Authority: IC 20-19-2-8; IC 20-30-5; IC 20-30-10-2

Affected: IC 20-30-4-2; IC 20-30-5-7

Sec. 5. (a) To be eligible for a Core 40 diploma, a student who enters high school in the 2006-2007 school year or a subsequent school year must complete a minimum of forty (40) high school credits. Thirty-four (34) of the credits shall be earned in the areas of study specified in subsection (b), and six (6) of the credits shall be earned from courses in these and other approved areas of study.

(b) The thirty-four (34) required credits consist of the following:

(c) Courses that may be counted toward the required credits prescribed in subsection (b) are subject to the following provisions:

1. (1) Only courses that officially have been designated as Core 40 courses may be counted.

2. (2) Language arts credits must include a balance of the following:

   1. (A) Literature.
   2. (B) Composition.
   3. (C) Speech.

3. (3) Social studies credits must include the following:

   1. (A) Two (2) credits in United States history.
   2. (B) One (1) credit in United States government.
   3. (C) One (1) credit in economics.
   4. (D) Two (2) credits in world history and civilization or two (2) credits in geography and history of the world.

4. (4) The mathematics requirement is subject to the following:

   1. (A) Mathematics credits must include one (1) of the following course sequences:

      1. (i) Algebra I, geometry, and algebra II.
      2. (ii) Integrated mathematics I, integrated mathematics II, and integrated mathematics III.

   2. (B) The student is recommended to earn two (2) mathematics credits during the student's last year in high school. A student who takes mathematics in the senior year is better prepared for mathematics placement exams upon entering a postsecondary education program, an apprenticeship program, or the military. A student who takes mathematics in the senior year is:

      1. (i) less likely to require remedial mathematics courses following high school; and
      2. (ii) more likely to complete a postsecondary program.

   3. (C) A student who enters high school prior to the 2012-2013 school year must earn either:

      1. (i) two (2) mathematics credits; or
      2. (ii) two (2) credits in physics;
   4. during the student's last two (2) years in high school.
   5. (D) A student who enters high school in the 2012-2013 school year or a subsequent school year must earn six (6) mathematics credits after entering high school. Mathematics credits earned prior to entering grade nine (9) may meet specific course requirements and may count towards the credit requirements for a diploma, but six (6) mathematics credits must be earned while in high school.
   6. (E) A student who enters high school in the 2012-2013 school year or a subsequent school year must be enrolled in a mathematics or quantitative reasoning course each year the student is enrolled in high school.

5. (5) Science credits must include the following:

   1. (A) Two (2) credits in biology.
   2. (B) Two (2) credits in chemistry, physics, or integrated chemistry-physics.
   3. (C) Two (2) additional credits in Core 40 science courses.

6. (6) Directed elective credits must include five (5) credits in any combination from the following:

   1. (A) World languages.
   2. (B) Fine arts.
   3. (C) Career-technical.

(d) The student is encouraged to complete a college and career pathway.

(Indiana State Board of Education; 511 IAC 6-7.1-5; filed Oct 20, 2005, 11:30 a.m.: 29 IR 803; filed Dec 21, 2010, 10:15 a.m.: 20110119-IR-511090383FRA; filed Jan 6, 2012, 10:24 a.m.: 20120201-IR-511110327FRA, eff Jul 1, 2012; readopted filed Oct 23, 2018, 2:37 p.m.: 20181121-IR- 511180327RFA; readopted filed Nov 18, 2024, 2:55 p.m.: 20241218-IR-511230838RFA)