§ 17:2925 — Individual graduation plans

§2925. Individual graduation plans
A.(1) By the end of the eighth grade, every student, with the assistance of his parent
or legal guardian and school counselor, and for a student with an exceptionality as defined
in R.S. 17:1942, except a student identified as gifted or talented and who has no other
exceptionality, the student's Individualized Education Program team, if applicable, shall
begin to develop an Individual Graduation Plan to guide the next academic year's course
work and to assist the student in exploring educational and career possibilities and in making
appropriate secondary and postsecondary education decisions as part of an overall
postsecondary plan.
(2) By the end of the eighth grade, each student's Individual Graduation Plan or the
student's Individualized Education Program, if applicable, shall list the required core courses
to be taken through the tenth grade and shall identify the courses to be taken in the first year
of high school. Students who fail to meet the standard for promotion to the ninth grade,
pursuant to policies adopted by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education,
shall have any necessary remedial courses included in their Individual Graduation Plan.
(3) By the end of the tenth grade, each student's Individual Graduation Plan, based
on the student's academic record, talents, and interests, shall outline high school graduation
requirements relevant to the student's chosen postsecondary goals. Each student, with the
assistance of his parent or legal guardian and school counselor, shall choose the high school
curriculum framework and related graduation requirements that best meet his postsecondary
goals. Each student's Individual Graduation Plan or the student's Individualized Education
Program, if applicable, shall include the recommended sequence of courses for successful
completion of a standard diploma.
(4) The Individual Graduation Plan shall be sufficiently flexible to allow the student
to, with the written approval of a parent or legal guardian, change his program of study, yet
be sufficiently structured to ensure that the student will meet the high school graduation
requirements for his chosen major or the requirements of the student's Individualized
Education Program, if applicable, and be qualified for admission to a postsecondary
education institution or to enter the workforce.
(5) Each student's Individual Graduation Plan shall be reviewed annually and revised
as necessary to identify the courses to be taken each year until all required core courses are
completed.
(6) Upon completion of the review, the plan shall be signed by the student, his parent
or legal guardian, and the school counselor.
(7) Prior to revising a student's Individual Graduation Plan, the school counselor
shall meet with the student's parent or legal guardian either in person or virtually to explain
the possible impacts the revisions to the plan might have on the student's graduation
requirements and postsecondary education goals. Any revisions to a student's plan shall be
approved in writing by the student's parent or legal guardian.
B. To provide a foundation for the development of the Individual Graduation Plan,
schools shall:
(1) Provide career awareness and exploration activities to all students in grades six
through eight that create linkages between what a student does in school and what he wants
to achieve in life. Such activities shall include career interest inventories and information to
assist them in the career decisionmaking process and may include job shadowing, job
mentoring, and job internships.
(2) Hold an informational meeting for the parents and legal guardians of students
enrolled in eighth through twelfth grade to provide information regarding graduation
requirements and curriculum choices. The meeting shall be held in conjunction with the
scheduling of courses for the next academic year. Notice of the meeting shall be made
through available means of communication, including the school's automatic call system.
C.(1) When developing and reviewing his Individual Graduation Plan, the student
shall be provided information developed by Louisiana Works regarding the top twenty high-demand jobs, in the state and in the student's region, with the highest typical annual salary.
(2) The student shall be shown how to access information on Louisiana Works'
website for the listed jobs and other high-demand, high-wage jobs and shown how to find
educational programs offered in Louisiana that qualify the student for such jobs.

Legislative History

Acts 2009, No. 257, §1, eff. July 1, 2009; Acts 2014, No. 643, §1; Acts 2014, No. 833, §1; Acts 2017, No. 97, §1; Acts 2020, No. 238, §1, eff. June 11, 2020; Acts 2021, No. 458, §1, eff. June 23, 2021; Acts 2022, No. 374, §1.