Focus on Student Engagement:Individual Learning Plans

Todd Bloom, Ph.DChief Academic OfficerHobsons

Jim BiermaProgram DirectorCollege Readiness ConsortiumUniversity of Minnesota

Texas Association of School AdministratorsJanuary 31, 2012

• Background on ILPs– State Policies– Characteristics and Components

• Best Practices for ILP Implementation– Student Engagement– Networks of Student Support

• Data Collection and Analysis/Feedback Loops– Improving Student Outcomes– Improving Policies and Practices

• Q & A

AGENDAAGENDA

Background on Individual Learning Plans

• Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975) mandated Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for students receiving special education services.

• IEP characteristics:– Coordination of people and services – Student and parent engaged in planning process– Education plan developed around unique abilities and

needs of each student– Plan updated annually at a minimum– Plan considers academic and non-academic

ILP BackgroundILP Background

Shift towards ILPs for all students:– Success of IEPs, ineffectiveness of “1-size fits all”

– Increased focus and clarity on student achievement

– National and state reform agendas require data on student outcomes

– Goal of students graduating college and career ready

ILP BackgroundILP Background

All 50 states and the DC has an initiative that promotes college and career planning for HS students:

•25 states and DC mandate ILPs

•3 states mandate a guidance framework that does not include a formal planning document

•22 states do not have a mandate, but…

– 9 of them provide ILP models– 13 provide a guidance framework for districts to use

State PoliciesState Policies

2003 TX Personal Graduation Plan requires Personal Graduation Plans for students at risk of not receiving a diploma:

•“identify educational goals for the student;

•include diagnostic information, appropriate monitoring and intervention, and other evaluation strategies;

•include an intensive instruction program;

•address participation of the student’s parent or guardian, including consideration of the parent’s or guardian’s educational expectations for the student; and

•provide innovative methods to promote the student’s advancement, including flexible scheduling, alternative learning environments, on-line instruction, and other interventions that are proven to accelerate the learning process and have been scientifically validated to improve learning and cognitive ability.”

TX PolicyTX Policy

• Academic plan

• Academic, career and personal goals

• Career exploration

• Resume builder

• Regular updates (annually is most common)

• Personal reflection

Characteristics of ILP FrameworksCharacteristics of ILP Frameworks

• Personality and learning style assessments

• Identification of strengths and needs

• Action plan

• Service learning

• Link to learning support services

Characteristics of ILP FrameworksCharacteristics of ILP Frameworks

Best Practices for ILP Implementation

• Emphasize the individual in the ILP– Student learns about own learning strengths and needs

– Student has tools to explore academic, career and personal interests and to make goals

– Student owns planning, learning and outcomes

• Create a support team for each student– Parental/Guardian involvement

– Involve all appropriate staff in planning process

– Connect student to learning resources

– Peer support

ILPs that Engage StudentsILPs that Engage Students

Data Collection and Analysis/Feedback Loops

• Data Collection– K-12 information about each student: performance data,

courses, goals, exploration activities, extracurricular, etc.

– Postsecondary information: enrollment, performance and completion

• Data Analysis– Where did they go? Are they still there? Did they graduate?

– If they struggled, with what? Did they stop-out?

Using Data to Create a Feedback LoopUsing Data to Create a Feedback Loop

Washington Tech. Magnet: MCA Test ScoresWashington Tech. Magnet: MCA Test Scores

MPS Accelerated CourseworkMPS Accelerated Coursework

MPS Postsecondary EnrollmentMPS Postsecondary Enrollment

Available at:

www.naviance.com/wp.../05/IndividualLearningPlans_Update.pdf

Or search: “Naviance” and “ILP”

Naviance ILP ReportNaviance ILP Report

Questions?

Todd Bloomtbloom@hobsons.com@Todd_Bloom(952)807-5345

Jim Biermabierma@umn.edu(651)303-2736