High School and Beyond Plan

Aligning HSBPs with IEPs

The Guidelines for Aligning HSBPs and IEP Transition Plans provide information so that students can have a comprehensive plan in place that addresses the student’s needs and meets all federal, state, and local requirements for graduation.

Contact Information

Jill Diehl
High School and Beyond Plan 
Program Supervisor
360-878-4086
 

    High School and Beyond Plans (HSBP) are a state graduation requirement designed to support students’ career and college exploration throughout their secondary education experience. Students must have a HSBP to guide their course choices and document their progress and achievement to prepare for postsecondary education or training and careers (RCW 28A.230.090). Students start their plan in seventh or eighth grade by taking a career interest and/or skill inventory and using those results to inform their eighth-grade course choices. Students will continue to revise their plan throughout middle and high school to accommodate changing interests and educational or career goals. The HSBP helps to connect students’ career interests with their courses, and their courses with career pathways or college majors. The plan helps students identify the steps needed to reach postsecondary goals.

    During the 2023 legislative session, Engrossed Second Substitute Bill (ESSB) 5243 concerning High School and Beyond Planning was passed and signed into law. This bill requires OSPI to facilitate a transition to a statewide universal online HSBP platform.

    This page will serve as a resource for the most up-to-date information on the work OSPI is conducting to implement ESSB 5243 including upcoming opportunities for engagement and feedback.

    The Statewide HSBP Platform Survey Closed on March 8

    Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey and let their voice be heard! Survey responses will provide data on the specific platform features and functions that are most important to Washington stakeholders. Statewide feedback collected from students, staff, families, and community members will inform OSPI selection of the best finalist platform and vendor partner for implementation of SB 5243. OSPI is grateful to each individual who contributed to this phase of the selection process by taking the survey and to all of the statewide partners who shared the survey within their networks and regions of the state!

    ESSB 5243 Statewide Universal Platform

    Universal Online HSBP Platform: New State Laws

    • RCW 28A.230.212 High School and Beyond Plans – Substantive requirements
    • RCW 28A.230.215 High School and Beyond Plans – Universal Online Platform

    The State Board of Education anticipates having new WAC rules in place by December 2023. Those links will also be posted here once the process is complete.

    HSBP Resources

    For District & School Leaders

    For Students, Families, & School Staff

    Universal Online HSBP Platform: Implementation Timeline

    This timeline describes the internal and external processes, and anticipated due dates, for steps that will be taken to implement ESSB 5243 and transition to a universal online HSBP platform across Washington State.

    June – August 2023, Request for Proposals (RFP)

    • June 6 – June 16, Statewide HSBP Function Feedback Survey
    • June 23, Compile HSBP Function Feedback Survey data for Request for Proposals (RFP)
    • August 21, Approval of RFP
    • August 30, RFP Pre-bid conference for vendors to ask questions
      • See posted Q&A and video on this webpage for more detailed information

    September – January 2024, Legislative Report #1 Due by January 1, 2024

    • September, Convene internal and external partner meetings
    • October 2, RFP responses due
    • October 2 – 10, Evaluate RFP responses with internal and external partners
    • October 11 – 13, Develop Synopsis of vendors’ RFP responses
    • October 16 – 27, Draft Legislative Report #1
    • October 30, Submit Legislative Report #1 for OSPI review and approval
    • December 15, Legislative Report #1 sent to Governor, Legislature, and posted to the OSPI website

    January – June 2024, Legislative Report #2 Due by June 1, 2024

    • January 5, Develop feedback process, rubric, and tools for vendor selection
    • January 8 – February 16, Convene stakeholder opportunities to gather feedback
    • March 1, Create synopsis of stakeholder feedback
    • March 4, Share synopsis of stakeholder feedback with Selection Committee (comprised of entities named in ESSB 5243)
    • March 11 – 22, Convene Selection Committee to select vendor
    • March 25 – April 19, Draft Legislative Report #2
    • April 22, Submit Legislative Report #2 for OSPI review and approval
    • May 31, Legislative Report #2 sent to Governor, Legislature, and posted to the OSPI website

    June – October 2024, Legislative Report #3 Due by October 1, 2024

    • June 3 – July 12, Work with vendor to develop a final implementation plan
    • July 12, Vendor’s final implementation plan and cost estimate due
    • July 15 – August 9, Draft Legislative Report #3
    • August 12, Submit Legislative Report #3 for OSPI review and approval
    • October 1, Legislative Report #3 sent to Governor, Legislature, and posted to the OSPI website

    Beyond October 2024

    • Dependent on vendor’s plan and continued funding for implementation
    Universal Online HSBP Platform: Implementation Partners

    External Team (Named or Referenced in ESSB 5243; see RCW 28A.230.215 (6))

    • The Washington State Board of Education (SBE)
    • Educators/Washington Education Association (WEA)
    • School Administrators/Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP)
    • District Administrators/Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA)
    • School Counselors/Washington School Counselor Association (WSCA)
    • Career Counseling Specialists/ Washington Association for Career Counseling and Employment Readiness (WA-CCER)
    • Families/Washington State Parent Teacher Association (WSPTA)
    • Students
    • Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC)
    • 4-Year Colleges Representative
    • 2-Year Colleges Representative
    • Community Partners who Support Career and College Readiness
    • Education Service Districts (ESD)
    • Ready Washington (ReadyWA)
    • The Washington Council for High School-College Relations (WCHSCR)
    • Washington STEM (WA-STEM)
    • Stand for Children

    Internal OSPI Team (listed by Department)

    • Career & Technical Education
    • Elementary School Counseling
    • Foster Care
    • Government Relations
    • Graduation and Pathway Preparation
    • Institutional Education Information
    • Learning Options
    • Migrant and Multilingual Education
    • Native Education
    • Operations Project Policy Strategy
    • Secondary Education Content
    • Special Education

    Additional External Partners

    • Financial Education Public-Private Partnership (FEPPP)
    • Washington State Council of Presidents (COP)
    • Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC)
    • Washington State Legislature
    • More coming soon . . .

    Individual volunteers

    Student Learning Plan

    Student Learning Plans (SLP) are developed to both inform and guide students and parents regarding the respective role of the school, parents, and the student to systematically plan and monitor student academic success. Educators work with the student and the family to facilitate two-way communication and cooperative efforts to support the child’s success. Learning plans address individual needs with a step-by-step plan and results-focused activities designed to help students meet the state’s learning standards and stay on time for graduation.

    In 2010, the legislation (ESSB 6604) revised the statute regarding the student learning plans. Only 8th grade students who did not make satisfactory progress on the 7th grade state assessment are required to have a student learning plan.

    SLP Samples

    The following SLP sample templates were developed to help school districts conceptualize what a plan may look like. Schools and districts are encouraged to come up with a system and plan that best fits their students, school culture, and community uniqueness while still maintaining legislative requirements.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Who is required to have a plan?

    SLPs must be prepared for all students in 8th grade who were not successful on any or all of the content areas of the Smarter Balanced ELA and math during the previous year (7th grade) or who may not be on track due to academic deficiencies or absences. SLPs are maintained until the student meets standards on the Smarter Balanced ELA and math or Smarter Balanced retakes.

    Grade 8: Parents and legal guardians will be notified annually (at least) about the information in the SLP. To the extent possible, the information will be translated into the primary language of the family. The learning plan will include

    • Smarter Balanced ELA and math results
    • English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA21) scores, if the student is in a bilingual program
    • Academic deficiencies
    • Attendance rates over the previous two years

    It should be noted that the plan does not move forward as the student enters high school. Connecting the SLP to planning for the student’s High School & Beyond Plan enables a seamless transition to 9th grade.

    When do the plans have to be completed?

    Plans must be completed within the school year. Although completed plans early in the year would provide more time to help students who do not meet standards on the Smarter Balanced ELA and math, the law allows plans to be completed any time within the school year.

    What parent/guardian involvement is required?

    Parent or legal guardian notification about the SLP will be at least once a year, preferably through a parent conference. Progress and plan modifications shall be reported annually to the parent/guardian.

    What if new students to the school district didn't take the state assessment or we can't locate their scores?

    Efforts should be made to locate state assessment results of students who transferred into the district. If a student did not take the state assessment (e.g., transferred from out-of-state, was absent, was a private or home-schooled student), a learning plan would only be required for 8th grade students who have academic deficiencies or have excessive absence rates that could interfere with transition to the next level of school.

    Students enrolled in special education already have individual education plans. Do we have to create separate SLPs for them?

    As long as the student learning plans include the elements required in the law, districts have the option to either create learning plans for students receiving special education services, or to incorporate these learning plans into existing individual education plans (IEP). The law does not specifically address students eligible for special education services.

    Are any other learning plans required?

    The 2004 Legislature required that SLPs be developed for students who participate in the Learning Assistance Program (LAP), beginning in the 2005-06 school year. These plans may be incorporated into other student achievement plans, such as the 8th grade SLPs, "High School and Beyond" plans, individual education plans, or achievement plans for groups of students.