Some of Indiana's largest universities are voicing their concerns with the current proposals for the state's new high school diplomas, saying they wouldn't meet university admission requirements.
The Indiana Department of Education just closed its first round of public comment on its redesign of Indiana’s high school diplomas on Tuesday. With it, multiple state universities sent their feedback and concerns about the diplomas.
The department released its initial draft of the diploma changes in March, which slimmed the state’s current four diploma options down to two, dubbed the Indiana GPS (Graduates Prepared to Succeed) diploma and Indiana GPS Plus diploma.
The new diplomas place a higher emphasis on work-based learning and would provide credits for things like internships while slimming down academic requirements seen in the state’s existing diplomas. The new diplomas would go into effect for all students starting with the class of 2029.
However, the choice to de-emphasize academics has alarmed many, with droves of teachers and community members coming out in recent months to speak against the current diploma proposals saying they will put college-going students at a disadvantage and make Hoosier graduates less well-rounded citizens.
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Now Indiana universities are expressing that same concern, with Purdue University President Mung Chiang writing to Indiana Education Secretary Katie Jenner and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education last week saying the new diplomas won’t meet their admission requirements.
Purdue, the University of Southern Indiana and Indiana State University had the most direct criticism in their responses to the department, saying that the diplomas as proposed would create unintended consequences.
In the University of Southern Indiana letter, Aaron Trump, the university’s vice president for government affairs and general counsel wrote that the GPS diploma as it is currently written may not bring about the amount of flexibility that the state wishes.
“It appears that workforce preparation, creating a pathway directly from High School to entry-level employment, is given priority rather than aiming to provide all students with the necessary education and skills to access pathways to multiple opportunities, and ultimately be successful in all,” the letter said.
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The Indiana Department of Education announced in June another change to its diploma design and proposed including three different seals students could obtain that would show the graduate is ready to enroll in higher education, ready for employment or ready to enlist in the armed services.
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Details on what requirements would go into obtaining each seal are being worked on by the department, which plans to announce the updates later this summer.
Molly Williams, the deputy communication director for the Indiana Department of Education, told IndyStar the feedback from the universities is “indispensable” and will be used to help create the final diploma versions.
Jenner has said she aims to have a final rule on the diplomas approved by the end of this year.
Here is what various state universities had to say in response to the diploma proposals:
Purdue University
Along with stating concerns about not meeting the university's admission requirements, Purdue also shared its suggestions for the seal requirements.
Purdue recommended two tiers of seals that students could get with the first tier incorporating the Core 40 requirements and the second tier more replicating the current academic honors diploma but with fewer credits needed.
Indiana University
Indiana University’s letter from president Pamela Whitten did not specifically criticize the proposed diplomas but said they are committed to working with the department to create the requirements for the enrollment seal.
“It is imperative that all students who plan to (or may want to) attend college receive adequate preparation for higher education in the academic areas our research demonstrates are most meaningful to success: rigorous preparation in higher level math, sciences, communication, world languages, arts, and social & historical contexts,” the letter said.
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Whitten also urged the department to make sure to consult two-year institutions, especially when thinking about how to best serve adults who may want to pursue post-secondary education later in life.
Butler University
ButlerUniversity said in a statement to IndyStar that it shares concerns about the proposed diplomas not meeting its admissions requirements.
“As the Indiana Department of Education weighs feedback from interested stakeholders and revises its proposed plan, we recommend that it consider providing high school students with a prescribed pathway for college admission that takes into account both academic rigor and curricular choice — similar to the current Academic Honors/Core 40 requirements,” the university said.
Vincennes University
In its feedback to the Indiana Department of Education, leaders at Vincennes University said that the foundational knowledge in high school diploma requirements should meet at least the entry-level requirements for higher education coursework.
“The high school graduate should not be precluded from a higher education opportunity because of a track chosen early in their secondary experience,” the letter said.
Vincennes University has open admissions, meaning anyone could be admitted to take classes, but they do have requirements for students seeking a degree or technical certification.
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The letter also applauded the state's efforts in making sure students are prepared for careers but also urged them not to “lose sight of the need for rigor and baseline mastery to ensure that every high school graduate regardless of ZIP code, socio-economic status, high school size, or family situation has an opportunity to succeed at Vincennes University.”
Ball State University
Ball State University’s feedback included specific recommendations on what should be included in the enrollment seal:
- Four years of English
- Three years of mathematics (Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II or Analytics Algebra II)
- Three years of science (two involving lab work)
- Three years of social studies.
- Foreign language study is strongly recommended but not required.
The university also suggested rolling out a communications campaign for families and schools to provide more information on things like high school course choices, GPA, extracurricular activities and suggestions that students look at admission requirements for their directed institution or program.
Indiana State University
Mike Godard, president of Indiana State University said in his letter to the department that he had concerns with the proposed diplomas and its disconnect from the state’s goal of increasing Indiana’s college-going rate.
A specific concern for Godard is that while he thinks the seals may have good intentions he worries that it will end up confusing prospective college students, especially first-generation students, of which about half of Indiana State’s incoming freshman class each year is comprised of, said Godard.
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He also worries if the needed resources to help explain the proper requirements to young students are not provided, it may mean fewer seniors, especially from disadvantaged groups, will pursue higher education.
University of Southern Indiana
The university’s letter said the lack of requirements for foundational courses like world languages, world history, and other culture courses was concerning to them since they are necessary for success in whatever post-graduation path a student picks.
The letter also mentioned concerns that the new diplomas or seals would not do enough to help prepare first-generation or disadvantaged students to get into colleges or universities.
Trump also mentions how the academic honors diploma was often obtained by students who succeeded the most in post-secondary education, and therefore the IDOE should replace the academic honors diploma rather than eliminating it.
Lastly, the university is worried that the various seals will only further confuse students and families and then further discourage families from pursuing higher education.
Contact IndyStar reporter Caroline Beck at 317-618-5807 orCBeck@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter (X):@CarolineB_Indy.
