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. 7. (a) To be eligible for a Core 40 diploma with technical honors, a student who enters high school prior to the 2012-2013 school year must complete a minimum of forty-seven (47) high school credits. Thirty-seven (37) or thirty-nine (39) of the credits shall be earned in the areas of study specified in subsection (b), and eight (8) or ten (10) of the credits shall be earned from courses in these and other approved areas of study.

(b) For students entering prior to the 2012-2013 school year, required credits consist of the following:

(c) To be eligible for a Core 40 diploma with technical honors, a student who enters high school in the 2012-2013 school year or a subsequent school year must complete a minimum of forty-seven (47) high school credits. Thirty-five (35) of the credits shall be earned in the areas of study specified in subsection (d), and additional credits shall be earned from courses in subsections (e) and (i).

(d) Required credits consist of the following:

(e) Courses that may be counted toward the required credits prescribed in subsections (b) and (d) 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 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.

(f) Only courses in which the student earns a grade of "C" or higher may count toward the credits required in subsection (b).

(g) The student must have a cumulative grade point average of "B" or above in all courses.

(h) A student who enters high school prior to 2012-2013 must earn a state-recognized certification in the career-technical program.

(i) A student who enters high school in the 2012-2013 school year or a subsequent school year must:

1. (1) Earn a minimum of six (6) credits in the college and career preparation courses in a state-approved college & career pathway and earn one (1) of the following:

   1. (A) Pathway designated industry-based certification or credential; or
   2. (B) Pathway designated dual high school and college credit courses from the lists of priority courses resulting in six (6) verifiable transcripted college credits.

2. (2) Complete one (1) of the following:

   1. (A) Any of the options listed under 511 IAC 6-7.1-6(g) [section 6(g) of this rule] for the Core 40 with academic honors diploma.

   2. (B) Earn the following minimum scores on WorkKeys:

      1. (i) Reading for information, Level 6;
      2. (ii) Applied mathematics, Level 6; and
      3. (iii) Locating information, Level 5.

   3. (C) Earn the following minimum score on Accuplacer:

      1. (i) Writing, 80;
      2. (ii) Reading, 90; and
      3. (iii) Math, 75.

   4. (D) Earn the following minimum score on Compass:

      1. (i) Algebra, 66;
      2. (ii) Writing, 70; and
      3. (iii) Reading, 80.

(Indiana State Board of Education; 511 IAC 6-7.1-7; filed Oct 20, 2005, 11:30 a.m.: 29 IR 805; 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)