Indiana higher education officials said Tuesday that 312 high schools are offering Indiana College Core courses this year.
Launched in 2012, the College Core is a block of 30 credit hours of college-level dual credit general education courses that can transfer to Indiana colleges.
Students can earn a full year of college credits in general education courses for little or no cost, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education said in a Tuesday release.
Locally, more than 20 high schools in Lake and Porter counties are enrolled in the College Core. Each Indiana high school that offers the Indiana College Core must have an agreement with an Indiana public higher education institution to be that school’s primary postsecondary provider.
A 2024 state law required that all high schools offer the College Core, or be in the application process, by the 2026-27 school year.
Earning the Indiana College Core satisfies a new Indiana diploma requirement to earn the enrollment honors plus seal.
The new diploma becomes effective with the Class of 2029, but students are already taking classes to meet its new requirements.
Earning the College Core also automatically guarantees admission to more than 40 campuses, including all Indiana public institutions and any private school that’s opted into the program.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.