Massachusetts Guide for Implementing Individual Learning Plans (ILP)
Massachusetts Guide for Implementing Individual Learning Plans (ILP)
Preparing ALL Students for Success after High School
Massachusetts Guide for Implementing Individual Learning Plans (ILP)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1
WHAT IS AN INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PLAN? 2
PURPOSE OF THE GUIDE 2
THE ILP INSTRUMENT AND PROCESS 3
ILP Instrument 3
ILP Process 4
WHO IS INVOLVED? 5
WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE ILP PROCESS AND INSTRUMENT? 6
WHAT ARE SOME ILP IMPLEMENTATION BEST PRACTICES? 9
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF DISTRICT AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP? 10
HOW DOES THE ILP CONNECT TO DISTRICT AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT? 11
HOW DOES THE ILP CONNECT TO OTHER STUDENT PLANS? 11
Education Proficiency Plan (EPP) 11
Career Vocational Technical Education Career Plan (Career Plan) 12
Special Education Individualized Education Program (IEP) and Transition Planning Form (TPF) 13
Individual Student Success Plan (ISSP) 14
Title I Programs, Services, and Required Documentation 15
RESOURCES 16
Massachusetts Resources 16
National Resources 17
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 19
TOOL 1: Sample ILP Instrument 20
TOOL 2: ILP Implementation Self-Assessments 35
INTRODUCTION
In June 2012, the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education adopted the Report and recommendations of the Task Force for the Integration of College and Career Readiness (ICCR) and charged the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) to map a path forward for realizing the goal of preparing all students for “Success After High School.”
In a 21st century economy, our students will need to pursue some postsecondary education to successfully navigate most careers that they may choose. However, accessing postsecondary education is only the first step toward success. Success after high school also includes completion of postsecondary education and/or training, attainment of a career that provides a family sustaining wage, and support for informed citizenship in our global economy.
A key statement in the ICCR report is the recognition that achieving success after high school entails more than academic preparation:
“…academic preparation as a prerequisite for success following high school graduation is an essential domain of secondary education. Yet we are increasingly aware that personal and social developments as well as workplace readiness are also of paramount importance in a young person’s K-12 education.”
Building from the ICCR Task Force recommendations, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Board of Higher Education approved a new definition of college and career readiness for Massachusetts. Voting on the definition marks the first time that the two boards overseeing the state's K-12 and higher education systems have partnered in formal agreement on what it means for all students to be future ready. The definition sends a clear, unified message to educators, students, parents, and employers about our expectations and the level of preparation and performance that signals a student's readiness for college and careers.
How does a student know what careers are possible and appropriate for him/her? How do they know what it takes to make that possibility a reality? What role does the school play in guiding and supporting students in achieving their goals? How can parents influence and support their children in achieving their goals? What physical, social, and emotional supports are available to students who have risk factors (e.g., homeless, low income, poor school attendance, language barriers, disabilities, etc.) that may hinder their academic and professional success? What role can/should the community play? And finally, how/where do we capture all the planning?
WHAT IS AN INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PLAN?
The Individual Learning Plan (ILP) is a student-directed, multi-year, dynamic tool that maps academic plans, personal/social growth, and career development activities while taking into account the student’s unique, self-defined interests, needs, and goals for the attainment of postsecondary success.
ILP implementation supports district and school goals such as completion of the MassCore program of study, increasing student attendance and engagement, and increasing high school graduation rates.
The ILP is intended for ALL students beginning in sixth grade and can be thought of as both an instrument and a process to engage students in planning while simultaneously deepening their understanding of the relevance of course selections and learning opportunities (in and out of school) aligned with their career interests, postsecondary education/training, and attainment of career and life goals. As an instrument, an ILP provides a place to organize and record progress related to academic, personal/social, and career development information. As a process, it encourages students to set realistic goals based on individual interests and strengths while identifying actions necessary to achieve those goals. The ILP process promotes relevant communication between students, school staff, parents, and other influential adults. The ILP process also supports school and district improvement efforts to be responsive to students’ interests and needs.
PURPOSE OF THE GUIDE
The Department created this Guide in response to inquiries from schools and districts regarding the implementation and use of Individual Learning Plans (ILPs). Implementation of ILPs is optional and the information presented here is intended as guidance for a comprehensive implementation plan. While district-wide implementation is the ideal, districts may choose to start small, e.g., by implementing ILPs in one school, piloting ILPs with one grade, or starting ILP implementation within existing structures such as Advisory periods. Lessons learned from a modest start may inform and improve implementation as district-wide roll out continues.
Regardless of how a district chooses to implement ILP’s – district-wide or on a smaller scale – the following are essential tenets for ILP success:
1. The ILP is student-driven: the student’s self-defined goals and unique interests guide the plan for academic, personal/social, and workplace readiness skill attainment.
2. Every student has at least one key adult (i.e. mentor) on the school staff, typically referred to as his/her school mentor to encourage, to support, and to guide ILP progression.
3. Short- and long-term goal setting is included and is based on the student’s self-identified interests and strengths.
4. The school or district selects at least one system (online and/or paper) as the instrument(s) to track the student’s ILP development over time.
5. Professional development provides staff with clear objectives, role definitions, and strategies to ensure appropriate and successful supports to students and to promote quality school-wide implementation
The ILP is for ALL students. Special education services for students with disabilities are provided through the federally mandated Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The ILP is different from but closely related and complementary with the transition planning that students receiving special education services are required to incorporate into the IEP beginning at age 14.
The following are the main sections of this guide:
· The ILP instrument and process
· Who is involved?
· What should be included in the ILP?
· What are some ILP implementation best practices?
· What is the role of school and district leadership?
· How does the ILP connect with district and school improvement plans?
· How does the ILP connect to other student plans?
· Resources and Acknowledgements
· Tools: 1) Sample ILP Instrument and 2) ILP Self-Assessments
THE ILP INSTRUMENT AND PROCESS
ILP Instrument
The ILP is most often documented through an online planning tool such as Your Plan for the Future, Naviance, MassCIS, or Career Cruising. It is a district leadership decision to identify the tool that will best meet the needs of their student population to plan for success after high school. The instrument maps the student’s journey across the three college and career readiness domains: academic, personal/social, and workplace readiness. The ILP instrument captures students’ goals, their past and present experiences, and their next steps/actions to move towards their goals. The ILP instrument also captures information from the ILP process (described below) which includes but is not limited to:
· The student’s interests, strengths, and potential barriers across the academic, personal/social, and workplace readiness domains
· The student’s short and long term academic, personal, and career goals
· Course selections, grades, supports and interventions, assessment results, capstone projects, and/or portfolios
· Participation in career awareness, exploration, and immersion activities
· Career interest survey results
· Results of participation in postsecondary education search and planning to identify level of postsecondary education required (e.g., certificate, associate degree, or bachelor degree) for identified career interest
· Out of school activities that promote student independence and learning such as completing driver’s education and earning a driver’s license, paid employment, volunteer experiences, or engaging in community service opportunities not connected to school
· Concrete next steps across the academic, personal/social, and workplace readiness domains
ILP Process
The ILP process empowers students to take responsibility for their future success. This multi-year process is designed to increase a student’s understanding of the connection and relevance of what they do now to their future plans. Key information from the ILP process is captured in the ILP instrument. Beginning with activities such as a career interest survey and identification of field(s) of interest, a student learns to make course selections, extra-curricular choices, and engage in career development education activities that will support their preparation for postsecondary goals. Students have the opportunity to discuss choices and options in the academic domain, share experiences and gain guidance with personal/social issues, and access direction and experiences for workplace readiness. For example, a student whose career interest survey indicates “communications” as their primary field of interest can then have a conversation with their school mentor about the opportunities they currently have or could pursue to build their communications skills. Through this conversation, this student may come to see the value of a writing course for English credit and go on to join a debate or public speaking club, or start a blog as another personal growth and career-enhancing option.
As a process, the ILP engages students in identifying personal strengths and weaknesses to achieve the academic, personal/social, and workplace readiness skills necessary for future success. This process also allows students to give voice to barriers and needs both inside and outside of the school building that may interfere with the skill attainment noted above. A student who is homeless worries each day about where he/she will sleep each night lessening the ability to concentrate on school priorities. Being allowed to acknowledge these concerns and working with a school mentor may help mitigate the complexities of these situations by connecting the student to appropriate school and community resources. The ILP process can also help the student to better identify how personal and academic barriers may influence and inform postsecondary goals and concrete action plans.
The ILP process recognizes a student’s growth over time. Once students begin to identify career interests, the ILP enables them to become aware of the school courses and career development education opportunities needed to pursue their self-defined goals. As the student matures, the ILP will change to reflect the students improved goal-setting, decision-making, and self-advocacy skills. For example, in the early years of planning a student may state a desire to attend a famous private four year college to become a journalist. But, as time progresses, goals may shift and reflect the student’s maturity and improved decision-making skills to revise their original goal and plan to attend a public college or university in order to graduate with minimum debt.
Finally, the ILP process is an opportunity for school and district improvement. By engaging students in this process, schools may refine what is being offered (e.g., classes, programming, schedules, etc.) to be more responsive to student needs and career interests. For example, students pursuing careers in health related fields may need an Anatomy and Physiology course as a prerequisite for college admissions. With an increase in the number of students needing this course, a school may respond by offering the course to meet those needs.
WHO IS INVOLVED?
The ILP process is a collaborative effort involving the student, parent/guardian or other influential adult indentified by the student, and staff (not limited to counselors) at the school and district levels.
Student: All students develop and maintain their ILPs with direction and support from family and school personnel. The ILP instrument is confidential and while the school mentor will have access to the student’s full ILP, the student can designate who and to what degree other adults may have access to it. Students develop an understanding of the purpose, process, and importance of the ILP for designing their learning plans. With guidance from students’ school mentor, concrete activities are identified to enhance postsecondary planning. The students engage in self-reflection and hone their decision-making skills, refining goals and aspirations throughout this process. Finally, students create a realistic plan for success after high school taking into account their interests, strengths, challenges, and barriers.
Families: The ILP presents an opportunity for parents, guardians, and/or other concerned adults identified by the student to support and advocate for him/her. The ILP process can be an opportunity for conversations between a child and those identified adult supporters about the student’s dreams, choices, learning needs, and goals.
School staff: School leaders set the vision and ensure adequate time and resources are available to implement ILPs with fidelity. Every student will have a school mentor (e.g., teacher, administrator, counselor) to assist in the ILP development. The school mentor provides guidance and support as the student seeks out learning experiences that align with his/her unique interests and goals, accesses career development opportunities, and identifies an appropriate postsecondary pathway. In addition, all teachers and other school staff can use aggregate data from students’ ILPs (not just the students they mentor) to identify additional experiences to support students’ learning, including appropriate course selection, career development activities, and clubs.
District staff: Central office administrators are responsible for communicating the importance of ILP development to schools. The district can support the vision of whole school buy-in through development of policies for ILP implementation and monitoring of its effectiveness. Furthermore, the district supports the ILP implementation by providing adequate resources such as professional development, access to technology, time for meeting individually with students, and time for appropriate planning and implementation in order to support all students, including high needs students.