CAREER PLAN INITIATIVE

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Frequently Asked Questions

The State Education Department recognized the need to create a system that will help students make good life decisions and produce a product that will demonstrate to parents, employers, and college staff what they have accomplished as a result of their education. Therefore, a performance indicator was established for the Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS) Learning Standard 1, Career Development providing for the development of individual student career plans.

What is the Career Plan?

The Career Plan is a document for students to record their development in the areas of self-knowledge, career exploration, career and life goals, foundation skills, and the application of classroom learning for the purpose of motivating them to achieve high standards and to succeed in their adult and work life. The documentation process is based upon an education system where the CDOS Learning Standards are integrated into the student's instructional program.

What is a Career Portfolio?

A Career Portfolio is a repository (folder, electronic) for samples of student work/credentials; i.e., resume, test scores, awards, transcripts, recommendation letters. The Career Plan may be included in the student portfolio.

What are the essential elements of the Career Plan?

The Career Plan Pilot participants identified five core elements as essential to the career planning process. These elements are Personal Data (student and school name), Student Review of Career Plans (date and participants present), Knowledge (self-knowledge, career exploration, and future goals and decision-making), Skills/Application (knowledge and application of foundation skills) and the Culminating Activity (activity completed and self-knowledge gained).

What is a culminating activity?

A culminating activity is an activity performed at the end of each developmental level (elementary, intermediate, commencement, and adult) that enables students to demonstrate and reflect upon their accomplishments and growth in the areas of career development, integrated learning, and foundation skills. The culminating activity can be an individual or a group activity as long as each student is given an opportunity to reflect upon what they have learned.

Should schools implementing the career plan process use the Career Plan forms developed by the New York State Education Department?

The student Career Plan forms recommended by the State Education Department resulted from a Pilot study completed in January 2000. Schools may modify these forms to meet local needs as long as the identified five core Career Plan elements are addressed.

The original documentation parameters of the career plan pilot delayed student documentation at the elementary level until grade 4 or 5. Why has this changed?

Although early elementary students are too young to document the five core Career Plan elements, some of the Pilot participants believed that these students could begin to focus on portions of the Knowledge element.. As a result of their efforts, Career Plan forms for grades k-1 and 2-3 were developed.

What is the purpose of the Student Review?

The objective of the annual student review is to provide an opportunity for students to discuss their progress and difficulties they face in the career plan documentation process with an adult(s) (parent/guardian and a teacher or guidance counselor) who serves as a partner in their education experience.

What is the connection between the Career Plan and the CDOS LEARNING STANDARDS?

The Career Plan elements, Knowledge, and Skills/Application were developed to document delivery of the CDOS Learning Standards 1 (Career Development); 2 (Integrated Learning) and 3a (Universal Foundation Skills) and the corresponding performance indicators identified for each student development level.

What is the connection between the Career Plan and the other 24 learning standards?

The Career Plan process is based upon student documentation of what they learned in the classroom and the connection to their personal and career goals. Any well designed career development or learning experience can simultaneously address all three CDOS Learning Standards as well as provide an engaging context in which to address the academic content in the other learning standard areas.

Does the Career Plan process limit student options?

No. It is not the intent of the Career Plan process to limit student options or narrowly define their educational preparation. Basic principles of career development such as decision-making, self-evaluation, career exploration and goal setting are inherent in the career planning process and provide all students with a solid foundation to make good life decisions. These principles when delivered along a K-Adult continuum provide all students with opportunities to explore broad career options of interest.

Will the Career Plan become a requirement for all students in New York State?

Currently the Career Plan is an optional activity. However, the Pilot participants have recommended that the Career Plan become a product requirement for graduation. State Education Department management will review the Pilot recommendations and evaluation findings for future action. In the mean time, a Career Plan Training Initiative is currently underway to sustain the efforts of the Pilots and increase opportunities for student involvement in the career planning process statewide.

| Home | Pilot Phase | Training Phase | Links |