Gov. Mike Braun and Secretary of Education Katie Jenner announced three specific diploma options Wednesday for students weighing future plans for college, the military or direct employment after high school.
The specific partnerships are based on requirements laid out in the state’s new high school diploma, approved by the State Board of Education in December. State lawmakers called for the board to establish the new diploma.
Wednesday’s announcement focused on options for students who earn the “honors plus” readiness diploma seal.
The new diploma, set to take effect with the Class of 2029, gives students the choice of a minimum baseline diploma that calls for 42 credits, up from 40, and three diploma readiness seals that signify more in-depth study. They include the honors seal and the honors plus seal. They span three areas of future goals – college enrollment, military enlistment and workforce employment.
Students can earn an additional 56 to 64 credits depending on their schedules.
“Today, by working with our partners, including many in the private sector, we have an opportunity to not only improve outcomes for students statewide, but also strengthen our state economy for years to come,” Braun said in a release.
The new partnerships provide guarantees and opportunities for students who earn the honors plus readiness seals on their diplomas. Officials said more partnerships are expected.
The partnerships include:
Enrollment honors plus seal – seven state colleges and universities guarantee automatic acceptance to students who earn the enrollment honors plus seal.
The schools are Purdue University, Indiana University, Ball State University, Indiana State University, the University of Southern Indiana, Ivy Tech Community College and Vincennes University.
State officials hope the new requirements can improve Indiana’s college enrollment numbers. The data from 2022 shows just 53% of graduates planned to attend college. Of those students, just 51% graduated from college.
Employment honors plus seal — students who earn this seal can receive career support and connections to the state’s top employers. Students will be eligible for direct entry into the Central Midwest Carpenters Union apprenticeship.
State leaders said they’re working on similar programs with Operating Engineers Local 150 and other unions.
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce is actively recruiting businesses across the state to invite and encourage them to join the employment diploma program.
Enlistment honors plus seal – students will be qualified to join the Indiana National Guard and other military branches.
Students accepted by the Indiana National Guard can earn college credits for completing training, reducing the time and cost required to complete a degree.
They will also gain direct access to veteran mentors, military career counselors, and college ROTC liaisons, who can provide college and career guidance.
They’ll also be able to access priority job placement programs for military professionals that offer job interviews for federal employment and private sector jobs.
Enlistments declined by 41% from 2018 to 2022. Indiana National Guard enlistments over the same period declined 38%. The rate of decline is worse in Indiana than in other states, officials said previously.
Originally controversial, the new diploma structure won approval and support after more than a year of input from parents, K-12 educators, colleges and businesses.
The state hopes to increase college enrollment, reverse a decline in military enlistments and reduce chronic student absenteeism.
“Indiana is leading the way when it comes to redesigning the high school experience to ensure these four years are as valuable as possible for students, and I could not be more excited about the opportunity ahead to continue to grow our partnerships in this work,” said Jenner.
“In many ways, the adoption of the final diploma rule was only the beginning of our journey, and today’s announcement is the logical next step as many of the same partners who helped us to develop the readiness seals are now solidifying their value for students.”
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.