I pulled up to Chick-fil-A the other day and my bill was $7.03. So, I grabbed a $10 bill and pulled three pennies out of my change bin. I handed it to the young cashier, who said, “Your change is $3, right?”
No doubt something has gone wrong with our educational system. And perhaps experiences like that have led state officials to overhaul Indiana’s diplomas.
Businesses certainly seem to be leading the push for reform, saying youth who graduate are not ready for the workforce. In what ways? We have established some struggle with basic math; others arrive late or don’t show up without calling; they can’t work with people in teams. The list goes on.
Many Hoosiers also believe the education system has swung too far in pushing higher education, noting Hoosiers can earn living wages with less than a four-year degree. It is true that a bachelor’s degree isn’t necessarily needed to make a living. But some sort of training is.
And so, lawmakers are pushing a new diploma system.
Moving the pendulum
The Indiana Department of Education’s first proposal seemed to over-correct toward the workforce path, leaving out basic courses needed to get into college at state institutions. Indiana University, Purdue University and other colleges pushed back, resulting in big changes.
The department unveiled its second attempt Wednesday: one baseline diploma of 42 credits. Most of those courses will be taken through students’ sophomore year. As students get older and decide which path to take, they can add “seals” that theoretically prepare them for college or a job right out of high school or enlisting in the military.
For the baseline diploma, kids won’t need Algebra II or a foreign language or even world history. That still seems odd to me. Officials say kids can take those as part of a cadre of 12 elective credits that are required. But I think some of those should be part of a well-rounded basic education system for all students.
The biggest change in the new system will be allowing work-based learning such as apprenticeships to count towards a diploma and seals. Let’s not kid ourselves – this is partially aimed at helping businesses fill open jobs at a lower cost.
But I think it’s a valuable tool that I am glad they are adding. My concern is the lack of guard rails.
Work-based learning
For instance, there will be no limits on how much traditional school a student can miss for this work-based learning. Let’s say they have a three-day-a-week apprenticeship. How does the student keep up with their other coursework at the same pace as other students who are there all week? It seems like a bit of a nightmare for teachers.
But I know of several programs already being offered that train students in machinery, health care and other sectors. That means it can be done. And some of these students are graduating directly into jobs paying $50,000 annually. I couldn’t even imagine that at 18.
One thing officials added to the employment seal track is an attendance goal, which I applaud. I know I sound like my father here, but it seems like younger generations call out of work and school way too often and aren’t really held to any consequences.
The workforce path options are welcome so long as they don’t dilute the path to higher education at the same time. Because all the data shows that Hoosiers’ fortunes improve as their educational attainment does.
Now, if we could just teach kids how to make change.
Niki Kelly is editor-in-chief of indianacapitalchronicle.com, where this commentary first appeared. She has covered Indiana politics and the Indiana Statehouse since 1999 for publications including the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Send comments to [email protected].
