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Leising's bill to help more students obtain a college degree becomes law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kellyn Harrison, Press Secretary
Kellyn.Harrison@iga.in.gov
317-232-9498

Leising's bill to help more students obtain a college degree becomes law

STATEHOUSE (March 14, 2024) — A bill authored by State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) that will help more Indiana students obtain a higher education degree was signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb.

Senate Enrolled Act 8, which is on the governor's 2024 Next Level Agenda:

  • Requires each Indiana high school to offer the Indiana College Core or submit a college core feasibility report to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) starting the 2025-26 school year;
  • Allows a high school student who successfully completes a college core course to apply the credit toward their graduation requirements;
  • Requires a high school students' transcript to reflect the credit once they complete a college core course; and
  • Requires each state higher education institution to review their bachelor's degree programs to determine whether they could be completed in three years by a full-time student.

"Indiana high school students are not enrolling in college at the rate they did in 2016, and it is due in part to seniors being concerned about the cost and long-term commitment a four-year degree requires," Leising said. "This bill works to alleviate students' concerns by helping them start their higher education in high school and graduate college earlier."

SEA 8 will go into effect July 1, 2024. To learn more, visit iga.in.gov.

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State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) represents Senate District 42, which includes Decatur, Fayette, Ripley and Rush counties, and portions of Franklin, Jennings and Shelby counties.

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