Individual Planning
As stated in the Texas Model, "The purpose of individual planning is to assist students in developing and
addressing academic, career, personal, and social goals. Students need opportunities to understand
and monitor their own development considering their individual needs, specialized circumstances
or services, and cultural implications. In delivering individual planning services, school counselors
use knowledge, the ability to integrate district and state requirements, and student preferences to
assist students in developing realistic and attainable goals.
addressing academic, career, personal, and social goals. Students need opportunities to understand
and monitor their own development considering their individual needs, specialized circumstances
or services, and cultural implications. In delivering individual planning services, school counselors
use knowledge, the ability to integrate district and state requirements, and student preferences to
assist students in developing realistic and attainable goals.
The purpose of the individual planning system is to guide all students as they plan, monitor, and manage their own educational, career, personal, and social development. Throughout the school year, efforts are made to meet with each student individually or in groups. Schools can systematically use a variety of resources – staff, information, and activities – and focus these resources on students to assist them in developing and implementing personalized plans.
Schools acknowledge cultural considerations (inclusive of parent perspectives and value systems), advocate for special populations (e.g., gifted and talented, at-risk, low-socioeconomic, second language learners, questioning youth), while considering individual needs such as multiple intelligences, academic implications, arts, club membership, extra-curricular talents, and specialized circumstances/services. Through the individual planning system, students can
• set challenging educational, career, personal, and social goals that are based on self-knowledge
and information such as results on assessments or interest inventories;
• learn about school, the world of work, and their society;
• make plans for achieving short-, intermediate-, and long-term goals;
• communicate the significance of their culture and family values during this process;
• select future preferences, such as pursuing a trade, technical field, career, or college options;
• analyze how their strengths and weaknesses enhance or hinder the achievement of their goals;
• assess their current progress toward their goals; and
• make decisions that reflect their plans.
• set challenging educational, career, personal, and social goals that are based on self-knowledge
and information such as results on assessments or interest inventories;
• learn about school, the world of work, and their society;
• make plans for achieving short-, intermediate-, and long-term goals;
• communicate the significance of their culture and family values during this process;
• select future preferences, such as pursuing a trade, technical field, career, or college options;
• analyze how their strengths and weaknesses enhance or hinder the achievement of their goals;
• assess their current progress toward their goals; and
• make decisions that reflect their plans.
As part of the comprehensive school counseling program, the individual planning system
includes:
• objective-based activities;
• relevant, accurate, and unbiased information;
• coordinated advisement procedures to facilitate appropriate placement decisions by students and their parents;
• state and local graduation requirements;
• trade, technical, apprenticeship programs, industries, and workforce commission information;
• career and college readiness considerations;
• an appreciation of the arts and club membership, such as music (band/orchestra), dance, choir, athletics, and theater/drama;
• career development theory; and
• developmental responses to the whole child and appropriate exploration.
includes:
• objective-based activities;
• relevant, accurate, and unbiased information;
• coordinated advisement procedures to facilitate appropriate placement decisions by students and their parents;
• state and local graduation requirements;
• trade, technical, apprenticeship programs, industries, and workforce commission information;
• career and college readiness considerations;
• an appreciation of the arts and club membership, such as music (band/orchestra), dance, choir, athletics, and theater/drama;
• career development theory; and
• developmental responses to the whole child and appropriate exploration.
Individual Planning Topics
Several topics have been identified at the state and local levels as relevant for school counseling services in the individual planning component. These topics should be developmentally and age-appropriate, and provide information or literature that highlights topics for individual planning or counseling sessions to students, teachers, and administrators. A school counselor works with students, staff, parents, and the community to identify student services priorities through the individual planning component."