Individual Plan of Study
With a workforce increasingly requiring higher educational levels for jobs coupled with a relatively low percentage of students completing a postsecondary credential (certificate through advanced degree), the learning and labor landscape has come to a crossroads.
To assist more students to complete a post-secondary credential and be competitive in the labor market, it is crucial to begin career exploration and planning earlier in students' educational experience.
The Kansas State Board of Education has set an Individual Plan of Study (IPS) for every student beginning in the middle grades as one of their State Student Success Outcomes to help students plan for success after high school.
The IPS is not a one-time activity, but an ongoing process by which students define, explore, and then refine their interests and goals throughout high school. Students usually begin using an IPS in middle school to guide their decisions about high school courses and start a process of career and college exploration.
The IPS is more effective when it is regularly reviewed and updated beginning in middle school and continuing through and beyond high school. Quality IPS activities provide opportunities for students to engage in three phases of skill development: 1) self-exploration, 2) career exploration, and 3) career planning.
What Information is Included in an Individual Plan of Study (IPS)?
The IPS includes information specific to each student that families, students, and school personnel can use to guide decision-making and monitor students' progress toward goals. The IPS may include the following information: skills, abilities, hobbies, and accomplishments; graduation requirements; current and past classes and activities; grades and test scores; examples of student work; results from career, college, and interest inventories; personal goal statements; work based learning experiences and, college and financial planning activities.
