Democratic governor candidate Jennifer McCormick criticizes new high school diploma proposal

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick criticized the state’s plan for new high school diplomas at a press conference Monday. She said the proposed diplomas are not rigorous enough and are not easily understandable for parents, students and educators.

McCormick worked in public education for nearly 18 years as a special education and language arts teacher, school principal and superintendent. She was elected state superintendent of public instruction in 2016.

McCormick said the proposed diplomas are less rigorous than the current Core 40. She emphasized that Indiana students must be able to compete at a global level.

“What we don’t want is to say, hey, we have encouraged 14-year-olds to take the minimum required amount of academics, sent them to the workforce and hoped for the best,” McCormick said.

McCormick said Indiana should focus on teaching skills like creativity, teamwork and leadership instead of potentially pushing students into temporary, low-demand jobs.

“This is not just about filling the jobs of today,” she said. “A high school redesign should be about a rigorous look at transferable skills to prepare kids for four to five decades knowing that they’re going to have to be communicators, they’re going to have to be great problem solvers.”

READ MORE: Advocacy group says flexibility needed for students with disabilities in new diplomas
 

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McCormick also criticized the complexity of the proposal. She said schools will need dedicated staff to explain the new pathways to students and parents. Getting it wrong could delay students from graduating.

“We’re short on counselors. We’re short on administrators. The teachers are put in an awkward situation because they’re trying to help out, but you can’t get that wrong or it’s a big problem,” McCormick said.

The proposal also discards the current academic honors diploma in favor of an enrollment seal, or pathway. Colleges and universities must evaluate whether students who earn that seal meet their admission standards. McCormick said that process could be complicated.

“Does a seal hold the same as a type of diploma that you have earned? I would argue, no,” she said.

McCormick said she’s in favor of creating more flexibility at the local level and ensuring a clear path for college acceptance, which could be accomplished by keeping the academic honors diploma.
 

Kirsten is our education reporter. Contact her at kadair@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @kirsten_adair.