INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana high school students will soon have a new choice regarding their education as the state unveils a redesigned diploma program. The initiative allows students to select one of three distinct pathways: enrollment, employment, or enlistment tailored to their personal and career goals.
After receiving extensive feedback from educators across the state, the Indiana Department of Education and Governor Braun believes the new plan provides a clearer road map to success for students.
“We've finally now formalized hopefully to where kids can choose according to their own skills, their own interests, a pathway that will allow them to hit the ground running when they graduate,” said Governor Mike Braun (R-Indiana). “It's going to be the right choice, and they aren't going to waste money or time.”
The three pathways cater to varying objectives:
- Enrollment is designed for students aiming to attend college.
- Employment targets those looking to enter the workforce directly after graduation.
- Enlistment is for students who aspire to serve in the military.
Rima Bahradine-Bell, a junior at Career Academy South Bend, emphasized the importance of adapting the diploma policy to reflect modern needs.
“We have a new generation of students, we have a new generation of parents. They have changes they have developed and they are not the same as the old generation so we need to do the same with our diploma policy,” she said.
Bahradine-Bell, who has always wanted to pursue higher education, says having a track to follow gives students a clear path to follow to help guide their interests.
I didn't exactly know how that path would work for me because it wasn't zoned in," Bahradine-Bell said. "In high school, I knew I would have to figure that out later. So being able to do that earlier saves so much time and experience for students."
Under the new system, students who select the Enrollment track and successfully complete the Enrollment Honors Plus Seal will gain automatic eligibility for admission to all seven of Indiana's state colleges. Educators say they like the new plan but are hopeful guidance will be released soon to make sure students in all parts of Indiana have an equitable chance to complete any seal they please.
"The auto-enrollment is something that is available to everyone statewide regardless of what kind of school system that they are in," Jennifer Smith-Margraf the Vice President of the Indiana State Teachers Association said. "So those are the kinds of things we are looking for moving forward to make sure that there are opportunities for all of the students to participate in these things.
The first graduating class under this new diploma framework will be the Class of 2029.
Students earning the Enrollment Honors Plus Seal will find guaranteed admission at:
- Purdue University
- Indiana University
- Ivy Tech Community College
- Ball State University
- Indiana State University
- University of Southern Indiana
- Vincennes University
As more institutions join the program, additional colleges and universities will also be added.
For those pursuing the Employment Honors Plus Seal, support from Ascend Indiana will help students connect with local employers and potentially earn positions in apprenticeship programs, including the Central Midwest Carpenters Union. Initiatives are underway to partner with Operating Engineers Local 150, and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce is encouraging businesses statewide to participate.
Students choosing the Enlistment Honors Plus Seal will gain unique qualifications for joining the Indiana National Guard and other military branches. Accepted students can earn college credits, access veteran mentors, military career counselors, and priority job placement programs specifically tailored for military professionals.
