Purdue, IU weigh in on the state’s new high school diplomas

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat Indiana.

Indiana’s proposed new diplomas for the Class of 2029 and beyond might not meet the entrance requirements at Purdue University, but students who take an academic path could still make the cut at Indiana University, according to letters from each school.

Indiana’s two largest universities offered feedback this month on the state’s proposed redesign of its high school diplomas, which place more emphasis on work experience in high school. Under the proposal, the Core 40 diploma and its Academic Honors and Technical Honors distinctions would end. Instead, the state would offer the GPS and GPS Plus diplomas, with seals indicating that a student is ready for enrollment, enlistment, or employment.

A July 22 letter from Purdue, as first reported by WFYI, says the new diplomas will not meet admission requirements in math, science, social studies, and world languages. But a July 30 letter from IU indicates that the university supports the proposed “enrollment ready seal” that would be designed to meet minimum entry requirements to state universities.

The Indiana Department of Education is working with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and higher education institutions on the enrollment-ready seals, but it’s not clear which institutions are involved.

Both IU and Purdue in their letters to the state emphasized the importance of rigorous curriculum and college-level classes for high schoolers to demonstrate their postsecondary preparedness.

“Not all students will attend college; however, all students should clearly understand college admission requirements and be offered the coursework needed to be admitted to and succeed in college,” Purdue’s letter said.

Purdue points out credit, test deficiencies

The proposed diplomas, which the State Board of Education must approve by the end of the year under state law, have faced significant pushback from educators, parents, and students who say the lower-tier GPS Diploma is less rigorous than the current Core 40 offering, while the higher-tier diploma’s emphasis on work is not appropriate for all college-bound students.

Purdue University indicated in its letter that neither the GPS or GPS Plus diplomas would meet the university’s admission requirements in math, science, social studies, or world languages.

Both GPS diplomas prescribe 20 credits across subjects that students must earn in ninth and 10th grade; but in later grades, they allow students to choose how they will earn 20 more credits. In subjects such as math, science, and social studies, students need to earn fewer credits under the GPS diploma than the current Core 40 diploma.

Purdue also pointed out that the new diploma requirements do not include the SAT or ACT; the university expects its applicants to have one score or the other, according to its website.

In a follow-up letter on July 26, the university suggested that the state create two tiers of the proposed Enrollment Ready seal.

The first tier would be based on the current Core 40 diploma requirements, including six credits each of math, science, and social studies.

The second tier in Purdue’s proposal would resemble the Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma and align with the “course requirements for competitive applications” to Purdue campuses in West Lafayette and Indianapolis.

These requirements would include eight credits each of English and math, as well as a recommended eight credits of lab science for competitive majors. They would also include six credits each of social studies and world languages, as well as SAT or ACT exams, and AP exams for all AP classes.

Purdue’s letter further says that the diploma seals should include a statement encouraging students to work with their counselors to complete specific requirements for their chosen programs of study.

IU supports enrollment seal proposal

Meanwhile, in a letter, Indiana University President Pamela Whitten said IU supports the inclusion of the enrollment-ready seal in the new requirements. But the letter also indicates that the university wants students to take rigorous classes in high school to demonstrate their college readiness.

Both schools’ letters said students who take some advanced classes in high school perform better in college than those who don’t.

IU agrees with the department’s proposal that the enrollment seals should be developed in conjunction with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and higher education institutions, meet the minimum entrance requirements for the majority of state higher education institutions, and have a defined set of courses.

Additionally, the letter encourages the department of education to include higher education institutions in the development of the employment ready seal.

“Many industry pathways circle back to postsecondary education, and/or individuals may wish to pursue postsecondary education as adults. In both cases, it is imperative that such individuals do not lack basic preparation for an on-ramp into higher education at a later point,” Whitten’s letter said.

University spokesperson Mark Bode also said officials have shared “specific feedback and concerns” with state officials about the diplomas.

In a statement to Chalkbeat on Wednesday, Butler University officials say the school “shares concerns” expressed by other universities that the minimum diploma requirements do not meet the university’s admission 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 statement said.

The department has not yet released details on what each seal will require. A revised draft of the diploma proposal is expected at the August State Board of Education meeting.

Chalkbeat has reached out to other universities throughout Indiana for input on the new diploma requirements.

Chalkbeat Indiana is a not-for-profit news site covering educational change in public schools.