The bill amends existing laws regarding individual graduation plans for public middle and high school students in Louisiana. It introduces the option for students to receive assistance from career coaches, in addition to school counselors, when developing their Individual Graduation Plans (IGPs). The amendments specify that by the end of the eighth grade, students, with the help of their parents or guardians and either a school counselor or career coach, must begin creating their IGPs. The bill also outlines that by the end of the tenth grade, students will select high school curricula that align with their postsecondary goals, and any revisions to these plans must be discussed with parents or guardians.

Additionally, the bill mandates the State Department of Education to publish a list of high-quality career coaching vendors by January 1, 2027, and allows local school boards to form regional consortia to share costs for hiring career coaches. It requires each local school board to include a description of their career coaching plans in their pupil progression plans and mandates the Department of Education to annually publish a list of school boards that have not utilized at least ninety-five percent of their career development funds from the previous fiscal year.

Statutes affected:
SB482 Original: 17:2925(A)(1), 17:2926(A)
SB482 Engrossed: 17:2925(A)(1), 17:2926(A)
SB482 Enrolled: 17:2925(A)(1), 17:2926(A)
SB482 Act 413: 17:2925(A)(1), 17:2926(A)