LOUISVILLE — Kentucky and Indiana are among five states chosen for a national effort to develop standards aimed at assuring businesses and colleges that high school graduates are proficient in reading, writing and math.

        The American Diploma Project is being funded by a $2.5 million grant from the Hewlett Foundation, based in Menlo Park, Calif.

        Sheila Byrd, director of the project, said all 50 states were invited to submit applications, and 15 did so. The five states that were selected all have had experience with legislated education reform, Ms. Byrd said.

        The other states chosen are Massachusetts, Texas and Nevada. Ms. Byrd said project organizers wanted to make sure that the participating states were spread across the country.

        Ms. Byrd said the study will try to determine the graduation standards for reading, writing and math in each of the five states and compare them with the expectations of businesses, colleges and universities.

        That information will be used to establish benchmarks of achievement in those three subjects. The goal is to standardize what is required for a high school diploma — not only among counties within a state but also among the 50 states, Ms. Byrd said.

        If the research finds a gap between what high schools teach and what business and higher education expect, Ms. Byrd said, then the states and project participants will try to find ways to close it.

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