THE ECHO

By Lennon Turnipseed // Reporter

Since 2007, Avon High School students have graduated with the Core 40 diploma. As of the 2025-2026 school year, this traditional path is set to change, as Avon has officially adopted the new Core 42 diploma. Following a unanimous decision by the Indiana State Board of Education, the diploma was approved for implementation in all public high schools in Indiana. The class of 2029 will be the first group of Avon High School students to graduate on this new statewide track.

“It’s very similar to the core 40,” Counselor, Mrs. Gadomski-Emmert said. “There’s a lot more flexibility.”  

Previously, Avon used a three-diploma system: Core 40, Core 40 with Academic Honors, and Core 40 with Technical Honors. Now the primary functions of these diplomas have been combined into one, that being the new Core 42 diploma. With the differing needs of each individual student in mind, the diploma includes various seals students can earn upon graduation: Enrollment, employment, and enlistment.

“There are three different seals that the students can try for.” The enrollment honors seal is like our academic honors diploma now,” Gadomski-Emmert said.

The diploma keeps many of the same aspects as the Core 40. The primary change for students is the alteration of required credits in certain subjects and the addition of new course options. History Department Chair Mr. Vogl explained how the diploma switch has affected the traditional social studies content area, leading to alterations in course requirements and options.

“The traditional path we have done for years has always been geography freshman year, you’re open to an elective your sophomore year, then junior year is U.S. history, and senior year is gov and econ,” Vogl said. “The new diploma only requires two history courses, which are U.S. history and government.”

Other departments have also had to alter their curriculums to meet the new diploma requirements, and while certain details of the Core 42 diploma implementation may still be up in the air, the standard of education remains the primary focus at Avon. Vogl ensures that the quality of education at Avon High School stays unchanged, but the new diploma simply means a new path for students to achieve the end goal of their high school careers: walking the stage with their peers in May.

“The courses may change names, the content may change, but the rigor and intellectualism are not going to change in any of those courses,” Vogl said. “I think overall, you’re going to see more of the same than different.”