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Individualized Learning Plans How-to Guide

This guide is designed for schools, educators, and other professionals who assist youth with college and career readiness and transition planning. This guide was developed in response to feedback from schools indicating a need for curriculum and implementation guidelines to support whole-school buy-in for implementing individualized learning plans (ILPs). A key goal of the guide is to help schools develop a bridge between college and career readiness efforts through the use of ILPs and help youth achieve prosperous and productive lives. The career development activities and resources in this guide are also useful for youth service professionals in the workforce development system.

 

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Promoting Quality Individualized Learning Plans: A “How to Guide” Focused on the High School Years

February 2013

Authors:

V. Scott Solberg, PhD, Boston University

Joan Wills and David S. Osman, Institute for Educational Leadership

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 

PREFACE

How to Use This Guide

  • Organization of the Report
  • Criteria for Selecting and Assessing the Materials

SECTION I: CURRICULA SUPPORTING IMPLEMENTATION OF INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING PLANS

SELF-EXPLORATION – Who Am I

  • Sample ILP Activities
  • State-Based Self-Exploration Related ILP Resources to Consider
  • Assessment Tools for Helping Students Engage in Self-Exploration

CAREER EXPLORATION – What Are My Options?

  • Sample ILP Activities
  • State-Based Career Exploration Related ILP Resources to Consider
  • National Open-Access, Web-Based Career Exploration and Labor Market Information Resources
  • Open Access Websites for Industry Sectors
  • State Open Access Resources for Career Exploration and Labor Market Information

CAREER PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT – What Do I Need To Do Now?

SECTION II: STRATEGIES FOR GAINING WHOLE- SCHOOL BUY-IN

SECTION III: MAKING IT HAPPEN: DEVELOPING AND MONITORING ILP IMPLEMENTATION

  • Creating a Whole-School Plan for Implementing a Grade Level Curriculum in Support of ILPs
  • Creating a Professional Learning Community Focused on ILPs
  • Using a Project Management System
  • Facilitating School-Wide Discussions Using the Guideposts for Success
  • Tracking ILP Progress and Outcomes

SECTION IV: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

  • Commercially Available Products
    • Curriculum
    • Online Career Information Systems
    • Assessment Inventories
  • More National and State Sponsored OPen Access, Web-based Resources
  • Industry Sponsored Websites
  • Work-readiness Credentials
  • Family Engagement
  • Connecting to Other Youth Planning Processes

APPENDIX - Glossary

 

Acknowledgements 

This document was developed by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, (NCWD/Youth), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (Grant Number #OD-16519-07-75-4-11).

The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the grantee and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Labor. 

Information on NCWD/Youth can be found at www.ncwd-youth.info. 

Information about the Office of Disability Employment Policy can be found at www.dol.gov/odep.  

Information is also available at www.disability.gov, the comprehensive federal website of disability-related government resources. 

Individuals may reproduce any part of this document please credit the source and support of federal funds. Suggested citation for this guide is as follows:

Wills, J., Solberg, V. S., & Osman, D. (2012). Promoting quality individualized learning plans: A “how to guide” focused on the high school years.  Washington, DC: National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, Institute for Educational Leadership.

ISBN 1-933493-42-9

At the time of printing, every possible effort was made to compile accurate and up-to-date website information and to only include websites and web-based materials that are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Internet information changes frequently. Neither NCWD/Youth nor ODEP endorses, approves, certifies, or controls these external sites or any commercial product or service referenced herein, and therefore does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, efficacy, or timeliness of information found. 

The authors are grateful to the many individuals and organizations that contributed to the development of this publication. Many thanks to the schools that participated in the Individualized Learning Plan Research and Demonstration project including: Anacoco High School and Parkway High School in Louisiana; Bernalillo High School and Las Cruces High School in New Mexico; Fort Dorchester High School, Gilbert High School, Goose Creek High School, and Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School in South Carolina; and Chelan High School, Grandview High School, Mt. Spokane High School, Options High School, and Timberline High School in Washington.

Special thanks to the following organizations and their members for reviewing and providing feedback on the vetting draft: the American School Counselor Association; the Council of Chief State School Officers; the National Association of State Directors of Special Education; the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals; the National Career Development Association; and the National Youth Employment Coalition.

The authors also appreciate the support of Jennifer Kemp and Taryn Mackenzie Williams at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy for their input on the development of this guide and early drafts. Thanks to Mindy Larson and Curtis Richards at the Institute for Educational Leadership's Center for Workforce Development for their assistance throughout this process.

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