Individualized Learning Plan

What is an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP)?

An indiv Image of a young man looking at a drawing of future goals including a house, job, and car idualized learning plan (ILP) is a tool that students in secondary school use – with support from school counselors and parents – to define their personal interests and goals related to their career and postsecondary education and to plan what courses to take and what activities to participate in during high school to further their interests and achieve their goals.

Many states have adopted policies that require all high school students to develop and maintain an individualized learning plan in order to make schools more personalized and improve student outcomes.

The Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy further defines ILPs, referred to as Student Learning Plans, as “student-driven planning and monitoring tools that provide opportunities to identify postsecondary goals, explore college and career options and develop the skills necessary to be autonomous, self-regulated learners” (Rennie Center, 2011).

Research indicates that access to quality career guidance activities through ILPs increases student engagement in planning their college and career futures, academic motivation, and decision-making and personal accountability skills. Teachers, guidance counselors and family members play key roles as students develop their ILPs.

Read the ILP Fact Sheet for more details.