Story & Photo by Megan Gordon

The Arizona Republic

Mar. 29, 2009

PHOTO: Jessica Walker, 16 (from left), Marci Flaherty, 17, and Shelbie DeJong, 16, work on their college presentations during a career prep course at Estrella Foothills High School in Goodyear

By requiring high-school freshmen to put their plans for the future in writing, state officials anticipate a boost in student achievement.

When students have dreams and goals, they will work harder to attain them, said Maxine Daly, Arizona Department of Education's deputy associate superintendent.

Starting in the fall semester, each high-school freshman must develop his or her own program. The plan, required for graduation, includes academic, career, postsecondary and extracurricular goals for every student.

Arizona's Education and Career Action Plan, or ECAP, is designed to equip freshmen with a four-year, personalized plan.

"All students should really have the same opportunity to look to themselves for their interests, their skills, their abilities and to put together kind of the road map of how they could achieve their dreams," Daly said.

How planning is done

Some schools have planning already in place.

Estrella Foothills High School in Goodyear about four years ago implemented its college and career prep course, which was recently honored as an A-plus Exemplary Program by the Arizona Educational Foundation.

"What we're looking for is something that works for kids," said Bobbie O'Boyle, the foundation's executive director. "That program has a profound effect on the students that it serves. It's sustainable and . . . it's replicable."

Daly said the ultimate goal is to get students thinking about the future, and many students agree.

"This class gives me a head start on letting us know about college," said Marci Flaherty, 17, a junior at Estrella. "It's preparing me throughout high school."

Students at the Goodyear school receive two semesters of college and career prep courses, mandatory for all incoming freshmen and second-semester juniors.

The classes provide information about high-school courses, study and note-taking skills, college and career research and resume writing.

"It gives me a goal and a plan," said Jessica Walker, 16. "My goal is not just getting good grades. The class helped me realize a reason for getting good grades."

Time for planning

Kay Schreiber, Arizona Department of Education school counselor supervisor, said some districts are creating classes for freshman, while others are setting aside time once a week for planning time.

"We are already seeing a combination of several things," she said. "This program gives students the ability to assess themselves and peruse what they would like to do with their own personalized plan."

Tom Horne, state superintendent of public instruction, pushed the state Board of Education to pass the rule, although the Legislature denied his requests for funding.

His appeal included money for a statewide online system connecting all schools with students, teachers, parents and counselors, which was denied.

Daly said there are free online resources available for school counselors and students like Arizona Career Information System, which is available at www.azcis.intocareers.org/.

The Web-based system takes the users through school development and exploration, Daly said.

Grad requirement

No matter what programs schools use, Horne said the graduating class of 2013 must have an ECAP completed before finishing high school, and the penalty is on students, not administrators.

"The rule is that the student doesn't graduate unless the student has a plan," he said. "Now, when the time comes for a student to not graduate, there will be some flexibility."

Horne said administrators are ultimately responsible for implementing the plan, but did not give consequences for disobeying the rule.

No matter how it's funded or what the consequences, Daly said planning for the future makes students invest in the present.