it does not require a student to take chemistry or physics, unless that student is pursuing the enrollment honors seal.

Instead, the base diploma allows students to take two STEM-focused credits, but educators said that is not clearly defined.

There is also concern about requirements that are expected, and school districts in Indiana not having the infrastructure to support that.

For example, students under the new proposed diploma must complete a computer science course.

Lori Stinson, the district coordinator of Counseling Services at Greater Clark County Schools, said there are few people in the district that would be qualified to teach this course. 

The proposed degree also eliminates the requirement to earn one credit in economics. 

A reoccurring concern in both proposed diplomas is related to work-based learning and the lack of opportunities for students, transportation, and safety or background checks.

"Having a 100 hours of required work-based learning is somewhat elitist in you're requiring them to have transportation, that at this point we have no funding to provide," Stinson said. 

The state's formal public comment period is not open, however feedback and questions may be sent to the IDOE at SBenitez@doe.in.gov.

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