The time has come to pick classes for the next school year and the incoming freshman are learning about and preparing for the new graduation requirements.
Over the past few years the Indiana Board of Education has been focusing on finding different ways to improve high school education.
“We started this process by asking Hoosiers across the state, ‘how might we make the four years of high school as valuable as possible for students and better connect them to their unique future goals,’” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education in a statement for Board of Education.
The Indiana Board of Education asked Hoosiers for their thoughts multiple times throughout the drafting process; the most recent polls were open through July 30, 2024 and November 8, 2024.
“Listening to and incorporating significant stakeholder feedback has absolutely led us to a better place from where we started in March to where we are today,” said Jenner.
Within the past few weeks teachers and administrators around the state have been notified and made aware of the new diploma requirements and the changes that will be implemented.
Although the incoming freshman will adhere to the new requirements in the upcoming fall semester, the administration is currently working on the new policies and changes.
“Unfortunately there has been no training to date for teachers. This is no fault of CHS. The new diplomas were just finalized so it was not certain what was changing or how things were changing until just recently. CHS has done a very good job keeping teachers in the know about the new diplomas as each draft was created,” said Monica Lalonde, a freshmen social studies teacher.
The new graduation requirements puts less pressure on going to college after high school and puts more emphasis on trades and non-traditional after high school plans.
“This new high school diploma will allow increased flexibility for students to personalize their journey, as well as increase access to both work-based learning and credentials of value,” said Jenner.
Today’s students are required to take Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II. The Class of 2029 will be required to take Algebra I, a personal finance course, and then their pick of four math credits after that. Those courses are meant to align with a student’s chosen path for after high school.
Current high school students are persuaded to take a pathway class as part of one of the current graduation requirements.
“Unless you’re going to be a teacher or do trade, the career pathways don’t really benefit you. There’s no class in the high school that’s going to really prepare me for college, mainly the classes here are good for more trade or teaching careers,” said junior Chloe Franklin.
Franklin believes that the new graduation requirements will allow students to customize their high school experience, and prepare them for what they want to pursue after high school.
“The state’s chronic absenteeism and dismal college-going rates led to the shifts in high school curriculum,” said Jenner.
The Board of Education believes that with the decreasing college enrollment rates that high schools need to have more options for trade based options. Teachers and students have expressed their concern about students’ college readiness.
“My thoughts are that the new diploma is getting students ready to go straight from high school into the workforce. College readiness courses will still be offered in high school, but it will be up to each individual student to create a checklist of what courses they need to get into the college of their choice,” said LaLonde.
Students will have to prepare themselves for their future and make sure that if they are college bound that they are hitting the requirements for colleges by themselves.
The current graduation requirements will expire October 1, 2028, making the new diploma requirements effective for all students beginning with the class of 2029.
