IPS leader looks to expand work-based learning for all Marion County students

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An assessment will be done to possibly expand access for students across Marion County to career and technical education, early college coursework and work-based learning opportunities, Indianapolis Public Schools said in a news release issued Monday morning.

Melody Coryell, the school district’s executive director of postsecondary readiness, will lead the project.

IPS is starting a landscape analysis, which is a data-driven assessment used to understand the current environment, stakeholders, and trends.

The release also said, “During the spring semester of 2026, IPS will partner with intermediaries, employers, and community organizations to assess demand for a potential area career center and apprenticeship academy.”

The IPS spring semester began Jan. 5 and will continue through May 21.

The analysis comes after Indiana’s Graduation Seals program began in December 2024. It’s part of a redesigned diploma effective for the class of 2029, or earlier by district choice. Students will earn “readiness seals” aligning with post-secondary goals in college enrollment, employment, or military enlistment. 

IPS says the program requires students to engage in career-connected learning and earn industry credentials or college credit before graduation. The effort aims ...