Avery Young opened up the course catalogue to schedule classes for her upcoming freshman year. Like most middle school students, she had been looking forward to the new classes, new teachers and new opportunities that mark the beginning of her high school journey. Young was eager to explore everything NHS had to offer, but when she started examining the course catalogue, she was blindsided by an unexpected state-level change: the new Indiana diploma.
Over the past several years, the Indiana State Board of Education has worked to approve a new set of graduation requirements for the class of 2029 and beyond. These changes are already impacting NHS classrooms. With the integration of postsecondary pathways, new requirements, and reduced access to electives, students now face scheduling conflicts and a redirected focus away from many of their personal interests. As a result, many members of the student body feel that the future of NHS is uncertain.
Starting with the current freshman class, the new general diploma replaced previous graduation requirements with redesigned coursework. In math for instance, the new diploma now only requires Algebra I and personal finance, removing Geometry, Algebra II, and Precalculus as flexible credits. These designated elective credits allow students to personalize their education and can be fulfilled through career courses, work-based learning, dual-credit courses, or additional academic classes in core subjects. New STEM requirements include Biology I and a Computer Foundations class, with additional science or STEM-focused options. While World History, U.S. History, and Government remain required, Economics is now optional and replaced by Personal Finance. Foreign language courses are no longer required, which eliminated middle school Spanish. Physical Education and Health must be taken in person, and the Preparing for Colleges & Careers course is required, though students can alternatively earn the credit through a year-long pathway or principles course.
Social studies teacher Michael Rothrock, who instructs AP Psychology and Economics, has seen the effects of these changes firsthand. With the varied course flexibility available to students, there are now three possible pathways for diplomas.
“The Indiana diploma was redesigned essentially to categorize students in certain paths. So, the three paths would be post-secondary education bound, then employment directly after, typically from trades, and enlistment in service,” Rothrock said.
One of the state’s primary goals in implementing these changes is career readiness, especially as postsecondary enrollment has declined nationwide. According to the Education Data Initiative, 45 states have seen drops in the number of graduates enrolling in college since 2010, including Indiana. The diploma changes aim to prepare students not only for college, but also for trades and vocational careers, allowing students to gain practical skills while still in high school. To accomplish this, the diploma focuses on work-based learning within the student curriculum.
While these changes benefit STEM and vocational programs, fine arts students say that their department has been significantly affected. The previous diploma required two credits of fine arts, but the new basic diploma includes none. Eric Thornbury, the Music Department Chair and Band Director, worries about the long-term consequences.
“Every avenue that our music students would take so that they could have more elective space in their schedules has been roadblocked, shut down,” Thornbury said.
Thornbury’s main concern is the potential decrease in music students at NHS. He points out that the new requirements and the elimination of summer gym classes limits elective options for students, especially in the fine arts departments. This can hold students back from taking the courses and performing in the groups they desire. With the removal of fine arts requirements, fewer students are choosing to take these classes, leading to both enrollment drops and elective imbalance.
“This is the first year in 14 years that our music department has not grown. We have actually shrunk,” Thornbury said. “It hit us hardest in piano and guitar [classes] this year.”
Similar to the arts, the social studies department has also felt the effects of the course reforms. Rothrock, who previously taught a full schedule of required Economics courses, now prepares for reduced enrollment and shifting expectations.
“The economics class is far more important because personal financial responsibility can be done as a class in six weeks,” Rothrock said, “But it’s been put on our shoulders to teach it throughout the semester. It shows me that this is something my coworkers are having to work through and deal with.”
Teachers are facing pressure to not only accommodate the mandatory requirements, but also deal with a possible reduction of students’ motivation to participate in their class. Rothrock and other staff members sense a deeper problem beneath this change.
“I have a fundamental issue, and I vehemently disagree with the removal of economics for graduation,” Rothrock said. “I think it’s a mistake by people who are making laws that haven’t been in a classroom in a very long time.”
Another of Rothrock’s primary issues with this diploma is a warning issued by Indiana universities. Rothrock shared that the initial diploma requirements that the state proposed for evaluation were challenged by Indiana universities because they were too low for college admission. The new, reformed diploma addresses these issues, but the requirements are still limiting for some high-achieving students. However, other NHS teachers see the benefits in the changes. Engineering teacher and Applied STEM Department Chair Andy Wilkins says the new diploma provides important career-readiness opportunities, especially for the trades and vocational studies.
“The diploma changes involve trying to spread a wider net as the possibilities of what you do post high school. They’re not trying to lock everyone into specifically a college track, but open up some of those other opportunities,” Wilkins said.
Wilkins has seen growth in the new courses available to students, even beyond what his department offers. He says the recent STEM expansion at NHS is geared towards the interests of students and their plans after high school. Despite the reduced focus on the core and traditional courses, Wilkins says this change is creating a space where students can begin making their own choices and plan earlier. He feels the key goal of these programs is to personalize the learning environment for the future of NHS and push students to find passion in what they do, whether that be college, trades, or enlistment.
“Now we kind of have a playing field where everyone can move in the direction they need to move to get to where they want to go,” Wilkins says. “It will allow people to feel more confident that it’s okay to not choose a pathway that’s not necessarily for you, like university.”
For teachers like Wilkins, the new diploma sets a strong foundation for the future of STEM-based opportunities, encouraging students to pursue alternative paths to the traditional four-year college track. But for incoming high school students and the current freshman class, the emphasis on these alternative pathways has limited their exploration of elective courses. Rather than expanding the possibilities for students to explore their interests, some freshmen say that the new approach is preventing them from pursuing their passions. Freshmen like Young are already navigating these challenges.
“I had to sacrifice taking the necessary gym and health classes, and I had to choose between engineering, show choir, and theatre, knowing I could only take a maximum of two,” Young said. “I was a little disappointed, especially since I am already doing a show choir, which involves movement. I think it would be a better alternative for someone in the same position as me to take online P.E. and some sort of physical class to equal the semester of gym.”
Due to the new requirements, Young only had space for one elective this past school year. She says the requirement for in-person gym caused her to surrender an elective, preventing her from exploring her theatrical passions. Instead, her limited elective space led her to the Intro to Engineering class, which prepares her for the Principles of Engineering program that qualifies as a required College and Career course credit.
“I need to take the year-long intro class and also the year-long principles class to do any other engineering class,” Young said. “I find it kind of ridiculous that I have to take two years of needed classes before I can even branch into anything specific.”
Freshman Coryn Davisson faces a similar dilemma. She has a full schedule of honors classes and her additional required courses. While she is interested in pursuing a career in law, she finds that the new requirements limit her ability to explore other classes.
“None of the pathways fit what I want to pursue. Instead, I will have to take a range of classes,” Davisson said. “It frustrates me that it is not rewarded the same as students who have a specific pathway. Especially since these classes are prerequisites for any other classes within their grouping, I am unable to explore certain niches.”
The debate surrounding the new diploma raises broader concerns about how much choice students have in shaping their high school experience. With tightened schedules and increasing requirements, some fear the structure leaves little room for discovery. That uncertainty has prompted questions about whether the diploma supports student growth or limits it.
“I feel like the new diploma will prevent the future [students] of NHS from truly making their own decisions about what they want the future to hold with all of the needed classes,” Young said.
The tension between structure and choice has left students divided on who the new diploma ultimately benefits. Both Young and Davisson see these changes as restrictive to their exploration and dependence, but Davisson still recognizes that the framework is helpful for students who benefit from clear direction. However, this imbalance risks overlooking the diverse interests and ambitions within the student body.
“I believe this new diploma gives structure to students who need it, but neglects the students who yearn for flexibility. Every student is their own individual, complete with a wide range of interests and skills, and should be embraced with the same compassion and support,” Davisson said. “In the long run, I think Noblesville will see less students step outside the boundaries provided for them. Instead, more students will start pursuing the same careers.”
As NHS adjusts to the new diploma, the challenge remains: balancing state-mandated structure with opportunities that allow all students to explore, discover, and define their futures. Many see the conversation itself as a step forward. Staff and administrators have organized meetings, signaling that the diploma’s long-term impact is still being shaped as the school looks forward.
“We’re meeting with our high school administration,” Thornbury said. “They are willing to listen, which is awesome. But listening and doing something about it are two different things.”
