STUDENTS: Provides for the development, review, and revision of student high school graduation plans
Summary
HB 973 revises Louisiana law governing Individual Graduation Plans for high school students. The bill keeps the existing requirement that students begin developing a plan by the end of eighth grade and finalize key course and graduation choices by the end of tenth grade, but it broadens who may assist the student. Under the bill, responsibilities now assigned to a school counselor may instead be carried out by a career coach, including helping develop, review, and revise the plan, and signing the plan after review.
The bill also changes the process for revising a student’s plan. Before revisions are made, the school counselor or career coach must meet individually with the student’s parent or legal guardian, in person or virtually, to explain how changes could affect graduation requirements and postsecondary goals, unless the parent or guardian opts out of that meeting. Any revisions still must be approved in writing by the parent or legal guardian. The bill applies to students’ graduation planning and related counseling procedures in public schools, and it also continues to account for students with exceptionalities and those with individualized education programs.
Impact
HB 973 amends R.S. 17:2925, the statute governing individual graduation plans, by expanding the role of career coaches in place of school counselors for certain planning, review, signature, and parent-meeting duties. It does not eliminate the graduation plan requirement itself, but it changes who may perform specified administrative and advising functions and clarifies parent involvement before plan revisions. The bill affects students, parents or legal guardians, school counselors, career coaches, and school systems that administer graduation planning.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears procedural and administrative rather than controversial in substance. The bill is framed as a student-support and flexibility measure, suggesting a generally practical or favorable posture toward allowing career coaches to help with graduation planning. There is no recorded committee debate or vote history in the provided materials, so no clear opposition or support can be identified from discussion records.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the shift of responsibilities from school counselors to career coaches. Supporters may view this as a way to ease counselor workload and expand student access to guidance, while critics could question whether career coaches have the same training or authority as counselors for graduation planning decisions. Another possible issue is the parent-meeting requirement before revisions: the bill preserves parental approval but allows an opt-out, which may raise concerns for those who want stronger mandatory family consultation or, conversely, more flexibility for families who do not want the meeting.