Errington testifies on second draft of high school diploma proposal

Last week, on Nov. 8., the Indiana State Board of Education (SBOE) met to discuss the second draft of proposed changes to the Indiana high school diploma. At this meeting, SBOE accepted public testimony to close out the public comment period.

State Rep. Sue Errington (D-Muncie) issued the following statement following her testimony to SBOE:

“Despite repeated concerns voiced by parents, educators and community members - including through public meetings I’ve hosted in my district - the issues that matter most to Hoosiers have not been addressed in this new proposal. While the inclusion of gym and health education is a step in the right direction, the proposal still significantly weakens our state’s curriculum by removing essential world language requirements and offering vague, unworkable solutions for students’ work-based learning opportunities.

“The persistent questions remain: How will these programs be made available, particularly in rural areas of Indiana? What will transportation look like for students participating in work-based learning? How will we address the ongoing shortage of counselors? Also, why the rush to implement this without ensuring we have the right resources and structures in place? We can't afford to sacrifice the quality of education for our students.

“At a time when students are facing so many challenges, this proposal does little to provide the support they need to succeed. The lack of transparency in who developed these changes and the continued failure to address the logistical issues, like student safety and transportation, are deeply concerning.

“I’ve listened to my constituents and raised these concerns directly with the SBOE, yet there’s been little action to improve this proposal. We need more than just a diploma that checks boxes - we need a system that prepares our students for success, and this proposal misses that mark. I will continue to fight for the changes our students deserve and need to succeed.”