State officials want to see more Hoosier students earn college credits or career certifications before they graduate high school.

Indiana leads the nation for students finishing at least one college class in high school, but many students are just one or two classes shy of earning a credential upon graduation.

Others earn high school credit for career technical classes when dual-college credits are available for the same course.

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education shared those statistics when it issued a Request for Information Thursday to improve access to career technical classes and the Indiana College Core, a block of dual-credit classes designed to easily transfer toward a college diploma.

Students who finish the entire 30-credit block earn the equivalent of a full year of college credits for minimal cost.

They also satisfy the credential requirement for Indiana’s new Enrollment Honors Plus diploma seal, which grants them acceptance to any of Indiana’s public universities and a host of private universities.

Lawmakers directed Education Secretary Katie Jenner to assess dual-credit, career technical and advanced placement offerings before the next legislative session, with the goal of better aligning the state’s $30 million early college investment with its new high school diploma seals.

“When we consider how we can make higher education more affordable and increase educational attainment, we have an incredible opportunity to expand access to high-quality early college credit for every high school student,” Jenner said in a statement Thursday.

“Providing no-cost early college credit is an essential step in helping more students find the path that’s right for them and improving their long-term outcomes,” she said.

Indiana College Core is available at 328 Indiana high schools, which partner with colleges and universities to offer dual-credit, dual enrollment and online classes at little to no cost to students.

But the commission found 22% of Hoosier students attend a high school where the Indiana College Core is not offered.

That disparity is primarily due to insufficient enrollment or limited availability of teachers certified to teach dual-credit courses, said Sam Rourke, assistant commissioner for career and technical education.

The commission will review proposals in the coming months to alleviate barriers to early college access, with a report from Jenner due later this year.