Indiana’s Diploma Shift: What Every District Must Prepare For

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A New Model Begins in 2025

Starting with students entering high school in 2025–26, Indiana’s new diploma framework (511 IAC 6-7.2) replaces the Core 40 model with a competency-based diploma emphasizing real-world learning, verified skills, and seal attainment.
To graduate, students must now complete:

  • 42 credits across a defined course sequence.
  • At least one project-based, service-based, or work-based learning experience.
  • A postsecondary readiness competency, such as WBL completion, an industry credential, or advanced coursework.

Diploma Seals Replace “Tracks”

Students no longer choose a diploma type; they earn one or more seals that reflect their pathway:

  • Enrollment Honors / Enrollment Honors Plus – college-ready routes, including 75 hours of work-based learning and verified Employability Skills.
  • Employment Honors / Employment Honors Plus – career-ready routes requiring 150 to 650 verified WBL hours, industry credentials, and Employability Skills verification.
  • Enlistment Honors / Enlistment Honors Plus – public service and military pathways with defined mentorship and leadership components.

Seal attainment will appear on transcripts and, once the state’s accountability framework is finalized in late 2025, will directly inform district A–F accountability grades and state funding eligibility.

Why It Matters to District Leaders

1. Accountability and Reputation
Seal attainment and work-based learning participation will factor into accountability grades—grades that influence student recruitment, retention, and board confidence.

2. Enrollment and Funding
Families are already choosing districts that offer direct-admit advantages tied to the Enrollment Honors Plus Seal.
Districts without seal-ready programs risk out-transfers and per-pupil revenue loss.

3. Capacity and Compliance Risk
Districts are expected to deliver 75–150 hours of verified WBL for every student, yet most lack:

  • Employer placement capacity.
  • WBL coordinators and tracking systems.
  • Uniform documentation for DOE audits.

4. Fiscal Opportunity
Districts meeting DOE standards qualify for HEA 1001 (up to $2,495 per student) and Perkins/CTE reimbursement (up to $714 per student).
Compliance now doubles as a revenue strategy.

The 2025 Window

Accountability metrics are still in draft form, giving districts limited time to pilot scalable models before grades and funding tie to seal data.

Districts that act now can:

  • Standardize diploma compliance across schools.
  • Guarantee equitable access to WBL and Employability Skills certification.
  • Protect and expand funding in the first accountability cycle.

In this new system, diploma compliance is not just a requirement. It’s a competitive advantage.

How We’re Helping Districts

220 Youth Leadership provides seamless diploma compliance that pays for itself. We offer scalable work-based learning and flexible, standards-aligned courses that meet Indiana’s new diploma requirements. No new staff or job placements required.

Choose the Programs That Fit Your District’s Diploma Plan

  • Each 220 Youth Leadership program aligns directly to Indiana’s new graduation requirements and available funding streams.
  • Select one or combine programs for full diploma compliance. Every partnership includes implementation support, training, and DOE reporting — no extra staff required.

Option A — Work-Based Learning (WBL)

Why districts choose 220YL for Work-Based Learning

Common Options220 Youth Leadership
Districts can’t secure enough employer placements to meet diploma requirements220YL provides verified WBL experiences that meet 75-hour (Enrollment Honors Plus) or 150-hour (Employment Plus) requirements
No dedicated WBL coordinator to find, vet, and manage placements220YL acts as the employer of record, eliminating the need for district-led placement work
Students aren’t prepared for external job sites—risking reputation with local partnersAll WBL occurs inside a structured, professional learning environment managed by 220YL, protecting district reputation
Staff spend hours tracking hours, grading, and collecting documentation220YL manages all hour logs, grading, and DOE reporting
Transportation or scheduling conflicts prevent access100% remote and flexible—students can complete from any location
Funding pathways unclear or inconsistentEligible for HEA 1001 and CTE reimbursement funding

Meet Indiana’s new diploma requirements without chasing placements.

What It DeliversFunding & Compliance
150-hour, project-based internship aligned to the Honors Plus SealQualifies for up to $2,495 per student through HEA 1001
220YL serves as employer of record — no job sites, transportation, or supervision neededMeets Indiana’s 75+ hour Work-Based Learning graduation requirement
Students earn Employability Skills certificationEligible for CTE reimbursement funds ($500–$714 per student)
Live coaching + real-world career rotationsSupports Employability Skills Indicator on DOE Accountability Model

Best for: Districts focused on immediate diploma compliance and funding recovery.

Option B — Semester Courses

Why districts choose 220YL for Semester Courses

Common Options220 Youth Leadership
Teachers piecing together materials to meet standardsComplete DOE-aligned courses with pacing guides and lesson plans
No time for consistent assessments or teacher collaborationOn-demand training + weekly office hours
Fragmented tracking of credits and gradesCentralized documentation for DOE verification
New course prep increases workload without funding offsetQualifies for CTE/Perkins reimbursement ($500–$714 per student)
Vendors offer single courses rather than diploma-ready coverageIncludes Personal Finance, PCC, and Computer Science

Required credits, ready to teach.

CoursesWhat’s Included
Personal FinanceFully aligned to Indiana Academic Standards
Preparing for College & CareersComplete lesson plans and pacing guides
Computer ScienceTeacher training and weekly office hours for ongoing support
Funding & Compliance
Meets new diploma course mandates

Best for: Districts needing ready-to-implement courses that fulfill core diploma credit requirements.

Option C — Mini Courses

Why districts choose 220YL for Mini Courses

Common Options220 Youth Leadership
Students transfer in late or miss scheduled creditsMini Courses provide flexible, self-paced modules that let students recover credits quickly
8th-grade or summer school students need accessible credit optionsPrograms fit within short terms or summer sessions with verified credit alignment
Elective offerings limited by staff capacity or schedulingDOE-aligned modules that fit advisory, homeroom, or independent study blocks
Difficult to document Employability Skills for nontraditional learnersBuilt-in certificate verifies Collaboration, Communication, and Work Ethic
Traditional programs require minimum enrollments or add per-student costsAvailable district-wide under one annual license
National, one-size-fits-all contentIndiana-specific, DOE-aligned design

Flexible, credit-bearing options for every learner.

TopicsWhat It Delivers
Leadership • Entrepreneurship • Workforce • Resume + Interview • Personal FinanceSelf-paced or teacher-facilitated project-based modules
Digital badges and Employability Skills certificationAligned to Indiana’s Competency-Based Learning model
Designed for elective credit, enrichment, or credit recoveryNo additional staffing or scheduling burden
Funding & Compliance
Supports CTE exploratory funding and Employability Skills documentation

Best for: Districts expanding student choice or supporting nontraditional learners.

Option D — Full Compliance Suite

One partnership. Complete coverage.

What It IncludesWhy It Matters
All 220YL programs (WBL + Semester + Mini Courses)Full diploma compliance + CTE alignment under one partner
DOE-aligned implementation & reportingStreamlined for district leadership, no added staff burden
Funding recovery across all programsOften results in net-positive district ROI

Best for: Districts standardizing compliance and readiness across multiple schools.

All Partnerships Include

  • Implementation onboarding + training
  • DOE-aligned documentation + reporting
  • Weekly office hours and educator support
  • Dedicated district success team

Funding and Reimbursement Overview

ProgramDOE AlignmentPotential Funding
Work-Based LearningHonors Plus Seal / Employability SkillsUp to $2,495 per student (HEA 1001) + $500–$714 (CTE)
Semester CoursesIndiana Academic Standards$500–$714 per student (Perkins/CTE)
Mini CoursesCompetency-Based LearningCTE exploratory + Employability Skills credit

Why Districts Choose 220 Youth Leadership

1. We’re Indiana-built and DOE-aligned.

Most national vendors retrofit generic content.
220YL programs have been built around Indiana’s new diploma model, Graduation Pathways, and School Accountability Indicators from day one.

2. We eliminate the biggest district bottlenecks.

Common ChallengeHow 220YL Solves It
Finding enough WBL placementsWe serve as the employer of record, fulfilling diploma requirements without coordinating employer partnerships and placements.
Staff capacity + trainingWe provide ready-to-teach courses, pacing guides, and on-demand training.
Program fragmentationOne partner covers WBL + required credits + electives, all aligned to DOE standards.
Funding uncertaintyMost 220YL programs include eligible reimbursement pathways (HEA 1001, Perkins/CTE).

3. We handle compliance and impact.

Most vendors stop at “meets requirements.” We go further:

  • Compliance: Fully aligned documentation, DOE-ready reporting.
  • Impact: 95% of students report stronger career readiness; 300+ partners already implemented successfully.

4. We give districts a path that scales.

  • Start small — one WBL cohort or semester course.
  • Scale fast — district-wide diploma compliance for every student, one annual fee.
  • Stay simple — we maintain all systems and training as requirements evolve.

Your staff stays focused on students. We handle the rest.

5. We turn compliance into funding.

220YL programs are built to recover dollars while meeting mandates.
You’re not spending more; you’re unlocking funding opportunities for your district.

Common Option220 Youth Leadership
Adds line-item expenseGenerates net-positive funding through HEA 1001 and CTE reimbursement
Adds staff burdenReduces workload — we handle implementation, WBL grading, and reporting
Generic national programsIndiana-specific alignment to new diploma and accountability model
Requires job placementsDelivers 100 % remote work-based learning with 220YL as employer of record
Multiple vendors neededOne integrated system covering WBL, required credits, and electives
Per-student pricing — unpredictable and expensive as participation growsOne affordable annual district fee — scale to every student with no added cost

6. Predictable, Affordable Pricing — No Per-Student Surprises

Most vendors price per student. The more you serve, the more it costs — and the harder it is to budget.

220YL uses a district license model with one annual fee that covers every student and school in your system.

  • Add students freely without new contracts.
  • Keep predictable costs for fiscal planning.
  • Simplify purchasing and renewals.

Budget once. Serve everyone.

IDOE Alignment Map

Every 220YL program connects directly to Indiana DOE diploma requirements and reimbursement opportunities.

This crosswalk shows exactly how each program satisfies compliance and funding expectations.

220YL ProgramDiploma Requirement It SatisfiesDOE / State Model ReferenceFunding EligibilityEvidence & Verification
Work-Based Learning (WBL)Enrollment Honors Plus Seal (75-hour requirement) and Employment Plus Seal (150-hour requirement)Work-Based Learning Menu of ExperiencesHEA 1001 – up to $2,495 per qualifying student; Perkins/CTE – $500–$714Employer-of-record agreement, verified hour logs (75 or 150 hours), Employability Skills Certificate (Collaboration, Communication, Work Ethic), DOE-aligned documentation
Semester CoursesRequired credits: Personal Finance, Preparing for College & Careers, Computer ScienceIndiana Academic Standards (IDOE)Perkins/CTE reimbursement ($500–$714 per student)DOE course codes, crosswalks, pacing guides, teacher completion certification
Mini CoursesCompetency-Based Learning and Employability Skills Documentation (Collaboration, Communication, Work Ethic)Indiana’s Competency-Based Education FrameworkCTE exploratory funding + local innovation grantsStudent projects, digital badges, Employability Skills Certificate
District License / Compliance SuiteFull diploma compliance and Employability Skills tracking across all pathwaysIndiana School Accountability Model (draft)Combines all above funding streamsConsolidated DOE-aligned reporting dashboard + integrated certificates

Next Steps

Book an intro call with our team to learn what’s working across Indiana.

In one short conversation, we’ll share how peer districts are meeting DOE diploma requirements and recovering funding dollars. You’ll walk away with a clear, practical next step for your district—even if you never partner with 220YL.

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