Demystifying Indiana's New Diploma Requirements

Indiana’s new diploma requirements have arrived, bringing a mix of challenges and opportunities for educators, students, and families. In a recent webinar hosted by Education Advanced, Inc., we sat down with a panel of experts to discuss the key changes, practical strategies, and tools to help schools successfully implement the new graduation pathways. Our panelists included:

• Twyla Kendrick, High School Counselor, Metropolitan School District of Pike Township ‍
• Melissa Patchett, Director of High School Counseling, Metropolitan School District of Washington Township ‍
• Andi Shriner, Academic Advisor, Covenant Christian High School

Q: What are the biggest challenges you foresee with the new Indiana diploma requirements?

Andi Shriner: We use a college prep curriculum, and about 95% of our students pursue a four-year degree. Some of the new diploma requirements make it challenging for us, particularly in terms of staffing. With a small student population of about 400, we now need to hire additional personnel to teach the required courses.

Twyla Kendrick: We’re a large, diverse school with over 3,000 students, and while we have strong programs like a career center, Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC), and International Baccalaureate (IB), we are still working on making sure all stakeholders understand the changes. Educating teachers and ensuring a smooth transition for students is a top priority.

Melissa Patchett: Our approach has been to embrace these changes early. We hosted a well-attended webinar to educate families and stakeholders, with a strong focus on ensuring we don’t decrease academic rigor but rather expand post-secondary opportunities.

Q: Are any of your schools allowing students to opt into the new diploma early?

Twyla Kendrick: No, we are sticking with the existing pathways for students prior to the class of 2029.

Andi Shriner: Same here—we’re not offering the new diploma early.

Melissa Patchett: We are offering it as an option, but given that students must also earn an honor seal, we don’t anticipate many opting in. However, we believe in providing flexibility for families who may want to explore it.

Q: How are you preparing for tracking these new requirements?

Twyla Kendrick: Tracking is a huge concern. Even with tools like Pathways, it’s overwhelming to think through all the possibilities and ensure accuracy, especially with students transferring in and out.

Andi Shriner: One of my biggest fears is missing something for a student. This is high-stakes, and counselors need the right tools to track everything efficiently.

Melissa Patchett: We rely on our student information system (SIS), but we also heavily collaborate with other districts and lean on platforms like Pathways. Networking and sharing resources have been crucial.

>>> Click here to access the live resources document shared in the webinar. <<<

Q: What strategies are in place for work-based learning opportunities, especially for rural communities?

Andi Shriner: We have a unique schedule where juniors and seniors participate in a two-week J-term internship. Starting next year, we’ll require at least one internship and look into expanding opportunities beyond those two weeks.

Twyla Kendrick: With our in-house career center and JROTC program, we can provide some of these experiences. However, for schools without those resources, it can be a challenge.

Melissa Patchett: We offer a work-based learning program and a modern apprenticeship program, but in rural areas, I’d recommend forming partnerships with local businesses and utilizing career centers if available.

Q: How are you handling scheduling conflicts with new course requirements?

Twyla Kendrick: We’re looking at combining personal finance with government to ensure a balanced schedule. Economics is no longer required, so we’re still figuring out its role moving forward.

Andi Shriner: The personal finance course will be a senior requirement, which we believe is ideal, as students will apply those skills immediately. We’re also being mindful of scheduling speech and computer science courses in a way that doesn’t disrupt key subjects like English and math.

Melissa Patchett: We’ve mapped out a worst-case scenario four-year plan for students who need to fit everything into high school and a best-case scenario for those who take some courses in middle school or summer school.

Q: How are you communicating these changes to parents and students?

Melissa Patchett: We held a webinar for families and stakeholders, which had over 300 attendees. We also hosted a curriculum night for incoming freshmen, giving families a chance to ask questions and talk with department heads.

Twyla Kendrick: Our big parent night for incoming 8th graders is next week. We want to provide an overview without overwhelming parents and assure them that we are prepared.

Andi Shriner: Since we draw from multiple feeder schools, we’ll meet one-on-one with every incoming freshman and their parents in June to ensure they understand their options and graduation requirements.

Key Takeaways & Next Steps

• Collaboration is key: Whether through Department of Education (DOE) resources, professional networks, or finding opportunities for collaboration through partners like Education Advanced, sharing insights and strategies with other counselors and administrators is invaluable.
• ‍Take it one step at a time: “We’ve done this before,” as Twyla Kendrick reminds us, referencing previous diploma transitions. It’s a learning process for everyone.
• ‍Educate and reassure stakeholders: Parents and students need clear, consistent communication about what’s changing and how schools are prepared to support them.
• ‍Use tracking tools: Whether it’s an SIS or a dedicated platform like Pathways, having a reliable system to track student progress is essential.

The transition to Indiana’s new diploma will require time, patience, and teamwork. By sharing insights and best practices, schools can navigate this change effectively and ensure every student is set up for success.

If you are interested in automating tasks and streamlining processes, you may also be interested in the suite of from Education Advanced:

• Pathways: A graduation tracking tool that enables administrators and counselors to create, track, and analyze graduation pathways, ensuring secondary students stay on track to graduate.
• TestHound: Our test accommodation software helps schools coordinate thousands of students across all state and local K-12 assessments while considering various accommodations, such as for reading disabilities, physical disabilities, and translations.
• Evaluation: A solution for documenting every step of the staff evaluation process, including walk-throughs, self-evaluations, supporting evidence, reporting, and performance analytics.