Project Goal
Every student should finish high school with a clear plan for their future—whether that includes education and training, military service, or entering the workforce. Unfortunately, this is not yet a reality for far too many Vermont students.
Graduate with a Plan is an initiative working to change that by increasing the number of seniors who leave high school prepared for their next steps. It focuses on ensuring that influential adults—such as educators, counselors, and mentors—have the knowledge, skills, and capacity to effectively support students in developing meaningful post-high school plans.
The Work
Learning from and building on the work happening in pockets across the state, Graduate with a Plan will serve schools and communities statewide to:
- Provide “navigator” training to better equip influential adults (from teachers to employers) with the information and tools they need to better support teens in career and education exploration and planning.
- Develop and pilot a framework for career and education planning in middle and high schools.
The initiative is informed by state and national best practices and data. It is designed for practical/scalable implementation, and developed to meet the evolving needs of all Vermonters, particularly those from underserved communities.
Partnership
Collaboration is central to Graduate with a Plan. The initiative is guided by a 15 member advisory committee representing pk-12, postsecondary education, state agencies, nonprofits, and philanthropy.
Its programming is informed by both an initial landscape analysis and a regular feedback loop with participants that gauge the career and education exploration and planning experiences of student-serving adults, parents, and students.
How to get involved
Is your school or community organization is interested in learning more about the Graduate with a Plan? Would you like to invite Advance Vermont to deliver free training or other programming to those who help youth navigate their career and education options? If so, please be in touch with our team!