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School counselor briefs board on new state diploma rules, warns attendance and work‑based requirements may exclude some students
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Summary
At the April 20 West Washington School Board meeting, Mrs. Nance, the district counselor, outlined statewide diploma changes that add credential 'seals', work‑based learning hour requirements and attendance thresholds tied to school accountability and state reimbursements.
At its April 20, 2026 meeting, the West Washington School Board heard an academic report from Mrs. Nance, the district counselor, on forthcoming statewide changes to high‑school diplomas and related accountability measures.
Mrs. Nance described a new diploma framework that attaches named "seals" to student records and links certain seals to higher state reimbursements and accountability points. She said the enrollment/classroom pathway aligns to college‑bound students and resembles the district’s existing academic honors criteria, while an "employment" seal targets students pursuing trade or technical careers.
The presentation outlined concrete requirements the district will need to track: one pathway requires about 75 work‑based learning hours, another requires 150 hours for employment‑focused students, and students seeking the highest "plus" seal face substantially larger hour requirements. Mrs. Nance said these hours must be set up in advance with specific training plans and tracking: "The kicker is it's gotta be set up ahead of time. There has to be a training plan, very specific way to track the hours, very specific way to report the hours," she said.
Attendance rules tied to some seals are strict: one pathway requires no more than three unexcused absences in a year to meet the attendance goal. Mrs. Nance warned the board this could exclude students who lack reliable transportation or consistent placement in workplace settings and could create unintended dropout risks: she described scenarios in which students who struggle to maintain placements could lose engagement.
The district highlighted credential incentives such as CNA certifications and participation in the Indiana College Corps (ICC), plus industry credentials (the presenter named examples such as Microsoft and Adobe credentials) that will count toward accountability points. Mrs. Nance credited partnerships with Ivy Tech and Lost River for helping place students and manage credentialing and work‑based hours.
Board members asked for community help identifying employers that could host student internships or summer placements; the presentation closed with a request that trustees tap personal or local business contacts to expand placement options. Mrs. Nance said the district will return with more details as the state rolls out guidance and as staff develop tracking systems.
Next steps: the board was advised to expect additional reports and implementation recommendations as the district develops tracking procedures and partner agreements.
