Less than half of all states require individual learning plans for students; nationwide system for individualized student support needed to close the achievement gap.
Results revealed in today’s Congressional panel discussion on Capitol Hill.

Washington, DC, February 13, 2009 -- A new study reveals that less than half of all states nationwide mandate individual learning plans (ILPs) for students, and that state approaches to developing and implementing ILPs are as varied as the information that goes into them. Although federal law has required the creation of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for all special needs children since 1975, fewer than half of states are implementing individualized education plans for mainstream students.

"Despite an elevated national focus on student achievement over the last decade, schools have been spending considerable effort on formative and summative assessments to the exclusion of other areas of need," said Dr. Faith Connolly, vice president of research and development, Naviance. "The results of this study show an emerging trend toward adopting a more individualized, student-centric approach to learning –which can provide data for a new type of accountability that allows schools to monitor individual student goal attainment."

While some students already have education plans mandated by federal law, others may or may not receive such high-level individualized support. Interest in ILPs has grown significantly as a means to monitor students at-risk of dropping out, and some states now use ILPs to help students who have failed state assessments. The variety of information captured by and implementation status of ILPs also varies greatly by state. The Naviance study was based, in part, on a phone survey of state officials across the country. Respondents were asked about the state’s current level of activity on ILPs, personal plans of study, and other state-created individualized student planning initiatives. Of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, 47 consented to report information in this study.

The results of this report are extremely relevant to legislative initiatives that Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL) and education committee members in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate have been working on, including Sen. Richard Durbin's Pathways to College Act, a bill designed to improve school counseling services and increase student access to postsecondary planning and information. Congressman Davis notes, "Examining innovative approaches used by school districts and states, such as individualized learning plans, will help guide federal and state policymakers to develop strong education policies that greatly improve college access and success." Chicago Public Schools is a perfect example of the importance of these initiatives with its "F55 Project" encouraging students to pursue post-secondary opportunities (http://www.postsecondary.cps.k12.il.us/educator/f55_educator/).

States with Mandated and Non-Mandated ILPs
Nationally, 21 of the reporting 46 states, plus the District of Columbia have mandated ILPs for all students. An additional nine have not mandated, but have provided ILP models or frameworks for districts to use. Of these, 14 provide ILPs for districts to use, seven offer online resources for students to use. An additional seven states provided general frameworks and allowed districts to develop their own ILPs.

Nine states do not mandate ILPs yet provide either ILP models or guidance/framework. Four states either declined to participate or requested that their responses not be published.

It is clear from the study that a variety of measures will need to take place in order to help truly close the student support gap among students. Mandated ILPs will be a crucial component in addressing the inequity of student services: by creating a singular, standardized content structure for ILPs, states will be able to access long-term planning data systems and better report accountability measures. Electronic ILPs, as opposed to the traditional paper models, will create opportunities for students, parents, and school staff to engage in Active Planning, a model that helps students understand the impact that their middle school decisions have on college and career preparation. Finally, it is clear that while most states are actively involved in development and implementation of ILPs, states should come together to share best practices and involve school counselors in this development and implementation planning.

About the Researcher: Faith Connolly

Faith Connolly, Ph.D. is vice president of research and development for Naviance, Inc. Prior to working at Naviance, she directed research and evaluation for Montgomery County Public Schools and served as Executive Assistant to the Chief Accountability Officer in Baltimore City Public Schools, Maryland. She is the vice-president-elect of the American Educational Research Association Division H, Research, Evaluation, and Assessment in Schools. In addition, she has held research positions at The Johns Hopkins University, the University of Maryland, and Baltimore City Community College. Dr. Connolly received her Ph.D. in Public Policy, Evaluation and Analysis, from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She has presented her research at numerous national conferences including the National Staff Development Council, American Evaluation Association, and American Educational Research Association. Dr. Connolly received her BA from Harvard University holds Master’s degrees from Hartford University and The Johns Hopkins University.

About Naviance

Naviance, a Hobsons company, is the leading provider of planning and advising systems for secondary schools. More than 40,000 educators and counselors serving more than 3.5 million students in schools across the U.S. and in 60 other countries use Naviance products to manage academic and post-secondary advising, communicate with students and families, and analyze data. For more information, visit www.naviance.com.

For more information, contact:

Sara Snyder, 800.927.8439 x3242, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it