Personal Graduation Plans

Summary of Achievement

In 2003, Gov. Perry supported and signed first of its kind legislation that requires Personal Graduation Plans for students at risk of not receiving a diploma. In an effort to keep students from dropping out of high school, these plans are specifically for students whose test scores did not meet the passing standard on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) or who are not on track to graduate on-time. The student’s parent participates in their child’s Personal Graduation Plan. Additionally, students who did not meet the passing standard on the TAKS will be provided an intensive instruction program to help them graduate.

 

The Challenge

Individuals who drop out of high school face serious adversities; they are more likely to be unemployed, received government assistance, and spend time in the prison system.  In addition, high school drop outs earn considerably less money than individuals who earn a high school diploma.  The state is also harmed by drop outs because it loses a tax base and a productive work force.  Studies indicate the aggregate cost to the Texas economy that results from high school drop outs is staggering.

In order to address the drop out problem, however, it is important to understand why students drop out and address those concerns.  Recent studies indicate that students drop out because they feel alienated at school and think that nobody would notice if they were not there.  In addition, they may drop out when they fall behind in their classes, need to work, or have family obligations and need flexibility in there schedule and alternative education options.

 

Action / Initiative

Gov. Perry understands that to solve the drop out problem more personal attention must be paid to students who are at-risk of dropping out.  These students must be identified early and provided specialized resources and Personal Graduation Plans that show them the path to graduation even if they have fallen behind or are facing adversity.  In 2003, Gov. Perry supported and signed legislation (Senate Bill 1108) that mandated school principals designate a guidance counselor, teacher, or other appropriate individual to develop and implement a Personal Graduation Plan for each student in middle school or high school who did not perform satisfactorily on the TAKS test or who is not likely to receive a high school diploma on-time.  Personal Graduation Plans get the student’s parent or guardian involved and considers their educational expectations for the student and alternative scheduling options. Additionally, each district is required to provide accelerated instruction to a student enrolled in the district who has taken the secondary exit-level TAKS test and has not performed satisfactorily on each section or who is at risk of dropping out of school.  With Gov. Perry’s support, the Texas Education Agency then developed a Personal Graduation Plan Resource Guide and Model for use by all districts. This document, as well as a sample plan, can be viewed at this link: http://www5.esc13.net/pgp/resources.html. 

In 2007, Gov. Perry signed legislation requiring TEA to establish minimum standards for each Personal Graduation Plan and encouraging school districts to establish one for each student entering grade 9.

 

The Outcome

Thanks to Gov. Perry’s leadership, thousands of students have completed Personalized Graduation Plans and are on the path to success.  According to the Texas Education Agency many districts across the state are using the Model and Resource Guide the Agency prepared.  TEA encourages districts to customize graduation plans in such a way as to create rich planning/monitoring and intervention strategies.

Each Personal Graduation Plan must:

• 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.