Indiana High School Students Will Face New Graduation Requirements

Last updated on Thursday, December 7, 2017

(INDIANAPOLIS) - Wednesday, the Indiana State Board of Education (SBOE) approved new graduation pathways for Indiana’s high school students beginning with the 2019 freshmen class. The pathways are designed to give all students the skills and experiences they will need to take the next step in their educational journeys and to secure good jobs.

The pathways were developed by the Graduation Pathways Panel, a SBOE subcommittee, which gathered input from hundreds of stakeholders during 30 combined hours of discussion over the past year.

"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."

However, Superintendent McCormick is disappointed in the vote.

"Although disappointed in the vote, I'm extremely proud of our K-12 colleagues. They continue to be tireless advocates for our children and have remained student focused throughout this process. It is clear our Indiana educators are committed to being part of a solution to workforce and higher education concerns. The Department will continue working with our legislators, concentrating on successful implementation of the Graduation Pathways, and collaborating with all those who work on behalf of our students on a daily basis."

Rather than requiring every student to take and pass tests to graduate, the pathways approved to let students choose from a wide range of options tailored to their unique interests, abilities and aspirations after graduating high school.

Beyond earning a high school diploma, the pathways outline several options for students to gain and demonstrate both academic and employability skills that ensure they are ready for their next step--whether that's the military, industry training, college or a job.

Highlights of Indiana's New Graduation Pathways

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.

Read Indiana's new gradation pathways online here.

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