Understanding Indiana's High School Diploma Requirements

Since 1987, Indiana has empowered high school students to concurrently earn high school and college credit through approved college courses. Today, the Postsecondary Enrollment Program (IC 21-43-4) further establishes this opportunity. High school students in grades 11 and 12 can receive both college credit and credit toward high school graduation by successfully completing college classes at eligible Indiana colleges or universities. Each school corporation determines which courses meet a student's requirements for high school graduation. The Indiana State Board of Education adopts course and credit requirements for earning a high school diploma.

Diploma Designations

Students have the option of earning an Indiana Diploma with the following designations:

General
Core 40
Core 40 with Academic Honors (AHD)
Core 40 with Technical Honors (THD)
Alternate Diploma

Graduation Pathways are required starting with the class of 2023. High schools must offer students the opportunity to earn any diploma designation approved by the State Board of Education and cannot require students with a disability to complete locally-required credits that exceed state credit requirements to earn a diploma, unless otherwise required as part of the student’s Individual Education Program (IEP).

Core 40 Diploma

The Indiana General Assembly made completion of the Indiana Diploma with Core 40 designation a requirement for all students beginning with those who entered high school in the fall of 2007. The law includes an opt-out provision for parents who determine their students could benefit more from the Indiana Diploma with General Designation. The legislation also made Core 40 a minimum college admission requirement for the state’s public four-year universities beginning in the fall of 2011. To graduate with less than the Core 40, the formal opt-out process must be completed.

New Indiana Diploma Requirements: Class of 2029 and Beyond

Indiana is redefining the high school experience with new diploma requirements, including a total of 42 credits. These changes provide students with more flexibility and options to align their education with their future goals. The revamped diploma requirements will go into effect for all Indiana students by 2028-29, but schools could adopt the revised requirements as early as 2025-26.

Read also: Navigating Accreditation

One of the most notable aspects of these changes is the introduction of readiness seals. These seals are designed to prepare students for one of three pathways:

Enrollment in post-secondary education
Employment
Military enlistment

These seals enhance students’ qualifications by formally recognizing their achievements in relation to post-secondary education, employment, or military service.

Readiness Seals: Preparing for the Future

The state’s new graduation rules offer three pathway seals that students could earn on top of a base diploma. The pathways lead either to enrollment in college, employment, or enlistment in the military. The rules also allow students to complete more work experience or more rigorous academic requirements to earn a second “plus” tier of each seal.

The new Indiana high school diploma requirements include optional readiness seals that serve to enhance students’ qualifications and readiness for post-secondary careers and education. These seals are designed to align student achievements with their educational and career pathways, fostering a smoother transition to the next stages of life.

There are three main types of readiness seals:

Enrollment Seal
Employment Seal
Enlistment Seal

Enrollment Seal

The Enrollment Seal is designed to help students meet the minimum admission requirements for state universities. This seal can be earned without the need to complete the 75 hours of work experience typically required for other seals. This seal is particularly beneficial for students aiming for enrollment in state universities, as it provides a clear pathway to meeting admission standards. Students wishing to earn the new Honors Enrollment seal will still have to complete four world language credits.

Employment Seal

To earn the Employment Seal, students must complete a minimum of 75 hours of work-based learning in addition to meeting the criteria for the Honors Seal. This requirement ensures that students gain practical experience and develop essential skills that are valued by employers.

Enlistment Seal

The Enlistment Seal is designed to recognize students who meet specific criteria necessary for military enlistment. This seal was developed in collaboration with the Indiana National Guard, military personnel, and public safety officials. The Enlistment Seal signifies students’ commitment to military enlistment and service.

Honors Seals: Recognizing Achievement

Honors seals play a crucial role in recognizing students’ achievements and preparing them for post-secondary opportunities. Students can earn either the Honors Seal or the Honors Plus Seal for honors recognition. Earning honors seals is a testament to a student’s hard work and commitment to excellence.

Honors Seal: A designation awarded to recognize students’ achievements in academics and readiness for post-secondary opportunities. Students must maintain a cumulative B average to earn the Honors Enrollment Seal. Additionally, they need to complete at least four world language credits.
Honors Plus Seal: Designed to further prepare students for post-secondary opportunities. To qualify for this seal, students must demonstrate skills in communication and collaboration. Students can also qualify for the Honors Plus Enlistment Seal by enrolling in collegiate-level ROTC programs or gaining acceptance to a Service Academy.

For the Honors Employment Seal, students are required to complete 150 work hours, an increase from the previous requirement of 100 hours. There are also additional pathways for students to earn the Honors Employment Seal, including through locally approved graduation pathways.

Read also: IU Bloomington Fall Semester

Key Changes and Flexibility

By offering more flexibility, education officials hope to encourage more students to develop a post-graduation plan, especially as data indicates a spike in absenteeism in high school, and stagnant college enrollment rates. The graduation requirements also now specify that students can pivot between enrollment, employment, and enlistment pathways as needed. Students who wish to graduate early must also complete a seal.

Here are some of the key changes from the August draft:

Requiring 75 hours of work experience for students who want to earn the Honors Plus Enrollment seal, rather than 100 hours. This change was made because the state’s CTE requirements are in 75-hour increments.
No longer requiring college-bound students to pass the exams related to their Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or Cambridge courses.
Requiring 150 work hours for students who want to earn the Honors Employment seal, rather than 100 hours. (Students wishing to earn the Honors Plus Employment seal still need 650 hours of work experience in an apprenticeship or other opportunity related to their intended career path.)
Additional ways that students can earn the Honors Employment seal, including through a locally approved graduation pathway, or through a work opportunity paid for through Career Scholarship Accounts.
Additional ways that students can earn the Honors Plus Enlistment seal, including acceptance to a service academy, or enrolling in collegiate-level ROTC.

Support and Implementation

The new diploma requirements were developed with considerable input from the Indiana School Counselor Association, the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, and other key educational groups. Support for the new diploma plan has been widespread among higher education institutions. Universities, state education groups, and superintendents have expressed their approval, recognizing the potential benefits for students’ futures. Educational groups, including the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, Association of School Principals, and the Indiana School Counselor Association, have also expressed strong support.

The final draft of the plan earned support from a long list of organizations and universities, including the groups representing Indiana teachers, principals, superintendents, and school boards. In a letter submitted to the Department of Education, the Indiana School Counselor Association, whose members have expressed concern about the increased workload for counselors to manage these new pathways, called the final draft of the diplomas a “positive step forward.” The organization also called for a statewide system to track students completing diploma requirements and seals.

The Indiana State Board of Education is open to further public comment to refine the proposed changes based on stakeholder input. After approval from the State Board of Education, the new graduation requirements will require a 45-day review period by the Attorney General. The finalized diploma requirements and related resources should be ready by the end of the current year.

By early next year, education officials also have plans to roll out lists of courses, work-based learning opportunities, and credentials that students could use to meet the requirements. Jenner said the department will also seek during the next legislative session to align school funding with the new seals, so that schools will be incentivized to help students earn a seal. Later in 2025, the department intends to seek proposals to develop a counseling tool to help students choose a pathway and measure their progress through it. Education officials also said they’ll seek flexibility on who can teach high school and college courses, as well as a new accountability system aligned to the diploma requirements.

Graduation Pathways

Graduation pathways must be completed if a student does not earn a readiness seal. Students in the 2023 and beyond must complete Graduation Pathways. Note: there is a waiver option for the postsecondary readiness competency requirement for the graduation pathways but the other two components (diploma requirements and employability skills) would still have to be met.

Work-based learning experiences are mandatory under the new requirements, and students must complete employability skills demonstrations as part of graduation requirements.

Alternate Diploma

The alternate diploma is a standards-based diploma available to students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, pursuant to Indiana Administrative Code (IAC) 7-32-93.5, who participate in the state’s alternate assessment (I AM) and meet the criteria set forth in 511 IAC 6-7.1-10.

Core 40 Course Requirements

Current course and credit requirements went into effect for students who entered high school in the fall of 2012 (Class of 2016).

6 credits including 2 credits Algebra I, 2 credits Geometry, 2 credits Algebra II; or a total of 6 credits in Integrated Math.
8 credits including Algebra I, 2 credits Geometry, 2 credits Algebra II, or a total of 6 credits in Integrated Math. 2 additional credits in a Core 40 mathematics class.
6 credits including 2 credits Algebra I, 2 credits Geometry, 2 credits Algebra II; or a total of 6 credits in Integrated Math.

tags: #indiana #general #diploma #requirements