This May, Brightlane partners, volunteers, and staff gathered for our final Sparking Conversations session for the 24/25 series, presented by Katz Sapper & Miller. Brianne Cockrell, Coordinator of Specialized Populations at The Match High School; Tonya Monnier, MSD of Pike Township District Social Worker; and Aaron Munson, Director of Indianapolis Public Schools Middle School Academies and Pathways | Postsecondary Readiness Department joined Asia Gunn, Brightlane Education Manager of School-based Programs as panelists.
Karen Routt, Brightlane’s Vice President of Program Impact moderated this important conversation that discussed new graduation requirements the class of 2029 will work toward as freshman this coming school year. The panelists also addressed how different schools are navigating these changes, what they mean for highly mobile students, and how we as a community can support students, their different pathways, and their futures.
Key Takeaways
“This is the first time in my history of being a lifelong teacher that the department of education has made some suggestions about how we can prepare middle school students for high school. The diploma is supposed to help high school students have career paths for their three E’s – enroll, enlist, employ – while they’re at high school.” – Aaron Munson, IPS Postsecondary Readiness Department
There are significant changes to diplomas that come with these pathways to success.
- While there are many positive outcomes projected because of these shifts, the changes require schools and families to adapt. IPS has developed a video that will help educators, students, and families alike better understand these changes.
- Readiness seals that support enrollment, employment, and enlistment & service are optional additions to the future New Indiana Diploma that will replace the Indiana Core 40 diploma for the class of 2029. These seals and a side by side diploma comparison can be reviewed in this document created by the Indiana Department of Education
I have a student with an IEP who was resistant to receiving services as an 8th grader. Starting high school and being able to put a nail and hammer to wood in his pathway program really changed him. He knows he has a path now. He knows that there’s a future after he graduates. If he doesn’t want to go to college, that’s fine. He knows he can get a job and do what he wants to do. And so his grades have increased tremendously. He’s willing to receive help because he’s motivated. That real world, hands-on learning is what’s needed for him so he can learn how to be successful postsecondary.” – Brianne Cockrell, Coordinator of Specialized Populations, The Match High School
The Match, Indianapolis Public Schools, and Pike Township are all approaching pathways to success in exciting and impactful ways. And middle school is a critical time to prepare students for high school and future success.
- IPS has seven middle schools, four are IB schools, two are STEM-focused, and one houses high ability and dual language programs. Each of these middle schools offers Honors Algebra 1, Honors Biology, and Spanish 1 at the high school level. Plus, starting in the fall, 8th graders will be enrolled in a preparing for college and career course (PCC). IPS is focused on providing opportunities for students to enter high school with some core options already completed, which can increase the choices they have for classes in their four years of high school.
Pike already has PCC class that all freshman take, which helps expose students to different paths during the school day through college fairs and visits, career speaker days, apprenticeship fairs, and more. Pike has a designated Freshman Center that is designed to help Freshman transition smoothly to high school.
The Match is a brand new high school that opened this year with a class of approximately 50 freshman. They are an early adopter of the new diploma system. Students start their cohorts or pathways freshman year and these pathways include a medical program, welding & construction, media, and entrepreneurship with certifications so they can go straight into the workforce or college after graduation.
“The pathways are going to look very different for each individual. Where Brightlane comes in is we offer individualized focus, support, and guidance to each student we work alongside. We partner already with three school districts where we have a strong pipeline from middle school to high school. So, many of the students that we already have in our program as 8th graders are going to continue with us once they get to high school.” – Asia Gunn, Education Manager, Brightlane Learning
While this new diploma can be exciting, it requires more credits than the existing diploma and the options seals supporting the three pathways require additional effort and planning.
Tonya, Pike’s district social worker noted that implementing this new diploma will be especially challenging with students experiencing homelessness and other highly mobile populations because a lot of times, they’re under credited. It will require more time and planning from the schools’ eight guidance counselors who already have caseloads of 450+ students each.
This is not unique to Pike. Schools across Indianapolis and Indiana are under resourced and this can impact all students, but especially those who need additional support. This is where wraparound support from organizations like Brightlane can provide students with encouragement, motivation, resources, and skill building to help them determine their pathway to success post high school.
Schools and students cannot do the work alone. You can support students and their brighter futures by engaging with Brightlane Learning or your local school today.
