Indiana

Indiana has statewide initiatives aimed at scaling up student global competence. Read on.

World Languages

The Indiana Academic Honors Diploma requires three years of study of one language or two years of study of two different languages. Indiana Core 40 Diploma requirements include five “Flex” credits, one component of this being world language. New Indiana Academic Standards for World Languages were approved in 2013 – 2014 for American Sign Language; Asian Languages; Heritage Language Learners, and Modern European and Classical Languages.

Workshops and presentations on Mapping the Nation: International Dimensions of Indiana, were featured at the 2014 Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association Annual Conference and at the Advancing Global Learning Programs Conference at the headquarters of Indiana Farm Bureau.

In collaboration with the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) Office of English Learners and Migrant Programs, a professional development grant program was developed to assist school leaders in developing curriculum for Heritage Language Learner courses. Efforts are underway to develop a Heritage Language Learner course for Burmese students.

A coalition led by the Indiana Foreign Language Teachers Association Advocacy Chair is collaborating to again introduce legislation in 2015 for the Seal of Bi-literacy, an award given by a school, in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation.

Teacher Preparation and Professional Development

Teacher preparation programs in Indiana that include overseas teaching experience are available at many of the state’s colleges of education and through programs open to all education majors such as the Indiana University Global Gateway for Teachers cultural immersion programs that place student teachers in 18 countries and are recognized as some of the most rigorous and innovative study abroad experiences available. Overseas placements last a minimum of six weeks. For most assignments, participants can expect to spend eight weeks in the classroom. Immersive programs around the world are available through, among others, Ball State University, Butler University, Earlham College, Goshen College, Indiana State University, University of Notre Dame, Purdue University, University of Evansville, University of Indianapolis, and Valparaiso University.

The first Advancing Global Learning Programs in Indiana Schools Workshop at Indiana Farm Bureau attracted world language, social studies, and International Baccalaureate educators from around the state. Business, education, and government leaders underscored the international dimensions of the state of Indiana that make the case for global learning. Collaborators from the Geography Educators Network of Indiana and the Data Services of the Indiana State Library presented the Mapping the Nation tools in the context of working with maps.

Workforce Development

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Indiana Career Council, Indiana Economic Development Corporation, and regional economic development partners across all sectors have set ambitious goals for Indiana such as: “Indiana will be a global leader in innovation and economic opportunity where enterprises and citizens prosper.” Indiana VIsion 2025.

Leadership efforts to align K-12 education and employer needs for a globally competent workforce include the IN Department of Education’s focus on college and career readiness to ensure that the academic achievement and career preparation of all Indiana students will be the best in the nation and on par with the most competitive countries in the world.

Statewide initiatives are aimed at improving high school graduation rates and ensuring that students are prepared to enter college and career training programs that will provide access to high demand, high wage jobs across Indiana and improve the quality of the Indiana workforce. Goals include: increasing the proficiency of Indiana students in math, science, and reading to rank in the “Top 5” status internationally; strategic recruitment of foreign direct investment (FDI); achieving “Top 12” ranking among all states in FDI as a percent of gross state product; and increasing Indiana exports to achieve “Top 5” ranking per capita among all states.

Indiana Academic Standards

In April of 2014, the Indiana State Board of Education approved the adoption of new standards for English/Language Arts and Mathematics. These new standards are the result of a process designed to identify, evaluate, synthesize, and create high-quality, rigorous standards for Indiana students. They have been validated as college and career ready by the Indiana Education Roundtable, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indiana State Board of Education, and the Indiana Center for Education and Career Innovation. This means that students who successfully master these objectives for what they should know and be able to do in Math and English/Language Arts disciplines by the time they graduate from high school will be ready to go directly into the workplace or a postsecondary educational opportunity without the need of remediation.

Standards and resources for all subjects including English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, World Languages, and WIDA can be accessed at http://www.doe.in.gov/standards.
The Indiana Department of Education College and Career Readiness Division is collaborating with the Indiana University Center for the Study of Global Change on an update of the five booklet series: Internationalizing the Academic Standards: Indiana, that will be made available on line.

Afterschool/Extended Learning

The Indiana Afterschool Network's (IASN) vision is that all Indiana children have access to affordable, quality afterschool and summer programs that help prepare them for success in school, work, and life. Mapping the Nation and international dimensions of Indiana will be presented to the IASN and submitted for consideration for future Indiana Summits on Out of School Learning. Educator resources and toolkit developed by the Asia Society and Longview Foundation will introduce the Global Learning in After School Self-Assessment Tool that will benefit Afterschool providers across the state. The IASN standards in programming help inspire and prepare children and youth for success in school, higher education, careers, and life and activities and the curriculum reflects the languages and cultures of the families served. It is important to note that Limited English proficient (LEP) students enrolled in Indiana public schools in 2013 – 2014 was 59,170 representing 263 native languages other than English. Spanish was the native language of about 80% of these students. Approximately 63% of Indiana’s English learners (ELs) were born in U.S., to families whose native language is other than English and only 37% of these students are actual immigrants to the U.S.