“How to Guide” to Support School Implementation of Individualized Learning Plans

• In Event: Translating Career Development Policy Into School Practice: National Perspective on Using Individualized Learning Plans

Abstract

Perspective & Significance
Resnick (2010) indicated in order to effectively support school reform efforts, educators need to know what and how. “What” refers to the pedagogy associated with the new practice strategy and “how” refers to learning the curriculum that will effectively delivery the new practice strategy. The pedagogy associated with engaging in ILPs relates to how they are expected to create a personalized environment where students are encouraged by adults to explore their career interests and then align their course selections to help them achieve future goals. What has been missing is ILP curriculum that school counselors can rely on, especially when engaged in whole school implementation of ILPs.

Purpose
This presentation introduces a “How To Guide” focusing on ILPs that was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.

Methods
In order to develop a How To Guide that was useful to school counselors, focus group discussions were held with 14 schools in four states to learn about their ILP curriculum needs, a national search of free and fee based resource was conducted over a one-year period, and five months were devoted to vetting the Guide with schools who tried out various parts of the curriculum and modifications to the Guide were made based on their feedback.

Findings
The presentation will describe the “How To Guide” for ILPs that was designed to provide school counselors with links to free-access curriculum organized around three themes: self-exploration, career exploration, and career planning and management. The Guide also describes strategies for gaining school buy-in from various educators including school counselor peers, career and tech education coordinators, special education administrators, and teachers. The final section offers a compendium of other free and fee based services and products, including a list of online career information systems and complementary intervention programs.

Author

• Taryn M. Williams, U.S. Department of Labor