What Changed in 2023: Every Indiana Graduate Now Needs Employability Skills Demonstration
Starting with the Class of 2023, Indiana introduced Graduation Pathways—a three-part graduation requirement that every student must satisfy regardless of which diploma they earn. The first component (earning enough credits for Core 40, Academic Honors, Technical Honors, or General diploma) remained familiar. The third component (demonstrating postsecondary readiness through test scores, industry certifications, or other competencies) built on existing expectations.
The second component introduced something new. Every Indiana high school student graduating 2023 and beyond must demonstrate employability skills through one of three options: project-based learning, service-based learning, or work-based learning. This isn't tracked through course grades or standardized tests. Students complete actual experiences—research projects, community service, internships—and schools validate completion using zero-credit course codes on transcripts.
Indiana school districts confirm that research projects qualify for the project-based learning pathway when they meet state criteria. Students work on extended investigations addressing authentic problems, document their research process, and produce work products schools can verify. For students drawn to academic exploration rather than traditional internships or volunteer work, research provides a pathway aligned with their interests while meeting the state's employability skills mandate.
InnoGenWorld National Research Fellowships provide structured research experiences that satisfy Indiana's project-based learning requirements. Students work with PhD-level mentors investigating climate, energy, AI, bioscience, economics, or policy questions. Completed research produces manuscripts eligible for peer review and DOI registration through Terawatt Times' ISSN-indexed publication channel (3070-0108). Schools receive documentation packages including mentor verification, time logs, and research work products for Graduation Pathways compliance.
The Three Graduation Pathways Components (Every Student, Every Diploma)
Indiana's Graduation Pathways require students to complete one item from each of three categories. Think of it as three separate boxes every student must check before graduation.
First Box: High School Diploma
Students earn credits toward one of Indiana's diploma options—Core 40 (40 credits minimum), Academic Honors (47 credits), Technical Honors (47 credits), or General (with parental opt-out from Core 40). This hasn't changed substantially from pre-2023 requirements. Students take English, math, science, social studies, and electives according to their chosen diploma track.
Second Box: Employability Skills
This is the new requirement that creates coordination challenges for schools. Students must complete ONE of three experience types. Project-based learning means working on extended investigations addressing authentic problems—research projects, course capstones, or other approved school projects. Service-based learning integrates meaningful community service with academic knowledge application. Work-based learning includes job shadows, internships, or employment verified by employer partners.
Schools validate whichever experience the student completes, maintain student work products as evidence, and report completion using designated course codes. For project-based learning, that's course code 0542 on transcripts. For service-based learning, code 0539. For work-based learning, code 0543. Zero credits, "Pass" grade upon validation, permanent transcript record.
Third Box: Postsecondary-Ready Competency
Students demonstrate readiness through honors diploma requirements, SAT/ACT scores meeting college-ready benchmarks, industry certifications from the state-approved list, CTE concentrator status, dual credit completion, locally-created pathways, or other options. This component has the most flexibility and typically aligns with existing student plans for college preparation or workforce entry.
The employability skills requirement (Box 2) often creates the most implementation questions for schools. Unlike diploma credits tracked automatically through course grades, employability skills require schools to coordinate external experiences, collect validation from non-district partners, and maintain documentation that might span multiple years if students complete experiences early.
Project-Based Learning: What Qualifies as a Research Project
Indiana DOE defines project-based learning as allowing "students to gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge." The definition emphasizes several key elements schools look for when validating experiences.
Extended time period. Projects happen over weeks or months, not single class periods or assignments. Students engage with problems deeply enough to develop expertise and produce substantive work products.
Authentic questions or problems. Students investigate genuine questions without predetermined answers. The complexity level should appropriately challenge the student based on their academic preparation and interests.
Rigorous investigation process. Students find resources, apply information from multiple sources, and engage in sustained inquiry. This looks different from traditional coursework where teachers provide structured lessons covering specific content.
Public presentation or display. Students often explain or present their work to audiences beyond their immediate classroom. This could mean presentations to community members, displays at school events, or published work available to wider audiences.
Employability skills demonstration. The Department of Workforce Development's Employability Skills Benchmarks cover critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and other professional competencies. Project-based learning should develop and demonstrate these skills through the work process.
Indiana school districts apply the state's PBL definition to determine which experiences qualify. Research projects meeting the criteria—extended investigation, authentic questions, rigorous process, public presentation—are accepted as valid demonstrations. Districts confirm that research producing documented manuscripts with mentor validation satisfies requirements when it demonstrates employability skills benchmarks.
For schools, this means research doesn't require special program approval beyond what any other project-based learning experience requires. If a student proposes investigating energy policy questions through semester-long research producing a manuscript, and the school can validate the experience meets PBL criteria, it counts. The state created flexibility for different types of authentic projects recognizing that students have varied interests and strengths.
How Research Fellowships Address Graduation Pathways Requirements
Research fellowships operate as structured investigations where students work with external mentors on projects aligned to their academic interests. The experience maps directly to Indiana's project-based learning criteria while providing schools with standardized documentation they need for compliance purposes.
Students select research domains based on their interests and postsecondary plans. Computer science and AI research explores algorithm development, machine learning applications, or computational analysis. Engineering and energy projects investigate energy systems, grid infrastructure, climate technology, or optimization problems. Bioscience and health research examines biological systems, health policy, biotechnology applications, or medical questions. Economics and finance work analyzes market mechanisms, economic policy, or quantitative finance. Policy and social science research investigates governance structures, institutional analysis, or policy effectiveness.
Within each domain, students identify specific research questions through initial conversations with potential mentors. A student interested in renewable energy might investigate policy barriers to solar adoption in rural communities. Someone focused on public health could research vaccination messaging effectiveness in different demographic groups. The questions emerge from student curiosity combined with mentor expertise rather than predetermined topic lists.
The fellowship timeline accommodates academic calendars and school schedules. Typical duration runs 12-20 weeks during fall or spring semesters. Students work independently on research tasks between regular mentor conferences—literature review, methodology development, data collection and analysis, writing. Bi-weekly mentor meetings (30-45 minutes via video conference) provide guidance, feedback, and course corrections as research progresses. Total documented time reaches 50-80 hours through milestone-based progression.
This extended timeline satisfies "working for an extended period" while remaining manageable alongside students' coursework, activities, and other commitments. Students can start research junior spring, senior fall, or even earlier if they want to complete employability skills requirements before college application deadlines create scheduling pressure.
Research produces authentic work products schools can validate. Students develop complete research manuscripts including abstracts, literature reviews, methodology sections, results or analysis, conclusions, and references. The manuscript demonstrates the investigation process, synthesis of sources, analytical thinking, and communication skills Indiana's employability skills benchmarks emphasize.
Mentors—external to students' school districts—provide validation of completed work through verification forms documenting research hours, milestone completion, work product quality, and employability skills demonstration. Schools receive mentor credentials confirming graduate-level expertise in relevant fields, eliminating concerns about whether validators have appropriate subject matter backgrounds.
For transcript purposes, schools record course code 0542 (Project-Based Learning) with "Pass" grade upon receiving completion documentation. Research manuscripts serve as work products schools maintain for potential review. If state auditors or program evaluators request evidence of employability skills completion, schools can reference the manuscript and mentor verification as tangible proof.
The New Diploma System (Class of 2029+): Graduation Pathways Continue
Indiana's new diploma system (Class of 2029+) replaces Core 40 with the Indiana Diploma requiring 42 credits. Students can earn optional Readiness Seals—Enrollment, Employment, or Enlistment—by completing additional work-based learning and achievement requirements.
Critical continuation: students NOT earning seals must still complete Graduation Pathways components 2 and 3. The employability skills requirement didn't disappear—it shifted context. Students pursuing seals satisfy employability skills through the seal's work-based learning requirements. Students earning base diplomas without seals still need separate employability skills demonstrations through project-based learning, service-based learning, or work-based learning.
Research provides flexibility across both scenarios. Students can use research for employability skills regardless of seal pursuit. The published credential strengthens college applications whether students earn formal seal notations or not.
Implementation for Schools: Documentation and Transcript Recording
Schools implementing research as a project-based learning option need straightforward documentation workflows that satisfy state requirements without creating excessive administrative burden. The process mirrors validation for other employability skills experiences with some research-specific elements.
Student enrollment and program notification. When students begin research fellowships, schools receive enrollment confirmation including student information, research domain selection, and expected completion timeline. This allows counselors to track students working toward employability skills completion outside traditional school programming.
Progress monitoring through semester. Schools receive milestone notifications as students complete major phases—literature review submission, methodology approval, draft completion, revision cycles. These checkpoints help counselors confirm students remain on track rather than discovering at graduation that incomplete experiences don't satisfy requirements.
Completion verification and work product delivery. Upon finishing research, schools receive comprehensive documentation packages. Mentor verification forms confirm student completed required hours, engaged in rigorous investigation process, produced quality work product, and demonstrated employability skills benchmarks. Forms include mentor signatures and credentials (graduate degrees, research experience, organizational affiliations).
Time logs show documented hours across research activities with dates and descriptions. Research manuscripts serve as tangible work products demonstrating the investigation's substance and student's analytical communication skills. If students' research reaches publication, schools receive DOI registration information and links to indexed publications.
Transcript recording using state course codes. Schools enter course code 0542 (Project-Based Learning) on student transcripts with zero credits and "Pass" grade. This follows the same process for recording any Graduation Pathways Box 2 completion whether through projects, service, or work experiences.
Some districts add narrative transcript notes like "Employability Skills: Completed independent research project investigating [topic area] with external mentor verification." This provides colleges and scholarship reviewers with additional context beyond the course code.
Work product maintenance for compliance purposes. Schools maintain research manuscripts and verification forms as evidence supporting transcript notations. Indiana DOE guidance requires schools preserve work products for employability skills experiences. If auditors or reviewers question completion, schools reference stored documentation demonstrating the experience occurred and met requirements.
Digital storage systems work well for this. Create folders by graduation year, then subfolders for each student completing employability skills experiences. Store PDFs of verification forms, time logs, and research manuscripts. Tag files with student IDs for easy retrieval if questions arise years later.
Publications and Credentials Beyond Compliance
Research produces academic credentials extending beyond Graduation Pathways compliance. Students completing fellowships develop manuscripts eligible for peer review and DOI registration through Terawatt Times' ISSN-indexed channel (3070-0108).
DOI registration provides permanent identifiers linking published work in academic databases where other researchers can discover, reference, and cite student research. For college applications, published work strengthens university applications particularly for competitive STEM programs. Students list publications with DOI links that admission reviewers can independently verify.
Competitive scholarships—National Merit, Goldwater, regional STEM awards—evaluate accomplishments beyond GPA and test scores. Published research provides evidence of intellectual initiative. University honors programs look for proven ability to handle independent work and complex problems.
Students considering research careers benefit from early exposure to research processes—working with PhD mentors, navigating peer review, responding to feedback. For students ultimately choosing other paths, the experience still develops analytical thinking, evidence evaluation, written communication, and project management skills with broad career applicability.
Financial Structure and Access
InnoGenWorld operates as nonprofit program under Terawatt Times Institute's 501(c)(3) status. Need-based subsidies provide reduced or waived fees for qualifying students through competitive review process separate from fellowship admission.
Districts using Title I or workforce development grants for college-career readiness might explore partnership arrangements. Research provides compliance documentation: serving economically disadvantaged students, supporting career exploration, delivering measurable outcomes (publications), including external mentorship.
Schools promoting research should communicate subsidy availability clearly. Counselors need messaging: "Research fellowships offer need-based subsidies covering costs for qualifying students based on financial need assessment."
Common Questions from School Counselors and Families
Does completing research satisfy Graduation Pathways employability skills requirements?
Yes. Indiana school districts confirm that research projects meeting PBL criteria satisfy Box 2 requirements. The state defines project-based learning as extended investigations addressing authentic, complex questions through rigorous inquiry and public presentation. Research fellowships producing documented manuscripts meet these criteria when validated by schools.
How does research differ from school-based capstone projects?
School capstones typically occur within specific courses using teacher mentorship. Research fellowships provide external mentorship from graduate-degree holders in research fields, can produce DOI-registered publications, and expose students to academic research processes outside their school districts. Students gain professional researcher perspectives complementing classroom learning.
Can students complete research if they're also doing school-based projects, service, or work experiences?
Yes. Students only need ONE employability skills experience for Graduation Pathways, but many complete multiple experiences. Research provides publication credential beyond graduation requirements. Students often combine research (satisfying Box 2) with school internships, volunteer work, or other activities for different purposes.
What happens if students start research but cannot complete the fellowship?
Research includes milestone checkpoints throughout the semester. Students struggling with completion can pause and resume with approval, or withdraw with partial documentation of work completed. Schools determine whether partial completion satisfies employability skills requirements based on local evaluation. Most completion challenges relate to time management—mentor support helps students maintain progress.
How do schools verify external mentor credentials?
Districts receive mentor CVs or qualification documents showing graduate degrees, research experience, and organizational affiliations. Mentors work for research organizations, universities, think tanks, or policy groups. This external affiliation satisfies state guidance on authentic project-based learning including interaction with professionals beyond school staff.
Does research satisfy postsecondary-ready competency requirements (Box 3)?
No. Research addresses employability skills (Box 2) only. Students must separately satisfy Box 3 through SAT/ACT scores, industry certifications, CTE concentrator status, honors diploma requirements, dual credit courses, or locally-created pathways. Boxes 2 and 3 are distinct requirements.
How does research fit with new Readiness Seals for Class of 2029+?
Students NOT pursuing seals still complete Graduation Pathways Boxes 2 and 3 separately—research satisfies Box 2 in this scenario. Students pursuing Enrollment or Employment Seals might use research depending on district interpretation of work-based learning requirements. Research provides credential (publication) valuable for college applications regardless of seal status.
What if student research isn't accepted for publication?
Graduation Pathways requires completing a research project, not necessarily publishing it. Students finishing the full research process—literature review, methodology, analysis, manuscript—satisfy requirements regardless of publication outcome. Publication provides additional credential but isn't required for compliance.
How do schools track research on transcripts?
Indiana DOE provides course code 0542 (Project-Based Learning) for employability skills experiences. Schools record this zero-credit course with "Pass" grade upon receiving completion verification. Districts maintain research manuscripts and mentor verification as work products documenting the experience.
Getting Started: Students, Families, and School Partnerships
For students and families exploring employability skills options:
Research fellowship applications open on rolling basis with monthly cohort starts. Students can begin research any time during the academic year based on graduation timeline and employability skills completion needs.
Application process includes submitting academic background, discussing research interests and goals during interview, reviewing mentor matching and confirming research domain selection, and completing enrollment to begin research with mentor support. Typical application-to-start timeline runs 2-4 weeks depending on cohort start dates and mentor availability.
Students admitted to fellowships receive subsidy application materials separately. Need-based subsidies undergo competitive review independent of fellowship admission. Families should inquire about subsidy options during application discussions.
For school counselors and administrators exploring research as programming option:
District partnership discussions can address employability skills implementation strategies, documentation requirements and compliance verification processes, subsidy availability for Title I or economically disadvantaged student populations, and cohort enrollment arrangements for systematic participation.
InnoGenWorld conducts information sessions for school counselors explaining research structure, Graduation Pathways documentation, and compliance processes. Sessions address common questions about external validation, timeline flexibility, transcript recording, and supporting diverse student populations.
Schools can refer students individually or explore cohort arrangements where entire student groups participate together. Cohort models provide peer support and simplified coordination but aren't required—individual student participation works equally well.
Contact program administration to discuss school-specific implementation questions, request counselor information sessions, or explore partnership structures for systematic participation. Districts interested in Title I funding coordination or grant-supported cohorts should specify funding sources during initial conversations so discussions can address relevant compliance documentation.
Contact: caroline.whitaker@club.terawatttimes.org
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