Career Advising

This policy has been developed as prescribed in R.C. 3313.6020 and the State Board of Education’s Model Policy. This policy shall be updated at least once every two (2) years. The policy shall be made available to students, parents/guardians/custodians, and local postsecondary institutions, residents of the District, and shall be posted on the District website.

Career advising is an integrated process that helps students understand how their personal interests, strengths and values might predict satisfaction and success in school and related career fields, as well as how to tie these interests and strengths to their academic and career goals. Students need to have access to comprehensive resources and support to prepare for their future success. Through relevant classroom instruction, career-related learning experiences, and a program of counseling and advising, students can discover their interests and explore academic and career pathway options.

The District’s Career Advising Plan shall include:

A. Grade-level examples that link students’ school work to one (1) or more career fields, by initially implementing the Career Connections Learning Strategies offered by the Ohio Department of Education.

B. Career advising to students in grades 6-12, which includes age-appropriate activities and also includes creating and maintaining a Student Success Plan beginning in grade 6. Advisors will meet with students at least once each semester to explore, evaluate, and plan academic and career pathways.

C. Additional interventions and career advising for students who are identified as at risk of dropping out of school. These may include:

1. Identifying students who are at risk of dropping out of school using a local, research-based method, with input from teachers, school counselors and other appropriate school staff.

2. Developing a Student Success Plan for each at-risk student that addresses the student’s academic and career pathway to a successful graduation and the role of career-technical education, competency-based education and experiential learning when appropriate.

3. Before developing a Student Success Plan, District staff will invite the student’s parent/guardian/custodian to assist. If that adult does not participate in the plan development, the District will provide the adult a copy of the plan, a statement of the importance of a high school diploma, and a listing of the pathways to graduation available to the student.

D. Training for employees on how to advise students on career pathways, including training on advising students using the tools available in OhioMeansJobs K-12, Naviance, or other district adopted resources.

E. Multiple academic and career pathways through high school that student may choose to earn a high school diploma, including opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials and postsecondary course credit through College Credit Plus.

F. Information on courses that can award students both traditional academic and career-technical credit, including, but not limited to, the District’s policy on credit flexibility and instruction for students to access the educational option.

G. Documentation on career advising provided for review by the student, student’s parent, guardian or custodian, and schools the student may attend in the future. This may include activities that support the student’s academic, career and social/emotional development.

H. The supports necessary for students to have successful transitions from high school to their postsecondary destinations, including intervention and services for students in need of remediation in mathematics and English language arts.