The High School and Beyond Plan is a graduation requirement for every student. It's a tool for students, parents, and teachers to guide students through high school and think about their future. Plans are personalized and designed to help students set, visualize, and work to achieve goals.
Each student plan should be reviewed annually at the beginning of the school year to assess student progress, to adjust the plan if necessary and to advise the student on steps for successful completion of the plan. Whether the student has met requirements for the High School and Beyond Plan is determined by the district.
The High School and Beyond Plan is a state graduation requirement. Each student must have a High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) to guide the student's high school experience and prepare the student for postsecondary education or training and career (ESHB 2224, Chapter 31, Laws of 2017). Students start their plan in seventh or eighth grade and then continue to revise them throughout high school to accommodate changing interests or educational and career goals.
The High School and Beyond Plan may provide students with the opportunity to explore their own skills and interests and discover potential career and educational options. This personalized plan helps to connect career interests with courses and courses with career pathways or college majors. The plan helps students identify the steps needed to reach postsecondary goals. Students should be encouraged to take ownership over their high school experience and choose coursework and activities that are relevant to their goals. The High School and Beyond Plan also provides a means of tracking requirements for graduation from high school and entry into postsecondary programs and careers.
Each student shall have a high school and beyond plan to guide his or her high school experience, including plans for post-secondary education or training and career. School districts are encouraged to involve parents and guardians in the process and development and updating the High School and Beyond Plan. A best practice would be to update the plan at least once a year, with the involvement of the parents or guardians.
ESHB 2224 (2017): "School districts are encouraged to involve parents and guardians in the process of developing and updating the High School and Beyond Plan."
E2SSB 6552 (2014): "The content of the third credit of mathematics and the content of the third credit of science must be chosen by the student based on the student's interest and high school and beyond plan with agreement of the student's parents or guardian or agreement of the school counselor or principal.