Middle School Individual Learning Plan Program 2010 ASCA Conference Boston, Massachusetts Karen Bradbury Christine Miller

Expected Results for This Presentation  Increased awareness of one middle school’s approach to using the counseling program as the infrastructure for personalization  Deeper understanding of the Individual Learning Plan (ILP) process and how it benefits students

Personalization and the ILP are State Requirements  The Rhode Island Board of Regents and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education believe that learning how to plan is critical to students’ future success  They have mandated that all Rhode Island students in grades have an Individual Learning Plan (ILP)

What is Personalization?  Personalization is a learning process in which schools help students assess their own talents and aspirations, plan a pathway toward their own purposes, work cooperatively with others on challenging tasks, maintain a record of their explorations and demonstrate learning against clear standards in a wide variety of media, all with the close support of adult mentors and guides. (Clarke, 2003)

What is an ILP?  The ILP is a structured process that enables students to plan for their future in three developmental domains: academic, career and personal/social  The ILP is results-based with specific learner outcomes. It functions as a primary vehicle for personalizing student learning  The ILP allows teachers and counselors to observe and guide student progress along the learning continuum

New Trend in Individual Learning Plans  Arizona  District of Columbia  Delaware  Florida  Iowa  Indiana  Kentucky  Louisiana  Michigan  Mississippi  New Mexico  Oregon  Rhode Island  South Carolina  Hawaii  Idaho  Missouri  Nevada  Tennessee  Utah  West Virginia  Kansas*  Massachusetts*  Nebraska*  Ohio*  Washington*  Georgia*  Minnesota*  New Hampshire*  South Dakota*  Vermont*

What is the School Counselor’s Role?  School counselors stand at the juncture in students’ lives where the world of school, world of home and world of work intersect  This an opportunity to scaffold the success of every student  School counselors can help students become proficient planners for their future success

What is a School Counseling Curriculum?  A documented curriculum organized as a scope and sequence  Developmentally appropriate activities that focus on: Knowledge acquisition Skill development Embracing attitudes/behaviors that lead to success Aligned with ASCA student standards

An Important Distinction  Excellence in the School Counseling Program is the responsibility of school counselors  Excellence in the ILP Program is the responsibility of the whole school community with major roles being played by school counselors, teachers and school leaders (e.g., principals and school improvement team members)

Student Planning is Important 10  Planning is a lifelong skill required for personal growth and future success  It is our responsibility to contribute to students’ success by helping them focus on their own futures, establish and pursue goals, reflect on their progress and demonstrate that they are proficient planners

Individual Student Planning: A Programmatic Approach  The ILP provides a structured process to help students plan for their future through: Acquisition of relevant knowledge Development of appropriate skills Adoption of behaviors/attitudes  These are the same outcomes as those of a comprehensive School Counseling Curriculum

Relation of ILP Program to the Counseling Curriculum  The ILP Program can serve as the primary organizing principle for the counseling curriculum: It organizes what we deliver to students in terms of teaching them how to learn, How to plan for their future, and How to cope with the many challenges of growing up and preparing for life after high school.

My Life… My Future How an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) can help you succeed Calcutt Middle School Central Falls Public Schools Central Falls, Rhode Island

What is an ILP?  An Individual Learning Plan (ILP) is a process for setting goals, planning to achieve them and evaluating how well we are doing  An ILP helps us decide what to do after high school, identify what is required to be successful in our chosen pathway(s), and to prepare for meeting those requirements

Why is an ILP Important to Your Future Success  An ILP will help you decide what you want to do in life  An ILP will help you know what is required and to begin preparing for your future  An ILP keeps you focused and on track so you don’t lose your way  Employers look for people who know how to plan and will hire them before those who are not good planners

The ILP is Required  The Rhode Island Board of Regents and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education believe that learning how to plan is critical to your future success  They have mandated that all Rhode Island students in grades 5-12 have an Individual Learning Plan (ILP)

The ILP Process At the beginning of the school year:  Learn (or refresh your memory) about the ILP process—how it can help you and what is expected of you  Review your transcript or report card, update your Academic Plan and be aware of the high school graduation requirements  Set goals in four areas (academic, career, personal and social)

The ILP Process During the school year:  Meet with your advisor and/or school counselor to conduct a quarterly review of your progress and document your reflections  Decide what action steps to take to resolve concerns and problems  Work on producing artifacts that demonstrate what you know and can do as a result of participating in the ILP process  Use multiple opportunities to meet with your advisors and counselors to discuss your future

The ILP Process At the end of the school year:  Write a self-reflection about your school year, your accomplishments and challenges and what you hope for the next school year  Demonstrate that you are becoming proficient planners by producing artifacts for your ILP portfolio

What We Expect from You  Review your academic plan with your counselor. You will be asked to sign the plan and to get your parent/guardian to sign your plan  Set and document your goals at the beginning of the year  Reflect on your progress and discuss it with your advisor and/or counselor throughout the year  Produce evidence that you are becoming proficient planners, including – Completed and signed academic plan – Written reflection – Results of exploring and preparing to meet requirements for further education and/or work after high school

What You Can Expect from Us  Your advisor and counselor are committed to helping you become proficient planners  We will guide you through the ILP process, step-by-step  We will help to make your learning experiences more personal and meaningful

Contact Information  If you have questions at any time, please contact your advisor and/or school counselor

Student Outcomes  In order for ILP Programs to be successful, they must deliver to students: Opportunities to learn relevant content Time to practice applying what they are learning to real-world contexts Opportunities to demonstrate progress/proficiency

Knowledge We Want Students to Acquire  Essential information students will learn through the ILP: Importance of planning for their future Steps in a complete planning process Standards and requirements which affect their future Roles and accountabilities

Skills We Want Students to Develop Tasks and skills that are essential for proficient planning: Envision the future Identify developmental needs Develop an action plan Implement the plan and monitor progress Evaluate progress and document conclusions Develop new plan Provide evidence of progress toward results

Behaviors We Want Students to Adopt  One’s behavior and attitude are critical to success in school, work and life  The ILP highlights behaviors/ attitudes required for success by business and educational communities

ILPs Enable Students to:  Have meaningful interactions with adults who help them plan  Learn the planning process (set goals, develop action plans, monitor progress, reflect on one’s experience, use results to update plans)  Become skilled in identifying barriers to their learning and developing strategies to overcome them  Always know how they are progressing toward graduation and being prepared for post-secondary opportunities

ILP: A Personal Challenge to Take Ownership for One’s Learning  The ILP provides students with a meaningful and ongoing process focused on their future success  It is a personal challenge to students to assume ownership for their learning and learn s elf-direction as a life-long skill

ILP Core Curriculum  Every school year lessons are delivered that focus on: Understanding the Planning Process Academic Planning Personal Planning Periodic Reviews of Progress Year-end Written Reflection

Supporting ILP Curriculum  A Comprehensive School Counseling Curriculum includes activities that support the ILP program.  Examples include lessons on: Learning: learning styles, study habits, test-taking strategies Coping: self-esteem, respecting self and others, managing anger

College & Work Readiness  Students are ready for college and work when they finish high school having: Acquired relevant knowledge Developed skills appropriate to their post-secondary pathways Adopted behaviors/attitudes that lead to success Demonstrated proficiency in applying what they have learned Become proficient planners

Accountability and Data  Data provides compelling evidence of the impact of implementing the school counseling and ILP programs on student success and school reform  It enables us to demonstrate our accountability  Data is our friend

Calcutt Middle School Demographics  75% Eligible for Free/Reduced Rate Lunch  70% Hispanic  15% African American  15% White  22% English Language Learners  26% Mobility Rate

Data Gathered  Process Data –Logs  Perception Data –Surveys  Results Data –Student Work  Student Information System Data –e.g., Attendance

Preliminary Data Results  Research has shown that students who are engaged in learning and understand the process have increased cognitive ability (Dimmitt, 2007)  At Calcutt: Student and parent engagement Improved attendance Reduced suspensions Decreased drop-out rate

Student Survey Question

Lessons Learned  First time is most difficult  Second time both students and teachers take it more seriously  Begin with basic vocabulary development—don’t take for granted the understanding of goal, for example  Develop relationship with Teacher- Advisors

Next Steps  Refine the ILP especially for ELL and Special Education Populations  Customize forms for middle school

Contact Information Karen Bradbury Christine Miller RI School Counselor Association