High Value High Schools for Louisiana
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By 2014, 21 percent of all jobs will require a
four-year degree, 55 percent will require a two-year degree or advanced training, and 24 percent will require a high-school diploma.

Louisiana's Graduation Options


  • Students
  • Parents
  • Educators

For Students – Planning for your Future

When it comes to planning for your future, the time to start is today. Your principals, teachers and high school counselors are eager to help you begin mapping out your plan.

By the end of the eighth grade, you should start developing your Individual Graduation Plan (IGP). This plan will help you explore the educational and career possibilities that are available. It is important to start working on this plan now, because it will help you make the best choices for your future, based on your talents and interest. Individual Graduation Plans can help you chart your course to success from 8th grade through graduation.

Click on the links below to open the Individual Graduation Plans that your counselors will help you and your parents fill out. These plans also contain information that you will find helpful, including:

  • A list of the classes you will need to take to graduate with a College and Career Diploma or a Career Diploma
  • The classes you will need to take to qualify for TOPS
  • The classes you will need to take to receive an Academic Endorsement or a Career/Technical endorsement
  • A side-by-side comparison of the Louisiana Core Four Curriculum and the Louisiana Basic Core Curriculum

Each school year, you should review your Individual Graduation Plan with your parent/guardian and school counselor. The Individual Graduation Plan will help you make strong decisions as part of your overall career plan.

Links to Individual Graduation Plans:
Individual Graduation Plan – College and Career Diploma for Freshmen 2008-09 and Beyond   |
Individual Graduation Plan – College and Career Diploma for Freshmen 2008-09 and Beyond (template)  
Individual Graduation Plan – College and Career Diploma for Freshmen Prior to 2008-09   |
Individual Graduation Plan – Career Diploma   |
Individual Graduation Plan – Career Diploma (template)  
Career Diploma Participation Form   |


Louisiana Core Four Exemption Form

After you have attended high school for a minimum of two years, you and your parent, guardian, or custodian may request that you be exempt from completing the Louisiana Core Four Curriculum and be placed in the Louisiana Basic Core Curriculum.

The Louisiana Core Four Curriculum prepares students for entrance to a four-year Louisiana state university or for a career. The Basic Core Curriculum prepares students for a Louisiana state community college or technical school.

Links to Louisiana Core Four Exemption Form |

For Parents: What are Individual Graduation Plans?

By the end of the eighth grade, students will start developing their Individual Graduation Plans (IGP). The Individual Graduation Plan helps students explore the educational and career possibilities that are available. These plans can serve as a guide for students to map out their paths to success from 8th grade through graduation.

The purpose of the Individual Graduation Plan is to help students:

  • Make appropriate decisions for high school and post-high school as part of an overall career plan
  • Create a plan based on the student’s talents and interests
  • Consider graduation requirements relevant to the student’s chosen area of concentration and post-high school entrance requirements

Your school counselor will help you and your child fill out his/her plan. These plans also contain information that you will find helpful, including:

  • A list of the classes students will need to take to graduate with a College and Career Diploma or a Career Diploma
  • The classes students will need to take to qualify for TOPS
  • The classes students will need to take to receive an Academic Endorsement or a Career/Technical endorsement
  • A side-by-side comparison of the Louisiana Core Four Curriculum and the Louisiana Basic Core Curriculum

Students will have to make a choice about whether to pursue a College and Career Diploma or a Career Diploma. There are Individual Graduation Plans for each of these choices. A College and Career Diploma will put a student on track to enter a college a four-year Louisiana state university or for a career. The Career Diploma will prepare a student for a Louisiana state community college or technical school.

Each school year, you will need to review the Individual Graduation Plan with your child and his/her school counselor.

The Individual Graduation Plan is the result of Act 257 enacted by the 2009 Louisiana Legislature. The measure aims to provide a comprehensive approach to improve graduation rates and ensure college and career readiness for high school students.

Links to Individual Graduation Plans:
Individual Graduation Plan – College and Career Diploma for Freshmen 2008-09 and Beyond   |
Individual Graduation Plan – College and Career Diploma for Freshmen 2008-09 and Beyond (template)  
Individual Graduation Plan – College and Career Diploma for Freshmen Prior to 2008-09   |
Individual Graduation Plan – Career Diploma   |
Individual Graduation Plan – Career Diploma (template)  
Career Diploma Participation Form   |


Louisiana Core Four Exemption Form

After a student has attended high school for a minimum of two years, the student and his/her parent, guardian, or custodian may request that the student be exempt from completing the Louisiana Core Four Curriculum and be placed in the Louisiana Basic Core Curriculum.

The Louisiana Core Four Curriculum prepares students for entrance to a four-year Louisiana state university or for a career. The Basic Core Curriculum prepares students for a Louisiana state community college or technical school.

Links to Louisiana Core Four Exemption Form |

Individual Graduation Plans

The Individual Graduation Plan is the result of Act 257 enacted by the 2009 Louisiana Legislature. The measure aims to provide a comprehensive approach to improve graduation rates and ensure college and career readiness for high school students.

By the end of the eighth grade, each student shall develop, with the input of his/her family, an Individual Graduation Plan (IGP). The purposes of the IGP document and related activities are as follows:

  • Explore educational and career possibilities
  • Make appropriate secondary/postsecondary decisions as part of an overall career plan
  • Plan based on the student’s talents and interests
  • Consider graduation requirements relevant to the student’s chosen area of concentration and postsecondary entrance requirements.

Instructions:

  • Beginning in the eighth grade, The IGP is to be completely filled in for every high school student and signatures completed in the 9th Grade column.
  • The Ninth Grade Entry Date shall reflect the date the student enters high school.
  • Fill in the student’s name in the Name blank,
  • The Area of Concentration blank shall indicate an Academic Area of Concentration or the student’s concentration of elective courses if the student is choosing a Career/technical Area of Concentration.
  • Fill in the student’s Originating Middle School and the High School the student plans to attend.
  • Place a check mark next to the Career Cluster related to the student’s Area of Concentration if the student is choosing a career/technical Area of Concentration.
  • Place a check mark next to the student’s Diploma Endorsements selection(s).
  • Place a check mark next to the student’s Postsecondary Plans.
  • Circle the appropriate iLEAP, GEE, and EOC score where indicated: Y=yes and N=no
  • Annually the student, parents, and advisor are to review the plan and initial the respective grade level regardless of changes.
  • If a signature cannot be obtained, it is the school’s responsibility to maintain evidence of the efforts made to obtain signatures.
  • Original signatures or evidence are to be kept on file at the school in the student’s portfolio or with the student’s cumulative records.

Links to Individual Graduation Plans:
Individual Graduation Plan – College and Career Diploma for Freshmen 2008-09 and Beyond   |
Individual Graduation Plan – College and Career Diploma for Freshmen 2008-09 and Beyond (template)  
Individual Graduation Plan – College and Career Diploma for Freshmen Prior to 2008-09   |
Individual Graduation Plan – Career Diploma   |
Individual Graduation Plan – Career Diploma (template)  
Career Diploma Participation Form   |


Louisiana Core Four Exemption Form

After a student has attended high school for a minimum of two years, the student and his/her parent, guardian, or custodian may request that the student be exempt from completing the Louisiana Core Four Curriculum and be placed in the Louisiana Basic Core Curriculum.

The Louisiana Core Four Curriculum prepares students for entrance to a four-year Louisiana state university or for a career. The Basic Core Curriculum prepares students for a Louisiana state community college or technical school.

Links to Louisiana Core Four Exemption Form |

 

Requirements for Incoming Freshmen Prior to 2008-2009

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