Indiana Unveils New A-F School Grading Draft

Indiana education officials have released a draft A-F school accountability model, set to be implemented by 2026, which brings back letter grades after a hiatus. The model expands beyond standardized test scores to include measures such as work ethic, college and career readiness, and civic, digital, and financial literacy, aiming to capture the full range of student abilities. It is designed to align with Indiana's updated high school diploma requirements and the 'Graduates Prepared to Succeed' framework. Schools will be assessed based on academic and non-academic achievements, including attendance, completion of work-based learning, and the attainment of credentials or diploma readiness seals. The final framework must be adopted by December 2025, with ongoing public input influencing its refinement. However, how the state will intervene in chronically low-performing schools remains unclear.