- See also: K-12 education content standards in the states
This page features information about K-12 areas of instruction required by state statute in Indiana public schools.
Background
- See also: K-12 education content standards in the states and K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and statutes in the states
State education officials may develop content standards and curricula, depending on the state, in order to facilitate instruction in public schools. In some states, lawmakers also adopt required areas of instruction by statute.
K-12 content standards and curriculum development
State or local education officials may develop K-12 curricula for classroom instruction that generally includes lessons and materials used in a particular course of study.[1] Depending on the state, K-12 curricula may reflect or incorporate state content standards—educational learning and achievement goals that state education officials either require or recommend that local schools satisfy in K-12 instruction.
Areas of instruction required by statute
Some state laws require the inclusion of specific areas of instruction in K-12 public school curricula. In these cases, lawmakers—rather than state education officials—mandate certain education requirements for students. Laws governing specific areas of instruction in K-12 curricula vary by state.
Statutorily required areas of instruction in Indiana
The following table provides information about selected areas of instruction required by statute in Indiana. The statutes provided may not be comprehensive. The statutory text is provided below the table.
Indiana Code § 20-30-5-4 (2021):
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System of Government; American History
(a) Each public school and nonpublic school shall provide within the two (2) weeks preceding a general election for all students in grades 6 through 12 five (5) full recitation periods of class discussion concerning:
- (1) the system of government in Indiana and in the United States;
- (2) methods of voting;
- (3) party structures;
- (4) election laws; and
- (5) the responsibilities of citizen participation in government and in elections.
- (b) Except as provided in IC 20-32-4-13, a student may not receive an Indiana diploma unless the student has completed a two (2) semester course in American history...[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-5 (2021):
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Morals Instruction
(a) Each public school teacher and nonpublic school teacher who is employed to instruct in the regular courses of grades 1 through 12 shall present the teacher's instruction with special emphasis on:
- (1) honesty;
- (2) morality;
- (3) courtesy;
- (4) obedience to law;
- (5) respect for the national flag and the Constitution of the State of Indiana and the Constitution of the United States;
- (6) respect for parents and the home;
- (7) the dignity and necessity of honest labor; and
- (8) other lessons of a steadying influence that tend to promote and develop an upright and desirable citizenry.
- (b) The secretary of education shall prepare outlines or materials for the instruction described in subsection (a) and incorporate the instruction in the regular courses of grades 1 through 12.[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-5.5 (2021):
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Bullying Prevention; Student Instruction
(a) Not later than October 15 of each year, each public school shall provide age appropriate, research based instruction as provided under IC 5-2-10.1-12(d)(1) focusing on bullying prevention for all students in grades 1 through 12...[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-6 (2021):
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Good Citizenship Instruction
(a) This section applies only to public schools.
(b) As used in this section, "good citizenship instruction" means integrating instruction into the current curriculum that stresses the nature and importance of the following:
- (1) Being honest and truthful.
- (2) Respecting authority.
- (3) Respecting the property of others.
- (4) Always doing the student's personal best.
- (5) Not stealing.
- (6) Possessing the skills (including methods of conflict resolution) necessary to live peaceably in society and not resorting to violence to settle disputes.
- (7) Taking personal responsibility for obligations to family and community.
- (8) Taking personal responsibility for earning a livelihood.
- (9) Treating others the way the student would want to be treated.
- (10) Respecting the national flag, the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Indiana.
- (11) Respecting the student's parents and home.
- (12) Respecting the student's self.
- (13) Respecting the rights of others to have their own views and religious beliefs.[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-5.7 (2021):
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Instruction on Child Abuse and Child Sexual Abuse
(a) Not later than December 15, 2020, and each December 15 thereafter, each public school, including a charter school, and state accredited nonpublic school shall provide age appropriate:
- (1) research and evidence based; or
- (2) research or evidence-based instruction on child abuse and child sexual abuse to students in kindergarten through grade 12...[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-7 (2021):
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Curriculum; Ethnic and Racial Groups Course; Naturalization Examination Report; Posting Pass Rate
(a) Each school corporation shall include in the school corporation's curriculum the following studies:
- (1) Language arts, including:
- (A) English;
- (B) grammar;
- (C) composition;
- (D) speech; and
- (E) second languages.
- (2) Mathematics.
- (3) Social studies and citizenship, including the:
- (A) constitutions;
- (B) governmental systems; and
- (C) histories; of Indiana and the United States, including an enhanced study of the Holocaust in each high school United States history course. As part of the United States government credit awarded for the general, Core 40, Core 40 with academic honors, and Core 40 with technical honors designation, each high school shall administer the naturalization examination provided by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
- (4) Sciences, including, after June 30, 2021, computer science.
- (5) Fine arts, including music and art.
- (6) Health education, physical fitness, safety, and the effects of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and other substances on the human body.
- (7) Additional studies selected by each governing body, subject to revision by the state board.[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-7.3 (2021):
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Civics Education Course Required
Beginning with students entering grade 6 in the 2023-2024 school year, each school corporation, charter school, and state accredited nonpublic school shall require each student of the school corporation, charter school, or state accredited nonpublic school to successfully complete in grade 6, 7, or 8 one (1) semester of a civics education course.[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-7.5 (2021):
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Physical Activities
(b) Beginning in the 2006-2007 school year, the governing body of each school corporation shall provide daily physical activity for students in elementary school. The physical activity may include the use of recess. On a day when there is inclement weather or unplanned circumstances have shortened the school day, the school corporation may provide physical activity alternatives or elect not to provide physical activity.[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-8 (2021):
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Safety Education
A course in safety education for at least one (1) full semester shall be taught in grade 8 of each public school and nonpublic school...[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-9 (2021):
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Hygiene and Sanitary Science; Leaflet; Excused From Instruction
(a) The principles of hygiene and sanitary science must be taught in grade 5 of each public school and may be taught in other grades. This instruction must explain the ways that dangerous communicable diseases are spread and the sanitary methods for disease prevention and restriction..[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-10 (2021):
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Diseases
(a) The governing body shall provide in each public school for the illustrative teaching of:
- (1) the spread of disease by:
- (A) rats;
- (B) flies; and
- (C) mosquitoes;
and the effects of disease; and
(2) disease prevention by proper food selection and consumption.
- (b) A school official who fails to comply with this section commits a Class C infraction.[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-11 (2021):
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Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco, Prescription Drugs, and Controlled Substances; Instruction in Kindergarten Through Grade 12
(a) For kindergarten through grade 12, the governing body of each school corporation shall provide instruction concerning the effects that:
- (1) alcoholic beverages;
- (2) tobacco;
- (3) prescription drugs; and
- (4) controlled substances have on the human body and society at large.
- (b) The state board shall make available to all school corporations a list of appropriate available instructional material on the matters described in subsection (a).
- (c) The department shall develop curriculum guides to assist teachers assigned to teach the material described in subsection (a).
- (d) The state board shall approve drug education curricula for every grade from kindergarten through grade 12.
- (e) The department shall provide assistance to each school corporation to train at least one (1) teacher in the school corporation in drug education.[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-12 (2021):
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Human Immunodeficiency Virus
(a) Each school corporation shall:
- (1) include in the school corporation's curriculum instruction concerning the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); and
- (2) integrate this effort to the extent possible with instruction on other serious communicable diseases...[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-13 (2021):
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Instruction on Human Sexuality or Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Throughout instruction on human sexuality or sexually transmitted diseases, a state accredited school shall:
(1) require a teacher to teach abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage as the expected standard for all school age children;
(2) include in the instruction that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems; and
(3) include in the instruction that the best way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases and other associated health problems is to establish a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in the context of marriage.[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-15 (2021):
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Breast Cancer and Testicular Cancer Instruction
(a) Each school corporation shall include in the school corporation's high school health education curriculum instruction regarding breast cancer and testicular cancer as adopted by the state board..[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-16 (2021):
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Human Organ and Blood Donor Program Instruction
(a) Each school corporation shall include in the school corporation's high school health education curriculum instruction regarding the human organ donor program and blood donor program as adopted by the state board, including:
- (1) the purpose of the human organ donor program and blood donor program;
- (2) the statewide and nationwide need for human organ and blood donations; and
- (3) the procedure for participation in the human organ donor program and blood donor program.[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-20 (2021):
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Instruction in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Use of an Automated External Defibrillator
(c) Except as provided in subsection (f), each school corporation, charter school, and state accredited nonpublic school shall include in the charter school's, school corporation's, or state accredited nonpublic school's high school health education curriculum instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use of an automated external defibrillator for its students...[2]
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Indiana Code § 20-30-5-23 (2021):
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Computer Science Course; Curriculum; Annual Report
(a) After June 30, 2021, each public high school, including each charter school, shall offer at least one (1) computer science course as a one (1) semester elective in the public high school's curriculum at least once each school year for high school students...[2]
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See also
External links
