Sec. 5. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a high school may:
(1) replace high school courses on the high school transcript with dual credit courses (as defined in IC 21-43-1-2.5), Cambridge International courses, international baccalaureate courses, or advanced placement courses on the same subject matter with equal or greater rigor to the required high school course; and
(2) count:
(A) a course described in subdivision (1);
(B) a work based learning course, program, or experience that is approved under subsection (c);
(C) a career and technical education course, program, or experience that is approved under subsection (c); or
(D) a course in any combination of:
(i) science;
(ii) technology;
(iii) engineering; or
(iv) mathematics;
as satisfying an Indiana diploma with a Core 40 with academic honors designation or another designation requirement.
(b) A course, program, or experience described in subsection (a)(2)(B), (a)(2)(C), or (a)(2)(D):
(1) with:
(A) subject matter that is similar to; and
(B) rigor that is equal to or greater than;
the subject matter and rigor of the required course; but
(2) that does not fully align with the required course standards;
must be augmented with instruction to include the remaining standards of the required course.
(c) If a course, program, or experience provider requests that the state board, a state educational institution (as defined in IC 21-7-13-32), or any other entity designated by the state board approve a course, program, or experience described in subsection (a)(2)(B), (a)(2)(C), or (a)(2)(D), the state board, state educational institution, or other entity shall approve the course, program, or experience if the provider provides the following:
(1) A description of the extent to which the course, program, or experience aligns with the required course that the provider is replacing.
(2) An explanation regarding how the remaining standards of the required course, program, or experience will be augmented.
(d) If the state board, a state educational institution, or another entity designated by the state board approves a course, program, or experience under subsection (c), the state board, state educational institution, or other entity:
(1) may periodically review the approved course, program, or experience to ensure the course, program, or experience complies with the requirements under this section; and
(2) may revoke approval of the course, program, or experience if, at any time more than one (1) year after the course, program, or experience is offered, the state board, state educational institution, or other entity determines that the course, program, or experience does not comply with the requirements under this section.
(e) A dual credit course described in subsection (a)(1) must be authorized by an eligible institution (as described in IC 21-43-4-3.5) that is a member of a national dual credit accreditation organization, or the eligible institution must make assurances that the final assessment for the course given for dual credit under this section is substantially equivalent to the final assessment given in the college course in that subject.
(f) A student who satisfies an Indiana diploma with a Core 40 with academic honors designation through a high school course replaced under subsection (a)(2)(D) shall not count toward a school's honor designation award under IC 20-43-10-2.
As added by P.L.46-2014, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.191-2018, SEC.15; P.L.192-2018, SEC.19; P.L.215-2018(ss), SEC.10; P.L.143-2019, SEC.24; P.L.216-2021, SEC.28.