Rep. Pfaff calls for action on high school diploma proposal
On Oct. 9, the State Board of Education (SBOE) and Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) released the official second draft of the proposed high school diplomas. Despite input from educators, parents, and legislators, the second draft still fails to address key issues like student transportation, counselor shortages, workplace safety, and long-term funding.
I'm deeply concerned that this second draft doesn't address the critical issues of funding, student safety, or the cuts made to student curriculum. With the December deadline approaching, there are too many unanswered questions about how these diploma changes will actually work.
"Indiana is facing a severe shortage of school counselors, with a shocking student-to-counselor ratio of 694 to 1. Yet again, this draft overlooks the real-world impact of asking schools to implement new systems without adequate support.
There’s also no additional funding or resources offered to help current school staff. How can we expect overworked counselors to take on even more responsibilities, like guiding students through new, complex diploma tracks and explaining them to parents?
Earlier this year, I was hopeful when the SBOE removed the confusing GPS Diploma options in favor of one base diploma. That showed they were listening to Hoosiers' concerns. But this second draft ignores the major issues educators and lawmakers have raised since then.
We need to keep the pressure on the IDOE and SBOE to make real improvements before the December deadline. The public can submit feedback on the second draft until Nov. 8, and there will be another public meeting that day for people to share their thoughts directly. I urge everyone to participate.
As it stands, this proposal is not good enough. Our students deserve better, and I’ll keep pushing for real changes until we get a diploma plan that works for everyone.
I encourage Hoosiers to provide feedback by filling out the IDOE's online form and attending the Nov. 8 public commentary meeting.
The State Board of Education is accepting feedback on the proposed diplomas. All parents, students, educators and stakeholders are encouraged to share their concerns and can do so via the online form here.
In service,
Tonya Pfaff, District 43 State Representative