(a) Student performance at the advanced proficiency/honors level on any assessments required for purposes of high school graduation shall be recognized as:

(1) Meeting postsecondary entrance test requirements; and

(2) Qualifying students to enroll in credit-bearing postsecondary coursework in accordance with policies and requirements established by the State Board of Education, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia.

(b) Secondary and postsecondary credit shall be awarded immediately upon successful completion of any articulated or dual enrollment course in accordance with policies and requirements established by the State Board of Education, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia.

(c) (1) Students in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades shall be provided counseling, advisement, career awareness, career interest and career demand inventories, and information to assist them in evaluating their academic skills, career oriented aptitudes, and career interests. Before the end of the second semester of the eighth grade, students shall develop an individual graduation plan based on their academic skills, career oriented aptitudes, and career interests in consultation with their parents, guardians, or individuals appointed by the parents or guardians to serve as their designee. A student's individual graduation plan shall be taken into consideration when scheduling a student's courses in ninth grade. High school students shall be provided guidance, advisement, and counseling annually that will enable them to successfully update and implement their individual graduation plans, preparing them for a seamless transition to postsecondary study, further training, or employment, including information regarding occupations, degrees, industry credentials, certifications, and technical skills; work-ready skills in demand by Georgia employers through the department's career pipeline website; and other career related inventories made available through the Technical College System of Georgia or the Office of Student Achievement. Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, such guidance, advisement, and counseling for high school students shall include providing career oriented aptitude and career interest guidance. An individual graduation plan shall:

(A) Include rigorous academic core subjects and focused coursework in mathematics and science or in humanities, fine arts, and foreign language or sequenced career pathway coursework;

(B) Incorporate provisions of a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP), where applicable;

(C) Align educational and broad career goals and a student's course of study;

(D) Be based on the student's selected academic and career focus area as approved by the student's parent or guardian;

(E) Include experience based, career oriented learning experiences which may include, but not be limited to, participation in work based learning programs such as internships, apprenticeships, cooperative education, and employability skill development;

(F) Include any applicable industry credentialing that pertains to the student's focused program of study;

(G) Include opportunities for postsecondary studies through articulation, dual enrollment, and joint enrollment;

(H) Be flexible to allow change in the course of study but be sufficiently structured to meet graduation requirements and qualify the student for admission to postsecondary education; and

(I) Be approved by the student and the student's parent or guardian with guidance from the student's school counselor or teacher adviser.

(2) An individual graduation plan shall be reviewed annually, and revised, if appropriate, upon approval by the student and the student's parent or guardian with guidance from the student's school counselor or teacher adviser. An individual graduation plan may be changed at any time throughout a student's high school career upon approval by the student and the student's parent or guardian with guidance from the student's school counselor or teacher adviser.

(3) The General Assembly finds that school counselors help students focus on academic, career, social, and emotional development so that students can achieve success in school and be prepared to lead fulfilling lives as responsible members of society. The Department of Education shall review each school counselor's role, workload, and program service delivery in grades six through 12. Such review shall include the scope of school counselor professional learning and annual school counselor evaluation instruments. The Department of Education shall provide a report of its findings to the State Board of Education and the General Assembly by December 31, 2018, that includes recommendations for counselor improvements to ensure student success in academic skills, career oriented aptitudes, and career interests. This paragraph shall stand repealed on December 31, 2018.