Some state lawmakers and a music organization are urging Hoosiers to share concerns about the state’s proposed new high school diploma rules by Tuesday, July 30.
State Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond) sponsored House Enrolled Act 1243 this year, which expanded Indiana Department of Education’s ability to design more flexible high school diploma requirements to consider more than a list of required, traditional classes.
“The new law should make it easier for students to add work-based learning into their high school career while still graduating on time,” Raatz said.
However, if the changes take effect, Indiana House Democrats say high school graduates will be rejected from public and private Indiana colleges because they won’t meet minimum admissions standards.
Indiana grads won’t be required to take math above Algebra 1, world history, economics, geography, foreign languages, fine arts or health. The plan also would eliminate academic honors diplomas, potentially impacting course offerings.
House Democrats posted a mock letter on Facebook dated March 2029 addressed to Hoosier high school graduates, signed by “University Admissions Office.”
“We regret to inform you that the 2024 Indiana high school diploma changes left you without the minimum admission requirements to attend our university. We have received applications from across the country that exceed your experience, despite your dedication to your studies and high marks. We thank you for your participation in the Republican supermajority’s experiment to ‘reinvent high school’ and wish the best of luck in your future endeavors.”
Indiana State School Music Association, collaborating with Indiana Arts Education Network, is concerned about potential damage to performing and visual arts in schools. ISSMA encourages Hoosiers to advocate for Indiana defining arts as co-curricular instead of extracurricular and including after-school performing arts activities as work-based learning.
Parents, community members and other stakeholders are invited to provide feedback at form.jotform.com/241416447370959.
State officials will conduct a public hearing at 10 a.m. July 30 in Indiana Government Center South’s conference rooms. Anyone may attend the public hearing in person to share ideas or watch online at youtube.com/live/y5JpBTwliVQ.
All online and in-person public comments will be provided to Board of Education members.
A second draft of the diploma rule will be shared later this summer before a second round of public comment. The final draft could be adopted in late 2024. Changes would affect all students beginning with the class of 2029.
New diplomas at a glance
Indiana students would complete a defined set of foundational courses and competencies in ninth and 10th grades, then have additional flexibility and personalization in 11th and 12th grades. Read more at in.gov/doe/diplomas.
A version of this article appeared in the July 24 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.