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Public commenters urge caution on diploma rewrite; business representative asks to retain arts requirement
Summary
During public comment at the Nov. 12 board meeting, Dr. Michaela Spangenberg urged keeping core diploma requirements (especially math) to preserve students' postsecondary mobility, while Randy Greenwell asked that a two-credit fine arts requirement be added to the honors and baseline diplomas.
Two public commenters addressed the board’s ongoing diploma rule work during the Nov. 12 meeting.
Dr. Michaela Spangenberg, who identified herself as a doctor and said she has followed the diploma process, urged the board to retain core diploma requirements and strengthen math so that graduates remain eligible for out-of-state colleges and careers. "We need to make sure that we still have those core requirements… so our students have the opportunity to go to college or work out of state," she said, and recommended keeping the old core diploma, adding math, and providing funding and concrete vetting criteria for any new pathways so all school corporations can implement them equitably.
Randy Greenwell, speaking from the business community on behalf of a partner of Steinway with headquarters in Elkhart, asked the board to keep fine arts as a required element of the diploma. He specifically requested a two-credit arts requirement for the honors diploma seal and urged that Fine Arts requirements be maintained in any new baseline diploma, arguing that arts participation improves employability and develops creativity and leadership skills.
The board took no formal action on the diploma at the meeting but noted the statutory deadline to adopt a high school diploma rule by the end of December; staff said the board is on track to review and vote on the final draft in December.
