Harris comments on second draft of proposed high school diplomas

INDIANAPOLIS - On Oct. 9, the State Board of Education (SBOE) and Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) released the official second draft of the Indiana high school diploma proposal. Despite the numerous concerns voiced by legislators, educators, parents and students, the second draft does not address student transportation, counselor shortages, workplace safety or long-term funding. 

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago) released the following statement regarding the official second draft: 

“Last month, my Democratic colleagues State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, State Sen. Lonnie Randolph and I hosted a town hall in my district discussing the diploma proposal. During the town hall, attendees posed important questions about the diploma changes regarding student safety, transportation and the decline in academic rigor. Unfortunately, due to the proposal’s lack of depth, I could not provide concrete answers to these questions. It is unfathomable that even in this official second draft, many of these same questions remain unanswered.

“After months of feedback and deliberation, the SBOE and IDOE have neglected to implement feedback to keep our children safe, assist school staff in this transition or protect academic rigor. Again, I must highlight the effect this change will undoubtedly have on the 21st Century Scholars program. In 2023, I passed a bill to enroll eligible students into the program automatically. This automatic enrollment has helped send tens of thousands of students to college who would have otherwise been unable to afford it. These diploma requirements would undo that progress by making students fall short of the necessary course requirements for university consideration.

“Now that the official second draft is available, the IDOE is again accepting public feedback. I encourage my community to share their thoughts and opinions through the online form. Together, we can send a message that the education of Hoosier students is not something to take lightly. This current draft is not sufficient, and we must continue to make our concerns heard loud and clear.”