New Indiana high school graduation requirements will start with class of 2023

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana high school students will have new requirements to graduate, starting with the class of 2023.

The Indiana State Board of Education voted 7-4 to approve new graduation pathways for Indiana’s high school students beginning with the 2019 freshman class.

The board says the pathways are designed to give students the skills and experiences they will need to help them succeed both in higher education and finding a job.

“I am excited for the opportunities these new pathways will provide Hoosier students,” said Dr. Byron Ernest, chairman of the Graduation Pathways Panel. “They will go a long way to ensure our students are truly prepared for success in whatever they choose to pursue after high school.”

Instead of requiring students to pass an exam to graduate, the new requirements will allow them to choose a path that is tailored to their interests, abilities and aspirations after graduating.

Students in the graduating class of 2023 will need to meet the following Graduation Pathway Requirements:

Earn academic credit to obtain a high school diploma
Learn and demonstrate employability skills through a project-based learning experience, service-based learning experience, or a work-based learning experience
Complete post-secondary competencies by doing one of the following: earning an honors diploma, finishing apprenticeship or career-technical courses or meeting college-ready standards for ACT, SAT, ASVAB tests.

For current high school students, those graduating in 2019, 2020, 2021, or 2022, ISTEP 10/End-of-Course Assessments will continue to be used as the graduation qualifying examination.
During these years, the Graduation Pathways Panel recommends schools begin allowing students to opt-in to new standards in lieu of graduation qualifying examinations.

Highlights of Indiana’s New Graduation Pathways as presented by the Indiana State Board of Education:

Individualization: The new pathways move from a one-size-fits-all approach to one where every student chooses a route to graduation that reflects their goals after commencement.
Local Flexibility: The new pathways give schools and districts the flexibility to design and offer courses and experiences that are aligned to locally identified priorities and community needs.
Relevancy: Because students will get to select the path that makes the most sense for their goals after high school, their high school experience is more relevant to them personally.
Currency: The new pathways give students something of value and meaning to be used to help them succeed in the next step along their personal journey—whether it’s more education and training or a career.
Workforce-Aligned: The new pathways are designed to ensure today’s students gain the skills and traits they need to be successful in our rapidly-changing, modern economy—including a strong academic foundation, intellectual curiosity and a passion for lifelong learning.
Rigor: To address the skills gap and ensure all students are prepared to succeed, we need to establish higher expectations for all students—with the foundational belief that every student is capable of achieving personal success. These new pathways strike the right balance of higher expectations for all students with more individualized options to meet every student’s unique needs and goals.

Learn more about the new requirements here.

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