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Virginia Department of Education

Information on this page is provided by the Office of Standards, Curriculum & Instruction.

Staff Contacts

Graduation Requirements

Academic & Career Plan

The Board of Education included in its 2009 revisions to the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia, (8 VAC-20-131-5 et seq) provisions for each middle and high school student to have a personal learning plan that aligns academic and career goals with the student’s course of study.

8 VAC 20-131-140: College and career preparation programs and opportunities for postsecondary credit.

Beginning with the 2013-2014 academic year, all schools shall begin development of a personal Academic and Career Plan for each seventh-grade student with completion by the fall of the student’s eighth-grade year. Students who transfer from other than a Virginia public school into the eighth-grade shall have the Plan developed as soon as practicable following enrollment. Beginning with the 2014-2015 academic year, students who transfer into a Virginia public school after their eighth-grade year shall have an Academic and Career Plan developed upon enrollment. The components of the Plan shall include, but not be limited to, the student's program of study for high school graduation and a postsecondary career pathway based on the student's academic and career interests. The Academic and Career Plan shall be developed in accordance with guidelines established by the Board of Education and signed by the student, student's parent or guardian, and school official(s) designated by the principal. The Plan shall be included in the student's record and shall be reviewed and updated, if necessary, before the student enters the ninth and eleventh grades. The school shall have met its obligation for parental involvement if it makes a good faith effort to notify the parent or guardian of the responsibility for the development and approval of the Plan. Any personal academic and career plans prescribed by local school boards for students in grades 7 through12 and in effect as of June 30, 2009, are approved to continue without further action by the Board.

Academic & Career Planning

• Career Planning Guide
• Administrative Planning Guide (A Resource for Counselors, Administrators, and Educators)

Resources

• Virginia Education Wizard – Online College and Career Planning tools which assist school personnel in effectively and efficiently developing and using the Academic and Career Plans.
• Academic & Career Plan Templates:
  • Academic & Career Plan Template (Word) – This template can be used by school divisions and modified to fit the needs of local education agencies. The completed samples below are available for planning purposes:
    • Sample Academic & Career Plan 1 (Word)
    • Sample Academic & Career Plan 2 (Word)
    • Career Clusters Sample Plans of Study – the sample plans of study listing is a resource for CTE administrators and school counselors in developing student academic and career plans of study for each pathway within a cluster. The sample plans of study template meets all state and federal requirements.
• Guidelines for Academic & Career Plans (PDF)
• Technical Assistance Document for Academic & Career Plans (PDF) – Can be used by divisions to assist in creating, implementing and maintaining academic and career plans. Includes information, resources, and current state regulations related to academic and career planning.
• Academic & Career Plan Workshop Presentations
  • Strategies that will provide support to Student Academic and Career Planning (PPT)
  • Career Clusters and Academic and Career Plans of Study: Virginia’s Best Practices (PPT)
    

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