By ANDY OBER
Writer, InsideINdianaBusiness

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Commission for Higher Education has approved proposed changes to the requirements for an Indiana high school diploma. The new parameters would increase credit and math requirements and include college and career readiness curriculum.

Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers calls the new requirements more academically challenging and set clearer college and career readiness expectations. The proposal increases the credit requirement for the college and career ready diploma, which is replacing the Core 40 Diploma, from 40 to 44 credit hours. It also requires four years of math for all diploma options. Currently, that is only the case for honors diplomas.

In addition, all proposed diplomas would require students to complete a graduation capstone experience as part of a college and career readiness sequence. The commission says that could include early college credits, internships or other real-world experience. Students would also have to take a personal financial literacy course.

The new requirements will be considered by the Indiana State Board of Education this fall and the Indiana General Assembly during next year’s session.