Indiana wants more students to pursue careers in cybersecurity by expanding access to a new pathway that includes advanced technology classes and military mentorship.
Launching in June, the cybersecurity pathway’s direct connection to the Indiana National Guard makes it unique both in Indiana and in the nation, allowing students who take it to potentially earn any of the state’s new diploma seals that lead to enrollment, employment, or enlistment.
While there has been some overlap in the state’s new diploma requirements for enrollment- and employment-bound Hoosier students, the enlistment pathway has stood apart with an emphasis on JROTC and the military aptitude test, the ASVAB.
By taking AP or Project Lead the Way cybersecurity classes, along with work experience opportunities in the cybersecurity sector, and mentorship from the Indiana National Guard, students can earn any one or more of the diploma seals, education officials said. They can then pursue a college degree in the field, a job in the industry, or a cybersecurity specialty in the military.
The pathway will be the nation’s first “military aligned cybersecurity pathway,” according to the state’s presentation.
The announcement of the new pathway comes in the week after a cyberattack affected a learning management system used at schools like Indiana University. Both education and military officials highlighted a growing need for cybersecurity professionals across industries.
Speaking to the state board, Lt. Col. Brent Nelson of the Indiana National Guard said cybersecurity is important not just to national security but in academia, industry, healthcare, and utilities too.
“We can have a cyber attack occur from half a world away and it can affect every member of the population in Indiana and across the nation,” Nelson said. “It’s imperative we have a pipeline of strong leaders able to take on that role.”
The state’s plan includes expanding access to AP and PLTW cybersecurity classes, which are currently offered at 69 schools to around 560 students, to 200 schools and 4,000 students, respectively, over the next three years. The AP Cybersecurity classes are part of the College Board’s new AP Career Kickstart courses, which were piloted for the 2025-26 school year, and also include AP Business with Personal Finance.
The cybersecurity pathway will officially launch with a presentation at the Reagan Institute in Washington, D.C., in June, said Secretary of Education Katie Jenner.
Aleksandra Appleton covers Indiana education policy and writes about K-12 schools across the state. Contact her at aappleton@chalkbeat.org.
