“Plans provide a structured way for

students to gather, analyze, synthesize

and organize self, educational and
occupational information.
Norm Gysbers, 2004 ~

CLOSE-UP ON CAREER PLANNING

A Key Strategy for Advancing presented by:

the NLC* Vision

*National Leadership Cadre
 Away from Random Acts
of Guidance to…
… Integrated School Counseling

individualized
planning

NATIONAL
curriculum
LEADERSHIP
CADRE
Program Delivery
 Integrated Delivery of Career Planning
Develops Student Competencies in the
ACADEMIC DOMAIN
(Most relevant standards in red.
See handout for the complete list of competencies.)

 Standard A: Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge

and skills that contribute to effective learning in school
and across the life span.
 Standard B: Students will complete school with the
academic preparation essential to choose from a wide
NATIONAL range of substantial postsecondary options, including
college.
LEADERSHIP  Standard C: Students will understand the relationship of
CADRE academics to the world of work, and to life at home and in
the community.
 Integrated Delivery of Career Planning
Develops Student Competencies in the
CAREER DOMAIN
(Most relevant standards in red.
See handout for the complete list of competencies.)

 Standard A: Students will acquire the skills to

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

 Standard B: Students will employ strategies to

achieve future career goals with success and
NATIONAL
satisfaction.
LEADERSHIP
 Standard C: Students will understand the relationship
CADRE between personal qualities, education, training, and
the world of work.
 Integrated Delivery of Career Planning
Develops Student Competencies in the
PERSONAL/SOCIAL DOMAIN
(Most relevant standards in red.
See handout for the complete list of competencies.)

 Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge,

attitudes, and interpersonal skills to help them
understand and respect self and others.

 Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals

NATIONAL and take necessary action to achieve goals.

LEADERSHIP  Standard C: Students will understand safety and

survival skills.
CADRE
 Career Plan Definition
(found at http://www.umass.edu/schoolcounseling/NLC/index.htm)

A comprehensive, formalized written plan (that

learners use alone and with the help of others) that
relates learning to career goals. The plan is based
on both formal and informal assessments and
should include areas in which a learner needs to
NATIONAL increase knowledge and skills in order to reach
LEADERSHIP documented goals.

CADRE
 Career Plan Definition (cont.)

A career plan is designed to facilitate transition

from high school to future learning or
employment. It can be thought of as both an
instrument and a process for monitoring one’s
career development.
NATIONAL
LEADERSHIP
“Every student, every year, deserves at least 30 minutes of a caring adult’s
CADRE time to talk about their future career goals and dreams.”
~Richard Lapan, 2005~
 State Career Planning Models Are
Used in the Following NLC States

Idaho
Massachusetts

NATIONAL
LEADERSHIP
Missouri
CADRE Nebraska
 Idaho’s Career Plan Models

NATIONAL
LEADERSHIP
CADRE

This template can be found at http://www.pte.idaho.gov/guidance/career_clusters.htm

 Idaho’s Snapshot

1. Plans are the means by which students, counselors, teachers and

parents maintain an organized understanding of where the student is
and what needs to be done to accomplish his/her goals.
2. Sequential, well-structured activities and experiences are
coordinated by grade level to support career/life planning.
3. Students are responsible for organizing and planning information.
4. Students’ interests, talents, achievements and goals must be
NATIONAL reviewed with parents and school personnel.

LEADERSHIP 5. Planning is viewed as an integrated process documenting

acquisition of student information from a variety of sources (e.g.,
CADRE interest inventories, aptitude tests, computerized career information
assessments, achievement test results and grades).
 The Massachusetts
Career Plan Model

NATIONAL
LEADERSHIP
CADRE

This template and the checklist can be found at:

http://www.doe.mass.edu/cd/plan/resources
 A Massachusetts Snapshot
1. Career Plans are a Requirement for Students Enrolled in State Approved
Career/Vocational and Technical Education (CVTE) Programs:
“Career guidance shall be provided to each student and shall include assessment of all
vocational technical students to determine individual vocational technical and academic
aptitude, interest, and learning styles and assistance with the development of a career plan
based on the assessments.” (603CMR4.03 (4)(d))

“In order to qualify as a candidate for the Certificate of Occupational Proficiency […], a
student must possess a portfolio containing at a minimum a competency profile […], as well
as a career plan […].” (603CMR4.14)

NATIONAL 2. Many CVTE high schools use or modify the MA Career Plan Model
(found at http://www.doe.mass.edu/cd/resources/default.html)
LEADERSHIP
3. In 2005 - 2006 an advisory committee was convened to assist the
CADRE MADOE in establishing criteria for career planning implementation
(See slides 23-24).
 Missouri’s Personal Plan
of Study (note: under revision)

NATIONAL
LEADERSHIP
CADRE
For more info, contact
http://missouricareereducation.org/curr/cmd/guidanceplacementG/GLE.html
or http://dese.mo.gov/divcareered/career_plan
 A Missouri Snapshot
An individual planning system is in place (including
necessary forms and procedures) to assist all students in
developing their plans. Planning is initiated no later than
grade eight (8) and includes:
 Assessment activities
 Advisement activities
 Identification of long- and short-range
educational/career goals including a Personal Plan of
NATIONAL Study that is reviewed and revised annually
 Collaboration with parents/guardians
LEADERSHIP
 Individual Planning is enhanced through Missouri’s
CADRE web-based career/educational planning system, Missouri
Connections: www.missouriconnections.org
 Nebraska’s Career Plan Model

NATIONAL
LEADERSHIP
CADRE
 Nebraska’s Snapshot

1. The centerpiece of Nebraska’s career education guidance process

is the state’s Personal Learning Plan (PLP), a web-based tool
that is downloadable with an ID and password.
2. Students are required to review and revise their plans each year
with input from their school counselors and families.
3. Initial plans are developed in 7th grade and updated on a yearly
basis through the high school and the postsecondary years.
NATIONAL 4. Parents and school staff work together to assist students in
developing their plans and meeting their goals.
LEADERSHIP
5. The PLP process begins with a discussion of each student’s
CADRE current learning, earning and living goals per a discussion guide
found at www.NebraskaCareerConnections.org.
 Individual Student Planning
in the ASCA Model
“Individual student planning consists of school
counselors coordinating ongoing system activities to:
 Help individual students establish personal goals
and develop future plans;

 Help all students plan, monitor and manage their

learning;
NATIONAL  Help all students meet competencies in the areas of
academic, career and person/social development.”
LEADERSHIP
CADRE
 from the ASCA Model (cont.)

 “Within this component, students evaluate their

educational, occupational and personal goals.

 School counselors help students make the transition

from school to higher education.

 Activities are delivered on an individual basis or by

NATIONAL working with individuals in small groups or advisement
groups.
LEADERSHIP
 Parents/guardians and other school personnel are
CADRE included in planning activities.”
 Time Management is Critical

Calendars should be used to document: (1) student access and

participation levels and (2) the time school counselors spend on
delivery.

Recommended Time for Individual Planning

(based on ASCA’s recommended counselor to student ratio 1:250 maximum)
Elementary Middle
Delivery System High School
School % of School % of
NATIONAL Component
Time Time
% of Time

Curriculum 35-45% 25-35% 15-25%

LEADERSHIP
Responsive Services 30-40% 30-40% 25-35%
CADRE Individual Planning 5-10% 15-25% 25-35%
System Support 10-15% 10-15% 10-15%
 In several states, career planning is
a requirement

Idaho
Indiana
Kentucky
Massachusetts
Missouri
NATIONAL
Nebraska
LEADERSHIP New York
CADRE North Carolina
* Based on a 2007 survey of state guidance directors done by CSCOR (still underway)
 Requirements and
Monitoring in Idaho
Through the State Board Rules and Regulations
 …no later than the end of grade 8, all students will develop
parent-approved student learning plans for their high school
and post-high school options.
 The learning plan will be developed by students and
parents/guardians with advice and recommendation from
school personnel.
NATIONAL
 It will be reviewed annually and may be revised at any time.
LEADERSHIP  …[Idaho’s Division of Professional-Technical Education] has
CADRE worked to put together a vision of the process and the product
to meet the “heart of the rule”: the needs of the student.
 Requirements and
Monitoring in Massachusetts
Through the Coordinated Program Review process, districts
are monitored for compliance with federal and state
education requirements:
 If they have programs that meet the Perkins Act definition
of career & technical education and are of such size, scope
and quality to be effective, and receive Perkins allocation
funds (directly or indirectly, including Tech Prep).
NATIONAL  Staff from the CVTE unit, together with any necessary
outside consultants, conduct the CVTE portion of the
LEADERSHIP Coordinated Program Review.
CADRE
 MA’s CVTE Career Plan
Monitoring Criteria*
There must be evidence that:

1. students annually evaluate their chosen career pathway;

2. students are responsible for developing and managing their career

plans;

3. students have opportunities to tailor their CVTE program goals

based on all aspects of the industry;

4. students develop their plans with assistance from school

NATIONAL counselors and others (e.g., teachers, employers, peer mentors) and
special education teachers when applicable;
LEADERSHIP
5. parents/guardians approve students’ plans and plan updates;
CADRE 6. students use multiple assessment results in goal setting and
planning (e.g., MCAS, Accuplacer, PSAT, competency checklists,
career assessments, exploratory program results);
 MA’s Career Plan Criteria (cont.)
7. students select academic/technical courses based on their
career pathway, postsecondary requirements and
achievement record;
8. students establish short and long term goals in planning for
postsecondary education/training (including registered
apprenticeship programs) and future employment;
9. students document and consider their extracurricular
accomplishments and life experiences in goal setting and
planning;
NATIONAL
10. staff assisting students and parents in the interpretation of
LEADERSHIP assessment results are qualified; and
CADRE 11. students review and update their career plans at least twice
a year.
*(to be used by MADOE in monitoring CVTE in FY 08 )
 Requirements and
Monitoring in Missouri
The Missouri School Improvement Standards and Indicators
require that all students have a Personal Plan of Study
developed no later than 8th grade.
 Monitoring occurs through the Missouri School
Improvement Review by which schools report to the
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education compliance. Schools not meeting AYP
performance standards are eligible for an onsite review.
NATIONAL
 The Department works with schools as needed to provide
LEADERSHIP any assistance in the implementation of the Individual
Planning Process.
CADRE
 Requirements and
Monitoring in Nebraska
Through the State Accreditation Process

 A Personal Learning Plan for all students grades 7-12 is

being proposed as a new Nebraska School Accreditation
Rule.

 Nebraska’s new accreditation rules (Rule 10) are

currently in negotiation between Commissioner of
Education and the Governor. The State Board of
NATIONAL Education has already approved them, before sending
them to the Governor.
LEADERSHIP
CADRE  Schools will need to assure/provide evidence that they
are implementing PLP for all students in order to get
accredited by the state.
 A Final Note on Career Planning

The goal is for students’ plans to become pathways or guides

through which students can use the past and present to
anticipate and prepare for the future.
NATIONAL
~Norm Gysbers, 2004~
LEADERSHIP
CADRE