IDOE

A new state law, prompted by a WFYI investigation, now requires the Indiana Commission on Seclusion and Restraint to meet twice per year. But the group has gone 14 months without a single meeting.

The Indiana Department of Education is now accepting feedback on its second draft of new high school diploma requirements. This is the last public comment period before the IDOE develops its final plan.

The Indiana Department of Education announced drastic changes to a controversial new diploma proposal on Wednesday based on community concerns. Although it is still early in the process, educator feedback on the new draft has been mostly positive so far.

Parents and educators have voiced opposition to the state’s new high school diploma proposal since it was unveiled in March. The first public comment period ended on Tuesday, July 30. The Indiana Department of Education will reveal the state’s second draft of the proposal and kick off the second public comment period later this summer.

Eleventh graders in Indiana take the SAT, a standardized college-readiness test, to comply with state law. This year, the percentage of students who earned college-ready scores increased in reading and writing but decreased severely in math.

Indiana high school students could see changes to their diploma requirements as soon as the 2025-26 school year. The new diplomas are still proposals, but the state plans to approve the finalized changes this fall.

The state is moving forward with new high school graduation requirements, even as Indiana educators urge caution and patience. Educators from around the state continued to express their concerns about the new requirements to state officials on Wednesday.

The Indiana Department of Education is making changes to a new literacy endorsement after educators spoke out against the requirements. The department said it plans to offer more flexible training options, and it has adjusted which teachers will be required to get the endorsement.

Educators have concerns over new literacy endorsement requirements set to take place over the next few years. One of those concerns involves $1,200 stipends that will be awarded to some educators who receive the endorsement.

Indiana schools could award students a new excellence in civic engagement designation on their high school transcripts in coming years. A new law passed this year requires the Indiana Department of Education to develop guidelines to determine how students can qualify.