What kind of life do the new diploma standards prepare children for?

Westfield teachers speak out about proposed Indiana diploma requirements

By AMY ADAMS
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When the Indiana Department of Education released a proposal in March 2024 to revise the requirements students must meet to earn a high school diploma, educators across the state took notice.

Westfield High School teachers have spoken out about the revision and their concerns about what they see as lower standards, lack of clarity, and a quick turnaround. With IDOE announcing a recent revision to the original proposal on Wednesday, August 14, some WHS teachers are glad their voices are being heard, but they believe more work needs to be done.

IDOE’s March announcement proposed replacing the current Core 40 requirements and multiple degree options with a core degree requiring 42 credits, designed to meet goals established by Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed (GPS). Among other changes, the recently released update adds the option for students to earn awards and technology “seals” to add to the core degree.

Charlene Heinzman, a WHS German teacher and president of the American Association of Teachers of German in Indiana, attended the rollout of the revised plan on Wednesday. She said she heard whispers in the background as the announcement was made and quite a few voices saying, “Yes, but …”

“I thought it was very clear from the beginning that they had taken the feedback and reworked it, because it was very different from the first version,” she said. “They reformatted it to make it more readable and understandable, but it still left a lot of questions for a lot of people.”

Heinzman said she was initially concerned about the lack of clarity in the original text of the document. Heinzman was not the only WHS teacher to voice her concerns.

Jennifer Hasler Troutman, a Spanish teacher at WHS, said she felt the new degree requirements would limit students’ flexibility by forcing them to choose what major they wanted to pursue at a young age.

WHS English teacher Dawn Knight says she worries the new core diploma will make Indiana students uncompetitive for college admissions, both in-state and out-of-state.

Chief Nikki Heflin, a WHS Family and Consumer Sciences teacher, expressed similar concerns about adequately preparing students for the workforce. She was recently named American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher of the Year and said she doesn’t want to see essential curriculum removed from career and technical programs.

In addition to teaching geometry, which all students are required to take, WHS math teacher Andrew Schaaf teaches AP Stats and finite math, which appeal to students who want to go to college, and he teaches a math course at Indiana University. He also understands the perspective of parents, as his son is a student in the class of 2029, the first class affected by these new requirements. Schaaf said he believes the proposed undergraduate degree, as it stands, would close doors for students instead of opening them.

Because of these and other concerns, Heinzman said, a group of WHS teachers embarked on a global crusade.

“We wanted to spread the message as much as possible to inform people and let them know what was happening,” Heinzman said.

They encouraged anyone with concerns to complete the IDOE’s online form.

According to Knight, the new plan spread quickly because it raised so many questions.

WHS English teacher Dawn Knight and German teacher Charlene Heinzman discuss proposed requirements for new high school diplomas in Indiana. (Photo by reporter Amy Adams)

The teachers said they feel their initial efforts have paid off. IDOE received about 8,000 responses from union members, teachers, parents and others across the state. In addition, leaders from Indiana University, Purdue and other colleges and universities in Indiana wrote letters expressing their concerns.

“There are places where standards are being lowered,” Knight said. “I don’t know of any situation in my 30 years of teaching where lowering standards in any way is good for kids.”

One area where teachers feel standards are being lowered is the lack of a foreign language requirement for students.

“Being able to communicate in other languages ​​and understand other cultures is important for all students, not just those going to college,” Hasler Troutman said. “It should be a requirement for all students.”

Hasler Troutman said that teachers of different languages ​​work together through the Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association to communicate the value of learning a world language to all students by demonstrating to college admissions officers, prospective employers and recruiters that students have learned the value of hard work and problem-solving skills.

While the new degree plan adds requirements for personal finance and computer science, it changes the requirements for math and science, and does not require courses such as geometry or advanced algebra and chemistry or physics. In addition, the new degree standards would not require students to take economics or world history.

Knight described how knowledge of world history is important to understanding other subjects. For example, she needs students who have a grasp of history to understand the context of literature in her English classes.

“I think we are shortchanging our children if we don’t give them the more global education that they need,” Knight said.

In addition to the removal of requirements for specific subjects, teachers have questions about the lack of clarity in the wording of the document.

Knight pointed out that the proposal contains language, “demonstrates skill development in communication, collaboration and work ethic,” with no guidance on what measures would be taken to track and sign off on those requirements.

The teachers also still have questions about whether certain elements have been thought through properly. For example, there is a fuss about using AP test scores when applying for an honors seal on a diploma, and yet those scores are not coming until July, while students graduate in May or June.

“It doesn’t matter what percentage of kids want to go to college,” Knight said. “Those who want to go to college should be able to compete. That’s my concern, that this basic diploma isn’t doing what it’s supposed to do.”

However, teachers agree that these needs apply to all students, not just those who want to go to university.

Hasler Troutman said IDOE has described the new training opportunities in terms of three E’s: enrollment, employment and recruitment. The goal, it says, is to better prepare students for careers right out of high school.

However, Heflin worries that the new proposed GPS Plus credential will place more of the educational burden on employers than on trained teachers.

“We want to make sure that we have mandatory, robust credentialing requirements,” Heflin said. “As career and technical educators, we’re always going to make sure that students are getting a really high-quality education. Students who are career-oriented still need to meet the basic requirements because that’s what makes a successful employee.”

She further said that it is unreasonable to expect a first-year student to pursue a career as a chef.

“This puts students in a box early on to choose a path,” Heflin said. “In reality, high school is a time for students to explore.”

Schaaf acknowledged that the new proposal would allow students to add seals to the basic diploma, both in the honors and technical fields.

“I think this flexibility is a good thing,” he said, “but there are a lot of details that need to be figured out. It’s important that a seal means something. In order for it to be meaningful, we have to go through and define what some of these requirements look like. Whether it’s a college, university or employer, we have to believe that those organizations understand what a seal of honor means.”

WHS teachers, from left, Nikke Heflin, Dawn Knight, Charlene Heinzman, Jennifer Hasler Troutman and Andrew Schaaf, voice their concerns about the recently announced requirements for earning a high school diploma in Indiana. (Photo by reporter Amy Adams)

Another major concern for teachers is the speed at which decisions are expected to be made. The new credential requirements are expected to go into effect for the class of 2029.

That seems a long way off. In reality, Schaaf indicated, it is less than a year away, because the students in that graduating class will be starting their first year next fall in 2025 and need a direction to work toward.

“I’m not sure if this is something that can be done remotely before the end of the year. My understanding is that they want to make a decision on this then,” Schaaf said.

Knight also expressed doubts that another design would produce the end product teachers want.

“I think the biggest concern is time,” she said. “I’m very glad they’re listening, but I hope we’re still in the design phase. I hope they continue to listen and say we need to take the time to do this right. We need to make sure we do this in a way that’s really measurable and fair.”

The teachers encourage parents, students, mentors, and involved community members to continue pushing for revisions that best prepare students for life after high school. They expect a new Jotform to be released soon for feedback.

“They’ve done a lot of work,” Hasler Troutman said. “There’s more work to do.”

For more information about the proposed changes to the degree requirements, visit in.gov/doe/diplomas.