High School and Beyond Plan

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 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.

Universal HSBP Platform

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

Universal HSBP Platform: 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

Platform Updates

HSBP Advisory Councils

HSBP Advisory Councils have been developed from interested district, agency, and community partner stakeholders across Washington state.  Over 100 council members will be meeting September 2024 – May 2025 to inform OSPI development of guidance and support resources for statewide implementation of the universal HSBP platform. The HSBP Advisory Councils include:

• Career & College Readiness Curriculum Development
• Professional Development & Training Planning
• Platform Implementation Planning
• Technology & Student Data Planning
• Community Based Organization Engagement & Planning
• Exploration for Expanding the Platform to 5th Grade

Regional Listen & Learn Sessions

OSPI will host Fall HSBP Listen and Learn Stakeholder sessions in partnership with each Educational Service District (ESD) in September and October 2024. Attend to learn more about the HSBP Universal Platform, the implementation plan, and to provide important stakeholder feedback to OSPI. 
  
Visit the HSBP Listen & Learn registration page for additional information and to register for the session that best fits. Virtual attendance options are also available.

HSBP Resources

For District & School Leaders

• District HSBP Implementation Analysis Guide 
• HSBP Information and Resources (from the State Board of Education) 
• High School & Beyond Plan Guidance One-Pager 
• Graduation Rate Frequently Asked Questions

For Students, Families, & School Staff

• High School & Beyond Plan FAQ
• High School and Beyond Plan Template - Class of 2024 and Beyond

Universal HSBP Platform: Implementation Timeline

2024-2025

July – December 2024

• July 2024, Select and notify HSBP Advisory Council Leaders and Members
• August, Finalize contract negotiations with SchooLinks
• September, Begin customization of SchooLinks platform to be Washington’s Universal HSBP platform
• September - October, Regional Fall HSBP Listen & Learn stakeholder feedback sessions hosted by OSPI in partnership with each ESD
• September 23, HSBP Advisory Council Fall Kickoff in Ellensburg, WA
• October 1, Legislative Report #2 due to the legislature
• November – December, Refine implementation plan and define phases of platform implementation
• December, Data collection with SBE for potential 5th grade future expansion of the platform to 5th grade

January – August 2025

• January, Legislature appropriated 2025-27 funds to impact level of platform launch 
• February, Statewide communication regarding Phases of Implementation
• March – August, Implementation preparation for data migration, training, professional development, platform installation

September 2025

• Projected first launch of the Washington Universal HSBP platform (dependent on 2025-27 appropriated state funding)

2023-2024

June – December 2023

Request for Proposals (RFP)

• June 6 – June 16,  Statewide HSBP Function Feedback Survey
• June 23, Compile HSBP Function Feedback Survey data to inform development of Request for Proposals (RFP)
• August 21, Approval of RFP
• August 30, RFP Pre-bid conference for vendors
• October 2, RFP responses due
• October 10 - 20, Evaluate RFP responses
• November, Analysis and Summary of RFP Evaluation Data
• December, Identification of Preliminary Finalists

January – June 2024

• January 1, Legislative Report #1 due
• January 5 - 30, Develop Statewide Stakeholder Survey for vendor selection
• February 5 - March 8, Statewide Stakeholder Survey
• March 18 – 22, Preliminary Finalist Vendor Interviews
• March 23 – April 28, Analysis of Preliminary Finalist and Stakeholder Survey Data
• April 29, 2024, Announce SchooLinks as Apparent Successful Bidder
• May – June, Initiate Contract Negotiations with Apparent Successful Bidder
• June 10 – 25, HSBP Advisory Council orientation sessions and member application process

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

• Please email Maria Muto to be added to our list of volunteer partners.

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.

• SLP Sample 1 Template
• SLP Sample 2 Template

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.