Text of IN SB 88 (2026)

Introduced Version SENATE BILL No. 88 _____ DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL Citations Affected: IC 20-19-2-14.5; IC 20-28-5-12.5; IC 20-30; IC 20-32-5.1-7; IC 21-40-4-8. Synopsis: Various education matters. Provides that certain individuals seeking an initial practitioners license may request a waiver from the department of education (department) of certain licensing requirements. Requires public schools to incorporate the importance of: (1) obtaining at least a high school diploma and acquiring additional training in preparation for the workforce; (2) securing full-time employment; and (3) waiting until marriage to begin having children; into student instruction. Requires the mandatory civics education course provided to students in grade 6, 7, or 8 to include certain instruction. Prohibits certain instruction or discussion from fostering a national identity, heritage, or culture that is contrary to shared principles. Includes the Classic Learning Test in certain references to nationally recognized college entrance examinations. Requires a state educational institution (SEI) to accept the Classic Learning Test examination to the same extent the SEI accepts the ACT or SAT examination with respect to admission criteria. Effective: July 1, 2026. Byrne December 8, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Education and Career Development. 2026 IN 88—LS 6452/DI 152 Introduced Second Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2026) PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type. Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution. Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts between statutes enacted by the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly. SENATE BILL No. 88 A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning education. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana: 1 SECTION 1. IC 20-19-2-14.5, AS AMENDED BY P.L.93-2024, 2 SECTION 138, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS 3 [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 14.5. (a) As used in this section: 4 (1) "college and career readiness educational standards" means 5 Indiana standards that a high school graduate must meet to obtain 6 the requisite knowledge and skill to transition without 7 remediation to postsecondary education or training, and 8 ultimately into a sustainable career; and 9 (2) "cut scores" means the scores that define a student's 10 performance on an assessment, including passing, failing, or 11 falling into a performance category. 12 (b) The state board shall adopt Indiana college and career readiness 13 educational standards. The educational standards must do the 14 following: 15 (1) Meet national and international benchmarks for college and 16 career readiness standards and be aligned with postsecondary 17 educational expectations. 2026 IN 88—LS 6452/DI 152 2 1 (2) Use the highest standards in the United States. 2 (3) Comply with federal standards to receive a flexibility waiver 3 under 20 U.S.C. 7861, as in effect on January 1, 2014. 4 (4) Prepare Indiana students for college and career success, 5 including the proper preparation for nationally recognized college 6 entrance examinations such as the ACT, and SAT, or Classic 7 Learning Test. 8 (5) Maintain Indiana sovereignty. 9 (6) Provide strict safeguards to protect the confidentiality of 10 student data. 11 (c) The state, or the state board on behalf of the state, may not enter 12 into or renew an agreement with any organization, entity, group, or 13 consortium that requires the state to cede any measure of autonomy or 14 control of education standards and assessments, including cut scores. 15 The state board may not adopt Common Core (Common Core State 16 Standards Initiative) or an assessment or test, except as provided in this 17 subsection, that is produced solely by the United States government or 18 a consortium of states. However, the state board is not prohibited from 19 incorporating as part of Indiana's statewide assessments any 20 assessment, part of an assessment, or series of questions if the 21 assessment, part of an assessment, or series of questions is aligned to 22 Indiana's academic standards. 23 (d) The state board may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to implement 24 this section. 25 SECTION 2. IC 20-28-5-12.5, AS AMENDED BY P.L.201-2025, 26 SECTION 3, AND AS AMENDED BY P.L.214-2025, SECTION 114, 27 AND AS AMENDED BY THE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS BILL 28 OF THE 2026 GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IS CORRECTED AND 29 AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026]: 30 Sec. 12.5. (a) The department shall grant an initial practitioner license 31 to an individual who: 32 (1) possesses a bachelor's degree from an accredited 33 postsecondary four (4) year institution; 34 (2) successfully completes an alternative teacher certification 35 program that includes: 36 (A) the required content training in the area in which the 37 individual seeks to be licensed; 38 (B) pedagogy training and an examination that is in 39 substantive alignment with nationally recognized pedagogical 40 standards and teaches effective: 41 (i) instructional delivery; 42 (ii) classroom management and organization; 2026 IN 88—LS 6452/DI 152 3 1 (iii) assessment; 2 (iv) instructional design; and 3 (v) professional learning and leadership; 4 (C) successful demonstration of content area proficiency in an 5 examination that includes content area material in substantive 6 alignment with nationally recognized content area standards in 7 the areas that the individual is required to have a license to 8 teach; 9 (D) verification from a third party that regularly reviews 10 educational and professional examinations that the alternative 11 certification examination is equal to or greater in rigor than the 12 written examination under section 12 of this chapter; and 13 (E) content within the curriculum that prepares teacher 14 candidates to use evidence based trauma informed classroom 15 instruction, including instruction in evidence based social 16 emotional learning classroom practices that are conducive to 17 supporting students who have experienced trauma that may 18 interfere with a student's academic functioning; and 19 (F) (E) content within the curriculum that: 20 (i) beginning July 1, 2024, is aligned to the science of 21 reading; and 22 (ii) beginning July 1, 2024, prepares teacher candidates or 23 program participants who seek to obtain an elementary 24 generalist license that is valid for teaching in kindergarten 25 through grade 5 or an early childhood license that is valid 26 for teaching prekindergarten through grade 3 to obtain the 27 literacy endorsement required under section 19.7 of this 28 chapter; 29 (3) successfully completes an applicable teacher licensing exam 30 as approved by the state board; 31 (4) holds a valid cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification from 32 a provider approved by the department; and 33 (5) has attended youth suicide awareness and prevention training. 34 (b) The individual must complete a one (1) year practical experience 35 program during the individual's first year in the classroom when the 36 individual is employed as a full-time teacher. The provider must: 37 (1) provide the practical experience program at no cost to the state 38 or to the school corporation, charter school, or state accredited 39 nonpublic school; and 40 (2) as part of the practical instruction program, provide 41 instruction in: 42 (A) instructional design and planning; 2026 IN 88—LS 6452/DI 152 4 1 (B) effective instructional delivery; 2 (C) classroom management and organization; 3 (D) effective use of assessment data; 4 (E) content in federal and Indiana special education laws; and 5 (F) required awareness, preparation, and understanding of: 6 (i) individualized education programs; 7 (ii) service plans developed under 511 IAC 7-34; 8 (iii) choice special education plans developed under 511 9 IAC 7-49; and 10 (iv) plans developed under Section 504 of the federal 11 Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 794. 12 (c) An in-state alternative teacher certification program under 13 subsection (a)(2) must operate in accordance with the procedures and 14 program approval standards and requirements set by the department 15 and the state board for teacher education programs for the licensure of 16 teachers. 17 (d) An out-of-state alternative teacher certification program under 18 subsection (a)(2) must: 19 (1) currently operate in at least five (5) states; and 20 (2) have operated an alternative teacher certification program for 21 at least ten (10) years. 22 (e) An individual who receives an alternative teacher certification 23 under subsection (a)(2) is authorized to teach the subject and 24 educational level that the individual has successfully completed. 25 (f) An individual who receives an initial practitioner license under 26 this section shall be treated in the same manner as an individual who 27 receives an initial practitioner license after completing a traditional 28 teacher preparation program. 29 (g) An individual who graduates from an alternative teacher 30 certification program must be treated in the same manner as a 31 traditional teacher preparation program graduate during the transition 32 from an initial practitioner license to a practitioner license. 33 (h) An individual who receives an initial practitioner license under 34 this section may not teach a special education course for a special 35 education student for the period the individual maintains a license 36 under this section unless the individual is at least twenty-six (26) years 37 of age and employed in a school setting or with another community 38 organization, including a for-profit or nonprofit organization, to 39 provide care or instruction for a student with a physical, intellectual, or 40 developmental disability. However, an individual who receives an 41 initial practitioner license under this section may not be a teacher of 42 record for a special education student for the period the individual 2026 IN 88—LS 6452/DI 152 5 1 maintains the initial practitioner license. 2 (i) A school corporation, charter school, or state accredited 3 nonpublic school shall submit a plan to the department if the school 4 corporation, charter school, or state accredited nonpublic school hires 5 one (1) or more individuals who have received an initial practitioner 6 license under this section. The plan must be submitted in a manner 7 prescribed by the department and must include a description of how the 8 school corporation, charter school, or state accredited nonpublic school 9 will, excluding the practical experience program described in 10 subsection (b), provide an individual who receives an initial 11 practitioner license under this section opportunities to obtain exposure 12 to classroom management and instructional techniques, including 13 meaningful exposure to special education. The plan is a public record. 14 (j) Not later than July 1, 2024, the department shall prepare a report 15 that shall be submitted to the general assembly in an electronic format 16 under IC 5-14-6. The report must contain the following information: 17 (1) Data showing how many teachers obtained an initial 18 practitioner license under this section. 19 (2) A description of the number of teachers who received an 20 initial practitioner license under this section who are currently 21 employed as a teacher by each: 22 (A) school corporation; 23 (B) charter school; or 24 (C) state accredited nonpublic school. 25 The description must include a breakdown of the subjects taught 26 by teachers who receive an initial practitioner license under this 27 section. 28 (3) A comparison of the Praxis Subject Assessment applicable 29 teacher licensing exam as approved by the state board pass rates 30 for individuals who receive an initial practitioner license under 31 this section in comparison with the Praxis Subject Assessment 32 applicable teacher licensing exam as approved by the state board 33 pass rates for teachers who obtained an initial practitioner license 34 using a different pathway to licensure. 35 (4) A description of how many teachers who received an initial 36 practitioner license under this section are rated as effective or 37 highly effective. 38 (k) An individual in an alternative teacher certification program 39 may request a waiver from the department, in a time and manner 40 determined by the department, of the examination requirements 41 described in subsection (a)(3), if the individual: 42 (1) received a score on a nationally recognized college 2026 IN 88—LS 6452/DI 152 6 1 entrance examination, such as the ACT, SAT, or Classic 2 Learning Test; or 3 (2) received a score on a nationally recognized graduate 4 school entrance exam, such as the GRE or GMAT; 5 that placed the individual in at least the eightieth percentile of 6 other test takers for the given examination. 7 SECTION 3. IC 20-30-4-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.9-2021, 8 SECTION 2, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE 9 JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 2. (a) In consultation with the student's school 10 counselor, after seeking consultation with each student's parents, and 11 not later than the date on which the student completes grade 8, each 12 student shall develop a graduation plan that is a part of the student's 13 permanent school record and accessible to a parent of the student in 14 accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (20 15 U.S.C. 1232g et seq.). 16 (b) The graduation plan developed under subsection (a) must 17 include the following: 18 (1) A statement of intent to graduate from high school. 19 (2) An acknowledgment of the importance of: 20 (A) good citizenship; 21 (B) school attendance; and 22 (C) diligent study habits. 23 (3) The subject and skill areas of interest to the student. 24 (4) The postsecondary goals of the student aligned with the 25 graduation pathway requirements under IC 20-32-4-1.5. 26 (5) A program of study under the college/technology preparation 27 curriculum adopted by the state board under IC 20-30-10-2 for 28 grades 10, 11, and 12 that meets the interests, aptitude, and 29 postsecondary goals of the student. 30 (6) Assurances that, upon satisfactory fulfillment of the plan, the 31 student: 32 (A) is entitled to graduate; and 33 (B) will have taken at least the minimum variety and number 34 of courses necessary to gain admittance to a state educational 35 institution. 36 (7) An indication of assessments (other than the statewide 37 assessment program and the graduation examination (before July 38 1, 2018)) that the student plans to take voluntarily during grade 10 39 through grade 12 and which may include any of the following: 40 (A) The SAT Reasoning Test. 41 (B) The ACT test. 42 (C) The Classic Learning Test. 2026 IN 88—LS 6452/DI 152 7 1 (C) (D) Advanced placement exams. 2 (D) (E) College readiness exams approved by the department. 3 (E) (F) Workforce readiness exams approved by the 4 department of workforce development established under 5 IC 22-4.1-2. 6 (F) (G) Cambridge International examinations. 7 SECTION 4. IC 20-30-5-6, AS AMENDED BY P.L.246-2005, 8 SECTION 170, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS 9 [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 6. (a) This section applies only to 10 public schools. 11 (b) As used in this section, "good citizenship instruction" means 12 integrating instruction into the current curriculum that stresses the 13 nature and importance of the following: 14 (1) Being honest and truthful. 15 (2) Respecting authority. 16 (3) Respecting the property of others. 17 (4) Always doing the student's personal best. 18 (5) Not stealing. 19 (6) Possessing the skills (including methods of conflict resolution) 20 necessary to live peaceably in society and not resorting to 21 violence to settle disputes. 22 (7) Taking personal responsibility for obligations to family and 23 community. 24 (8) Taking personal responsibility for earning a livelihood. 25 (9) Treating others the way the student would want to be treated. 26 (10) Respecting the national flag, the Constitution of the United 27 States, and the Constitution of the State of Indiana. 28 (11) Respecting the student's parents and home. 29 (12) Respecting the student's self. 30 (13) Respecting the rights of others to have their own views and 31 religious beliefs. 32 (14) The importance of: 33 (A) obtaining at least a high school diploma and acquiring 34 additional training in preparation for the workforce; 35 (B) securing full-time employment; and 36 (C) waiting until marriage to begin having children. 37 (c) The department shall: 38 (1) identify; and 39 (2) make available; 40 models of conflict resolution instruction to school corporations. The 41 instruction may consist of a teacher education program that applies the 42 techniques to the students in the classroom to assist school corporations 2026 IN 88—LS 6452/DI 152 8 1 in complying with this section. 2 SECTION 5. IC 20-30-5-7.3, AS ADDED BY P.L.39-2021, 3 SECTION 3, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE 4 JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 7.3. (a) Beginning with students entering grade 6 5 in the 2023-2024 school year, each school corporation, charter school, 6 and state accredited nonpublic school shall require each student of the 7 school corporation, charter school, or state accredited nonpublic school 8 to successfully complete in grade 6, 7, or 8 one (1) semester of a civics 9 education course. 10 (b) Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, a civics education 11 course described in subsection (a) must include instruction on the 12 following: 13 (1) The roles and responsibilities of federal, state, and local 14 governments. 15 (2) The structures, powers, and functions of the legislative, 16 executive, and judicial branches of government. 17 (3) The meaning and significance of historic documents, 18 including the: 19 (A) Ten Commandments; 20 (B) Magna Carta; 21 (C) Mayflower Compact; 22 (D) Declaration of Independence; 23 (E) Articles of Confederation; 24 (F) Constitution of the United States; 25 (G) Bill of Rights; and 26 (H) Federalist Papers. 27 (4) The principles of federalism, separation of powers, checks 28 and balances, consent of the governed, ordered liberty, 29 justice, the rule of law, limited government, natural rights, 30 republicanism, and the equal dignity of all human beings. 31 (5) Individual rights and responsibilities under the 32 Constitution of the United States, including the expressed, 33 implied, concurrent, and reserved powers. 34 (6) The electoral process and democratic participation. 35 (7) A comparative discussion of political ideologies, including 36 communism and totalitarianism, that conflict with the 37 principles of freedom and democracy that are essential to the 38 founding principles of the United States. 39 SECTION 6. IC 20-30-5-26 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE 40 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 41 1, 2026]: Sec. 26. (a) This section applies to each school that 42 provides instruction or discussion on the content described in the 2026 IN 88—LS 6452/DI 152 9 1 following: 2 (1) Section 1 of this chapter. 3 (2) Section 2 of this chapter. 4 (3) Section 4 of this chapter. 5 (4) Section 5(a)(5) of this chapter. 6 (5) Section 6(b)(10) of this chapter. 7 (6) Section 7(a)(3) of this chapter. 8 (7) Section 7.3 of this chapter. 9 (b) The instruction or discussion described in subsection (a) may 10 not foster a national identity, heritage, or culture established by: 11 (1) racial identity or racial discrimination; 12 (2) gender identity or gender discrimination; 13 (3) victimization; 14 (4) class struggle; 15 (5) a hierarchy of privileges; or 16 (6) systemic exclusion; 17 that is contrary to the concepts described in subsection (a). 18 SECTION 7. IC 20-30-16-6.5, AS ADDED BY P.L.200-2021, 19 SECTION 3, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE 20 JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 6.5. The department in accordance with 21 requirements established by the state board shall approve a civics 22 course access program course that: 23 (1) meets the requirements under IC 20-30-5-2(a) and 24 IC 20-30-5-26; and 25 (2) is presented with special emphasis on the items listed in 26 IC 20-30-5-5(a) and IC 20-30-5-6(b). 27 SECTION 8. IC 20-32-5.1-7, AS AMENDED BY P.L.150-2024, 28 SECTION 47, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE 29 JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 7. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section 30 and in the manner provided in section 6 of this chapter, the state board 31 is responsible for determining the appropriate subjects, grades, and 32 format of the statewide assessment program. 33 (b) For each school year beginning after June 30, 2018, and except 34 as provided in section 11 of this chapter, the statewide assessment 35 program must be administered to all full-time students attending a 36 school corporation, charter school, state accredited nonpublic school, 37 or eligible school (as defined in IC 20-51-1-4.7) in grades subject to the 38 statewide summative assessment required by federal law and in a 39 manner prescribed by the state board. 40 (c) Subject matter tested on by the statewide assessment program as 41 determined by the state board under subsection (a) must, at a minimum, 42 do the following: 2026 IN 88—LS 6452/DI 152 10 1 (1) Comply with requirements established under federal law with: 2 (A) math and English/language arts assessed yearly in grades 3 3 through 8, and at least once in grades 9 through 12; and 4 (B) science assessed at least once in grades 3 through 5, grades 5 6 through 9, and grades 10 through 12. 6 (2) Require that United States history or United States 7 government be assessed at least once in grades 5 or 8. 8 (d) Except as provided under subsection (e), for each school year 9 beginning after June 30, 2021, a nationally recognized college entrance 10 exam such as the ACT, SAT, or Classic Learning Test must be 11 administered for the high school subjects required under subsection (c). 12 The proficiency benchmark must be approved by the commission for 13 higher education, in consultation with the state educational institutions, 14 and may not be lower than the national college ready benchmark 15 established for that particular exam. 16 (e) If the state board determines that no nationally recognized 17 college entrance exam assesses a given high school subject that is 18 required under subsection (c), the state board may select another type 19 of assessment, including an end of course assessment, for that subject. 20 (f) The statewide assessment program: 21 (1) may not use technology that may negatively influence the 22 ability to measure a student's mastery of material or a particular 23 academic standard being tested; and 24 (2) may use a technology enhanced test question only when the 25 technology enhanced test question is the best way to measure the 26 academic standard being tested. 27 (g) A statewide summative assessment, other than an assessment 28 administered under subsection (d), must use a scale score that will 29 ensure the statewide summative assessment scores are comparable to 30 scale scores used as part of the ISTEP program under IC 20-32-5, 31 before its expiration. 32 SECTION 9. IC 21-40-4-8 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE 33 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 34 1, 2026]: Sec. 8. With respect to admission criteria, a state 35 educational institution shall accept the Classic Learning Test 36 examination to the same extent the state educational institution 37 accepts the ACT or SAT examination. 2026 IN 88—LS 6452/DI 152

Second Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2026) PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type. Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution. Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts between statutes enacted by the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly. SENATE ENROLLED ACT No. 88 AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning education. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana: SECTION 1. IC 20-19-2-14.5, AS AMENDED BY P.L.93-2024, SECTION 138, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 14.5. (a) As used in this section: (1) "college and career readiness educational standards" means Indiana standards that a high school graduate must meet to obtain the requisite knowledge and skill to transition without remediation to postsecondary education or training, and ultimately into a sustainable career; and (2) "cut scores" means the scores that define a student's performance on an assessment, including passing, failing, or falling into a performance category. (b) The state board shall adopt Indiana college and career readiness educational standards. The educational standards must do the following: (1) Meet national and international benchmarks for college and career readiness standards and be aligned with postsecondary educational expectations. (2) Use the highest standards in the United States. (3) Comply with federal standards to receive a flexibility waiver under 20 U.S.C. 7861, as in effect on January 1, 2014. (4) Prepare Indiana students for college and career success, including the proper preparation for nationally recognized college SEA 88 — Concur 2 entrance examinations such as the ACT, and SAT, or Classic Learning Test. (5) Maintain Indiana sovereignty. (6) Provide strict safeguards to protect the confidentiality of student data. (c) The state, or the state board on behalf of the state, may not enter into or renew an agreement with any organization, entity, group, or consortium that requires the state to cede any measure of autonomy or control of education standards and assessments, including cut scores. The state board may not adopt Common Core (Common Core State Standards Initiative) or an assessment or test, except as provided in this subsection, that is produced solely by the United States government or a consortium of states. However, the state board is not prohibited from incorporating as part of Indiana's statewide assessments any assessment, part of an assessment, or series of questions if the assessment, part of an assessment, or series of questions is aligned to Indiana's academic standards. (d) The state board may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 to implement this section. SECTION 2. IC 20-19-3-45 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 45. Not later than September 1, 2026, and not later than each September 1 thereafter, the department shall do the following: (1) Identify schools that allow students who are not enrolled in the school to take the following examinations at the school: (A) Advanced placement exams. (B) The PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. (C) The SAT. (D) The ACT. (E) The Classic Learning Test. (F) The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. (2) Present the data described in subdivision (1) in a manner that can be conveniently and easily accessed from the department's website to allow a student to determine available testing sites based on the student's geographic location. SECTION 3. IC 20-30-4-2, AS AMENDED BY P.L.9-2021, SECTION 2, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 2. (a) In consultation with the student's school counselor, after seeking consultation with each student's parents, and not later than the date on which the student completes grade 8, each SEA 88 — Concur 3 student shall develop a graduation plan that is a part of the student's permanent school record and accessible to a parent of the student in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g et seq.). (b) The graduation plan developed under subsection (a) must include the following: (1) A statement of intent to graduate from high school. (2) An acknowledgment of the importance of: (A) good citizenship; (B) school attendance; and (C) diligent study habits. (3) The subject and skill areas of interest to the student. (4) The postsecondary goals of the student aligned with the graduation pathway requirements under IC 20-32-4-1.5. (5) A program of study under the college/technology preparation curriculum adopted by the state board under IC 20-30-10-2 for grades 10, 11, and 12 that meets the interests, aptitude, and postsecondary goals of the student. (6) Assurances that, upon satisfactory fulfillment of the plan, the student: (A) is entitled to graduate; and (B) will have taken at least the minimum variety and number of courses necessary to gain admittance to a state educational institution. (7) An indication of assessments (other than the statewide assessment program and the graduation examination (before July 1, 2018)) that the student plans to take voluntarily during grade 10 through grade 12 and which may include any of the following: (A) The SAT Reasoning Test. (B) The ACT test. (C) The Classic Learning Test. (C) (D) Advanced placement exams. (D) (E) College readiness exams approved by the department. (E) (F) Workforce readiness exams approved by the department of workforce development established under IC 22-4.1-2. (F) (G) Cambridge International examinations. SECTION 4. IC 20-30-5-6, AS AMENDED BY P.L.246-2005, SECTION 170, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 6. (a) This section applies only to public schools, including charter schools. (b) As used in this section, "good citizenship instruction" means SEA 88 — Concur 4 integrating instruction into the current curriculum that stresses the nature and importance of the following: (1) Being honest and truthful. (2) Respecting authority. (3) Respecting the property of others. (4) Always doing the student's personal best. (5) Not stealing. (6) Possessing the skills (including methods of conflict resolution) necessary to live peaceably in society and not resorting to violence to settle disputes. (7) Taking personal responsibility for obligations to family and community. (8) Taking personal responsibility for earning a livelihood. (9) Treating others the way the student would want to be treated. (10) Respecting the national flag, the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Indiana. (11) Respecting the student's parents and home. (12) Respecting the student's self. (13) Respecting the rights of others to have their own views and religious beliefs. (14) These research based actions that data indicates result in economic prosperity: (A) obtaining at least a high school diploma and acquiring additional training in preparation for the workforce; (B) securing full-time employment; and (C) waiting until marriage to begin having children. (c) The department shall: (1) identify; and (2) make available; models of conflict resolution instruction to school corporations and charter schools. The instruction may consist of a teacher education program that applies the techniques to the students in the classroom to assist school corporations and charter schools in complying with this section. SECTION 5. IC 20-32-5.1-7, AS AMENDED BY P.L.150-2024, SECTION 47, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 7. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section and in the manner provided in section 6 of this chapter, the state board is responsible for determining the appropriate subjects, grades, and format of the statewide assessment program. (b) For each school year beginning after June 30, 2018, and except as provided in section 11 of this chapter, the statewide assessment SEA 88 — Concur 5 program must be administered to all full-time students attending a school corporation, charter school, state accredited nonpublic school, or eligible school (as defined in IC 20-51-1-4.7) in grades subject to the statewide summative assessment required by federal law and in a manner prescribed by the state board. (c) Subject matter tested on by the statewide assessment program as determined by the state board under subsection (a) must, at a minimum, do the following: (1) Comply with requirements established under federal law with: (A) math and English/language arts assessed yearly in grades 3 through 8, and at least once in grades 9 through 12; and (B) science assessed at least once in grades 3 through 5, grades 6 through 9, and grades 10 through 12. (2) Require that United States history or United States government be assessed at least once in grades 5 or 8. (d) Except as provided under subsection (e), for each school year beginning after June 30, 2021, a nationally recognized college entrance exam such as the ACT, SAT, or Classic Learning Test must be administered for the high school subjects required under subsection (c). The proficiency benchmark must be approved by the commission for higher education, in consultation with the state educational institutions, and may not be lower than the national college ready benchmark established for that particular exam. (e) If the state board determines that no nationally recognized college entrance exam assesses a given high school subject that is required under subsection (c), the state board may select another type of assessment, including an end of course assessment, for that subject. (f) The statewide assessment program: (1) may not use technology that may negatively influence the ability to measure a student's mastery of material or a particular academic standard being tested; and (2) may use a technology enhanced test question only when the technology enhanced test question is the best way to measure the academic standard being tested. (g) A statewide summative assessment, other than an assessment administered under subsection (d), must use a scale score that will ensure the statewide summative assessment scores are comparable to scale scores used as part of the ISTEP program under IC 20-32-5, before its expiration. SECTION 6. IC 21-40-4-8 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 8. With respect to admission criteria, a state SEA 88 — Concur 6 educational institution shall accept the Classic Learning Test examination to the same extent the state educational institution accepts the ACT or SAT examination. SEA 88 — Concur President of the Senate President Pro Tempore Speaker of the House of Representatives Governor of the State of Indiana Date: Time: SEA 88 — Concur