Staff Report
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS—The Indiana Department of Education and Indiana schools will be using newly-approved policy guidance as officials implement Graduation Pathways.

Graduation Pathways helps prepare Hoosier graduates for life after high school by providing them with an awareness of career interests and options.

The goal is to ensure all graduating Hoosiers have academic, technical, and employability skills, that lead to opportunities such as entering the workforce, acquiring a college degree or enlisting in the military.

“I am incredibly encouraged to see that many school corporations, like leaders from Jay County, are working to implement Graduation Pathways immediately,” said Dr. David Freitas, a member of the Indiana State Board of Education. “I believe that schools adopting Graduation Pathways now speaks to the value of this new model, which gets students thinking about what’s best for their careers after high school.

The new policy guidance, approved by the State Board of Education in a 10-0 vote, includes how to complete Indiana’s new diploma requirements, how to maximize employability experience, and how to identify postsecondary options.

Employability experience through internships and other experiential learning opportunities are what this new policy guidance suggests.

“This guidance document provides the information necessary for IDOE and our schools to succeed in implementing Graduation Pathways,” said board member Dr. Maryanne McMahon. “I’m particularly proud of this document because it was developed collaboratively with the Board, IDOE, educators across the state and leaders from Indiana’s business community.”

The policy approval came after six months of meetings with educators, administrators, state agencies and officials, members of the business community, national education and workforce organizations and higher education leaders.

IDOE will update the State Board of Education with its efforts to implement the policy guidance.

The next SBOE business meeting with take place on Aug. 1.

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