This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, October 30th, 2024.

Later in the program, WFHB News continues to look into Indiana’s workforce learning programs – specifically into the new proposed diploma requirements for Indiana high schools. More in today’s feature report.

Also coming up in the next half hour, Halloween Scams on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on the WFHB Local News. More following today’s feature.

But first, the latest edition of Deep Dive:

This is Deep Dive: WFHB and Limestone Post Investigate where we look into issues regarding Health, Housing, and the Environment that directly impact residents of Monroe County. For this series, WFHB and the Limestone Post look into Indiana Apprenticeship programs, and how the state is hoping to fund more internships for high school students.

During our discussion surrounding Indiana’s apprenticeship programs, we learned about Indiana’s new diploma program requirements. The state is looking to change the direction high school is headed in, one of the main goals being that they want to offer more work based learning opportunities.

In August of 2024, the state of Indiana proposed a new update to its high school diploma requirements. This came after backlash over a previous attempt to update the diploma requirements back in March.

Students, teachers, parents and higher education officials criticized the initial draft of the high school diploma requirements.

Purdue University President Mung Chiang wrote a letter calling on the state to instill more competitive academic standards with the state’s secondary school curriculum. The letter stated that the proposed changes did not meet Purdue’s admission guidelines when it comes to math, social studies and foreign language.

The letter said, “Not all students will attend college; however, all students should clearly understand college admission requirements and be offered the coursework needed to be successful in college.”

The initial draft of the proposed changes to high school diplomas included a clause that required students to complete 75 hours of work experience to receive an Honors Enrollment Seal.

Now, the latest draft removes that controversial provision. Alternately, the new draft, called the Future New Indiana Diploma, provides three pathways high school students can take to earn their diplomas. Those three pathways are: enrollment, employment and enlistment seals.

To learn more about Indiana’s New Diploma Program we spoke to Dana Kirkwood MSW, LSW, the Student Services Director for the Delphi Community School Corporation, which is located north of Purdue University. Kirkwood walked through why she believes the state decided to alter its diploma requirements.

You’ve been listening to Deep Dive: WFHB and Limestone Post Investigate. Tune in next week to learn more about high school internship programs on the rise in Indiana. To read the full article, Apprenticeships Work for Some High School Students But Not All — Yet, written by Steve Hinnefeld; and photographed by Benedict Jones, visit LimestonePostMagazine.com.

Up next, Halloween Scams on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on WFHB. We turn to host and producer Richard Fish for more.

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