Indiana Department of Education releases first draft of updates to state’s accountability model

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Education has started the process to reshape the state’s accountability model for its schools.

According to a news release from the department, a first draft of an updated accountability model was presented on Wednesday, a model aimed at aligning accountability with the following five characteristics:

• Academic Mastery
• Career and Postsecondary Readiness: Credentials and Experiences
• Communication and Collaboration
• Work Ethic
• Civic, Financial and Digital Literacy.

This comes after the department approved changes to the state’s high school diploma requirements in December 2024. According to previous reports, the new requirements included significant updates to the state’s previous standards, as well as the addition of students being able to obtain honors and honors plus seals.

“To best prepare students for the future – whether their next steps include college, a career or military service – we know that both knowledge and real-world skills are essential to their success,” Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said in the release. “As we work to increase high-quality educational opportunities and empower Hoosier parents to make informed decisions about their child’s education, our accountability model must transparently and accurately reflect the preparedness of all students.”

The release said that under the draft of the state’s new accountability system, success will be measured at “key milestones” in a student’s journey, including:

• Grade 3: Essential building blocks, including literacy and math
• Grades 4-8: Foundational knowledge and skill development
• Grade 10: Knowledge and skill development, as well as career engagement
• Grade 12: Knowledge and skill development, as well as credentials and experiences.

Officials said that the accountability will be calculated through initial points based on academic mastery, as well as additional points for other knowledge, skills and experiences.

The release said that this approach keeps the focus on subjects like reading and math in early grades, while elevating work-based learning and credentials in high school. Officials believe that this approach will encourage schools to address the individual needs of each student and ensure “that students’ unique knowledge, skills and experiences are transparently reflected in a school’s accountability grade.”

An overall accountability rating for a school will be determined based on the average points generated by all students, officials said, based on the following grading scale:

• A: 90-100
• B: 80-89
• C: 70-79
• D: 60-69
• F: 0-59

Katie Jenner, Indiana’s secretary of education, said in the release that this is a starting point that the department expects to build upon in the coming months.

“As we continue to expand educational opportunities for students in Indiana, how we measure school accountability must also evolve,” Jenner said in the release. “…While the specifics will iterate along the way, our primary goal will remain the same: to ensure that our future accountability model values all of the key characteristics essential to student success, as well as every student’s unique pathway.” 

The release said that as part of the rulemaking process, departments are required to have two rule drafts, each with a 30-day public comment period. The rulemaking timeline is as follows:

• June 2025: Present first draft rule, followed by first 30-day public comment period and public hearing
• Late summer/Early fall 2025: Present second draft rule, followed by second 30-day public comment period and public hearing
• December 2025: Adopt final accountability rule by Dec. 31, 2025.

The release said that individuals are able to fill out an online form to provide feedback on this first accountability draft. Click here for more information.