A Student’s Educational Plan: The Why, When, What, and How

of Its Development.

Meg SmithAlabama Department of

Educationmsmith@alsde.edu

334-353-0777

Elementary Counselors’ Role

At the elementary level, counselors assist students in their efforts to learn the skills and attitudes required for school success.

Elementary school counselors emphasize decision-making skills and early exploration of career and educational goals. These counselors also place strong emphasis on helping students develop self-awareness, self-esteem, and good interpersonal relationships

Middle School Counselors

During the middle school grades, counselors’ concerns shift to the changing needs of the young adolescent. Middle school counselors focus on helping students to establish, identify, and balance academic, career, and personal/social goals. Efforts begun in elementary schools are continued and expanded, although an emphasis is placed on the transition into high school. In addition, middle school counselors help students integrate knowledge of their interests, aptitude, and academic skills into the formation of a high school four-year educational plan and educational/career planning portfolio for high school and beyond.

High School Counselors The high school counseling and guidance program builds on goals from the elementary and middle school. The high school program assists students in applying and enhancing acquired knowledge and understanding as they strive to become responsible adults. Counseling and guidance activities help students develop realistic and fulfilling life plans. Competency in decision making is stressed, career planning is refined, and personal responsibility is emphasized. The high school four-year educational plan and the educational/career planning portfolio, developed in the middle school, move with the student to the high school and are reviewed and updated annually.

Why

Do an Educational Plan?

Individual Student Planning (9.b)9. Every school system and school must implement a comprehensive counseling and guidance program that: b. Ensures that each Grades 8-12 counselor guides students in the development and annual revision of a high school four-year educational plan and requires students to maintain an educational/career planning portfolio of study based on legislative and other graduation requirements. (The selection of the high school four-year educational plan shall be approved in writing by the parents or guardians and become part of the educational/career planning portfolio.)

Alabama’s 2020 Learners All students perform at or above

proficiency and show continuous improvement (achievement/growth).

All students succeed (gap closure). Every student graduates from high

school (grad rate). Every student graduates high school

prepared (college and career readiness).

Plan 2020: A Prepared Graduate Possesses the knowledge and skills

needed to enroll and succeed in credit-bearing, first-year courses at a two- or four-year college, trade school, technical school, without the need for remediation.

Possesses the ability to apply core academic skills to real-world situations through collaboration with peers in problem solving, precision, and punctuality in delivery of a product, and has a desire to be a life-long learner.

When

Should an Educational Plan be created?

2020 Support Systems

All students will attend school daily and be engaged in rigorous and relevant learning environments.

All students will develop a sense of personal and civic responsibility to ensure a learning environment that is safe and civil.

All students will be provided with individual and group counseling services.

All students will enter 9th grade prepared and with a 4-year plan that addresses their individual academic and career interest needs.

All students will be provided with healthy meals, physical education, and health instruction supported with needed medical and related services.

Individual Student Planning

The individual planning component consists of school counselors coordinating ongoing systemic activities designed to assist the individual student in establishing personal goals and developing future plans.

The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs

American School Counselor Association & Alabama Guidance and Counseling Model:

Three Domains

Each domain outlined in the model is of EQUAL importance.

Personal/Social DevelopmentAcademic DevelopmentCareer Development

Personal/Social Development

Maximizing each student’s individual growth and social maturity in the areas of personal management and social interaction

The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs

Academic Development: Standard A

Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and across the life span.

Academic Development: Standard B

Students will complete school with academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college.

Academic Development: Standard C

Students will understand the relationship of academics to the world of work and to life at home and in the community.

Career Development

The necessary skills and attitudes for successful transition from school to work or postsecondary training or education.

The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs

ASCA & Alabama Model BenefitsStudents will experience the following:

Clarification of work valuesAssessment of abilities, personality

traits and interestsOccupational/ career information Job hunting skillsGoal setting and decision making

skills for appropriate career pathsOpportunity for integration of

academic and career skills

Career Development: Standard AStudents will acquire the skills to

investigate the world of work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career decisions. Competency C:A1

Develop Career Awareness Competency C:A2

Develop Employment Readiness

Career Development: Standard B:

Students will employ strategies to achieve future career goals with success and satisfaction.

Competency C:B1Acquire Career Information

Competency C:B2Identify Career Goals

Career Development: Standard C:Students will understand the

relationship between personal qualities, education, training and the world of work. Competency C:C1

Acquire Knowledge to Achieve Career Goals

Competency C:C2Apply Skills to Achieve Career Goals

Counselors and Careers

Counselors have a clearly defined role in Career

Awareness, Development, and Planning.

a part in helping students discover careers.

a part in helping students discover career interests, aptitudes, and Work Values.

What

is an Educational Plan?

Exploration

Grades K – 6 Large Group Guidance Character Education and Careers “You cannot dream what you do

not know” **Alabama Career Planning

System (ACPS) has an Interest Checklist for use with 6th Graders

Assessment and Planning

Grades 7-8 Career Interest Assessment Establishing A Career Goal Choosing a diploma/exit document Developing A Four-Year + Plan Knowing the postsecondary training

options of the career

Implementation

Grades 9-12 Annual Review of Four-Year

Plan Postsecondary Planning and

Actions Employment Readiness Skills

A Student’s Educational Plan

Is based on a career goal. This may be a cluster, pathway, or specific occupation.

Outlines high school courses needed/suggested to reach their career goal.

Outlines postsecondary education requirement to reach their career goal.

HOW

To do an Educational Plan.

New Educational Plan Format

Is electronic. Is available 24/7 to student, parents,

and school personnel. Requires “approval” to be complete. Reflects the courses that a student will

have access to through their high school, Access, Dual Enrollment, a CTE Center, and Articulation.

Reflects the student’s postsecondary options

The Alabama Career Planning System- Kuder

Step 1

A student participates in assessments of personal interest, skills, and abilities.

A student analyzes his/her individual results of the assessments of personal interests, skills, and abilities.

Interests and Aptitudes

Step 2

A student researches the connections from the analysis of personal skills, interests, and abilities to the workforce. By Cluster By pathway By Occupation

Results and Careers

Filter Options to Narrow Results

Occupations That Match Results and Filtered Selections

A Specific Occupation’s Information

Step 3

A student correlates personal preferences, education, and training with Workforce requirements to determine postsecondary needs.

Step 4

A student determines the available secondary educational course requirements and opportunities that will enhance his/her success in postsecondary education and in the workforce.

If there is a Problem with :

Registration of a student in Kuder school access codes not knowing what do to next getting summary reports getting individual student reportsContact Kuder Tech Support at:

877-999-6227Or

support@kuder.com

Why, When, What, and How of a Student’s Educational Plan

Why: Career Exploration and long range planning for students, K - PS

When: Career Development K – 12; Education Plan 8th grade and beyond is reviewed annually Grades 9-12

What: Outline of high school courses from a variety of sources that support the student’s career goal

How: Electronic format – Alabama Career Planning System (currently ACPS – Kuder)