§2925. Individual graduation plans

A.(1) By the end of the eighth grade, every student, with the assistance of his parent or other legal custodian and school counselor, and for a student with an exceptionality as defined in R.S. 17:1942(B), 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. The plan shall be reviewed annually and updated as necessary to identify the courses to be taken each year until all required core courses are completed.

(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 other legal custodian 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 and shall be reviewed annually and updated or revised as needed.

(4) The Individual Graduation Plan shall be sufficiently flexible to allow the student to 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 signed by the student, his parent or other legal custodian, and the school counselor.

B. To provide a foundation for the development of the Individual Graduation Plan, schools shall 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 decision making process and may include job shadowing, job mentoring, and job internships.

Acts 2009, No. 257, §1, eff. July 1, 2009; Acts 2014, No. 643, §1; Acts 2014, No. 833, §1; Acts 2017, No. 97, §1.