in-20240626-IR-511240220FNA: The Indiana State Board of Education (state board) is soliciting public comment on adding and amending rules at 511 IAC 6-7.1-4 and 511 IAC 6-7.2 concerning Indiana's high school diploma requirements. The state board seeks comment on the affected citations listed and any other provisions of Title 511 that may be affected by this rulemaking.

Notice of First Public Comment Period LSA Document #24-220 Sec. 4. (a) Except as provided in 511 IAC 6-7.2-15(g) and 511 IAC 6-7.2-16(c), for a student who enters high school in the 2006-2007 school year or a subsequent school year, a minimum of at least forty (40) credits is are necessary for high school graduation. Thirty-four (34) of the credits shall must be earned in the areas of study specified in subsection (b), and six (6) of the credits shall must be earned from courses in these and other approved areas of study. (b) The thirty-four (34) required credits consist of the following: (c) Courses that may be counted toward the required credits prescribed in subsection (b) are subject to the following provisions: (d) The college and career pathway is recommended, but not required, if a student, after completing grade 11: Sec. 1. The definitions in this rule apply throughout this rule. Sec. 2. "Advanced International Certificate of Education Diploma" means the diploma issued by Cambridge International. Sec. 3. "Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction award" means the award issued by the College Board to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all Advanced Placement (AP) exams taken, and a score of at least 3 on at least five (5) AP exams. Sec. 4. "Commission" refers to the commission for higher education defined by IC 21-7-13-11. Sec. 5. "Credit" means demonstrating proficiency against academic standards in a course meeting the following requirements: Sec. 6. "CTE concentrator" means a student earning a "C" average in at least two (2) nonduplicative advanced courses, which are courses beyond an introductory course, in a particular career and technical education program or program of study. Sec. 7. "Department" has the meaning set forth in IC 20-18-2-3. Sec. 8. "International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme" means the programme established by the International Baccalaureate designed for students between sixteen (16) years of age and nineteen (19) years of age. Sec. 9. "Project based learning" refers to learning that: Sec. 10. "Service based learning" refers to learning that: Sec. 11. "State board" has the meaning set forth in IC 20-18-2-19. Sec. 12. "Work based learning" means learning that: Sec. 13. The following general principles are a guide to school corporations in certifying to the state board that students are qualified for high school graduation: Sec. 14. (a) To be eligible for an Indiana diploma, a student who enters high school in the 2025-2026 school year or a subsequent school year shall: (b) The foundational knowledge and skills requirements consist of the following: (c) To satisfy the requirements set forth in subdivisions (b)(3)(B) and (b)(5)(E), the student's high school, or an external entity recognized by either the student's high school or the state board, must verify the activity or experience, or both, used to satisfy that the requirement meets or exceeds the standards established for the corresponding characteristics using the verification forms established by the department under this subsection. The department shall establish verification forms and other documentation requirements pertaining to the verification requirements set forth in subdivisions (b)(3)(B) and (b)(5)(E). (d) Only courses designated as approved foundational knowledge and skills courses by the state board may be used to satisfy the foundational knowledge and skills credit requirements set forth in subsection (b). (e) A course, a learning activity, or an experience may be used to satisfy more than one (1) foundational knowledge and skills requirement set forth in subsection (b). Multiple credits may not be awarded for the same course unless the approved course description allows awarding multiple credits. Sec. 15. (a) To be eligible for an Indiana diploma with an Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed (GPS) designation, a student entering high school in the 2025-2026 school year or a subsequent school year must: (b) Points may be earned through the following options: (c) Only courses designated as approved Indiana GPS courses by the state board may be used to satisfy a credit requirement included in the options described in subsection (b). A course used to fulfill a credit requirement included in section 14 of this rule may not be used to earn points under subsection (b). (d) Only credentials designated as approved Indiana GPS credentials by the state board may be used to satisfy a credential requirement included in the options described in subsection (b). (e) Not more than two (2) of the twenty (20) points required under subsection (a)(2) may be earned through work based learning. (f) To be eligible for an Indiana diploma with an Indiana GPS designation, a student must complete at least one (1) of the following postsecondary readiness competencies: (g) A student in a cohort expected to graduate in 2026, 2027, or 2028 may graduate with an Indiana diploma with an Indiana GPS designation if the student satisfies the requirements in subsection (a). Sec. 16. (a) To be eligible for an Indiana diploma with an Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed (GPS) Plus designation, a student entering high school in the 2025-2026 school year or a subsequent school year must: (b) Only work based learning experiences or courses designated as approved Indiana GPS Plus courses by the state board may be used to satisfy the work based learning requirement included in subsection (a)(2). (c) A student in a cohort expected to graduate in 2026, 2027, or 2028 may graduate with an Indiana diploma with an Indiana GPS Plus designation if the student satisfies the requirements in subsection (a). Sec. 17. (a) Based on the requirements set forth in subsection (b), the state board shall establish the following: (b) For each seal established under subsection (a), the state board shall establish, and the department shall make available on its website, course offerings and the required course sequences, and other requirements a student must complete to earn a particular seal. The required course sequences and other requirements established by the state board under this section are subject to the following: (c) If a student plans to pursue more than one (1) seal established under subsection (a), the diploma seal or seals the student plans to pursue must be specified in the student's graduation plan developed under IC 20-30-4-2. (d) If a student completes the requirements for a particular seal established under subsection (a), the seal shall be specified in the student's high school transcript.