The graduation requirement is changing statewide, and Jennings County High School is doing everything it can to insure a successful path for the students.
The traditional ISTEP test is retiring to the new Indiana Graduation Pathways, which will start affecting the Class of 2023 — next year’s freshmen.
The new Pathways (which could still change slightly) will provide more opportunities to students who are not attending college. For students to pass the new Pathways they have to earn three requirements: high school diploma, employability skills and postsecondary ready competencies. An adult overseeing the students’ achievement for each category will help track the student’s work, and be able to check if they are properly finishing the requirements. The students’ job will then be to write a reflection on how they improved those employability skills.
“Pathways is going to give students more opportunities because not every student is a great test taker. It is best that our students have these skills to leave the high school, and be employable and a good post-secondary student in the future,” Assistant Principal Stephanie Ebbing said.
Many students who are put in remediation classes due to failure on the ISTEP test can now use that time in courses that can benefit their future career choice. Students who become discouraged from not being able to pass the ISTEP test can now focus on achieving skills that are not test-based.
“The administration and staff at Jennings County will do all they can to keep the new Graduating Pathways as successful as possible,” but they are focused on figuring out how to track students’ progress which will take more staff time to stay organized,” Ebbing said.
“Although changing the normal graduation platform can be challenging, Jennings County High School is ready to open doors to all their students that will reach success once they leave the high school.”
