The High School and Beyond Plan is a Washington State graduation requirement and helps students get the most out of high school while preparing for their future. Students work with school counselors and teachers starting in middle school to create their own personalized plan with goals for high school and beyond. The postsecondary aspirations may include pathways for application to four-year colleges or universities, two-year community or technical colleges, apprenticeship programs, industry standard certificate programs, military training, or on-the-job training.

What’s included in each student’s plan?

  • Identification of career goals based on a career interest and skills inventory or assessment.
  • Identification of educational goals.
  • A resume that provides a written compilation of student’s education, work experience, and community service.
  • A four-year course plan that fulfills graduation requirements and aligns with career and educational goals.

High School and Beyond Plan Process

  • Research suggested careers
  • Review transcript with school counselor
  • Complete Free and Reduced Lunch form to be automatically enrolled in the College Bound Scholarship Program.
  • In the spring of your 8th grade year, students will review the high school course catalog and meet with high school counselors in preparation for high school registration.
  • Review transcript with school counselor
  • If taking a CTE course complete verification in SERS at the conclusion of each semester to receive dual credit.
  • Identify Career Clusters
  • Occupational Personality Types
  • Complete Grade 9 and 10 4-year course plan and make any revisions
  • Review transcript with school counselor
  • Career Interest Inventory
  • 4-year course plan G11-12 and revisions
  • Annual Goals and Growth. Reevaluate courses based on SBA results
  • Resume in English class
  • Review Postsecondary plan
  • Review transcript with school counselor
  • Assemble my Portfolio
  • Complete and upload Student Profile
  • 4-year plan revisions
  • Program and school search
  • Reality check
  • Revise Postsecondary plan
  • Review transcript with school counselor
  • State and Financial Aid
  • Create FSA ID
  • Demonstration of how to use Financial Aid Calculator
  • Resume-revisions if necessary
  • 4-year course plan revisions if any
  • HSBP due in December

Graduation Pathways

  • Complete a sequence of 2.0 or more CTE credits that either includes a dual credit course or leads to an industry recognized credential.
  • Complete a recognized Core Plus program.
  • Successful completion of one CTA program through participation in NCTA.
  • This pathway fulfills math and English graduation pathways.
  • Current CTE Pathways
  • ASFAB Score for Class of 2023= 31 or higher.
  • Check the State Board of Education website by Sept. 1 annually for score update.
  • Enlistment is not a requirement.
  • Students should work with their local recruiters for more information.

Students may use any combination of the ELA and math options listed in this section:

  • College Admissions Exams:
    • ACT: ELA = 14; math = 16
    • SAT: ELA = 410; math = 430
  • Dual Credit courses (1.0 credit total for ELA and/or math):
  • Dual Credit exams:
    • AP = 3 or higher
  • State assessments:
    • Smarter Balanced: ELA = 2548; math = 2595
    • WA-AIM: ELA = 104; math = 103
  • Transition courses (1.0 credit total for ELA and/or math):
    • Bridge to College English