The state requires all students to complete a High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) in order to graduate, but schools have been using a patchwork of platforms to support those plans, according to the OSPI news release. The transition is now underway to move all 295 school districts to a single online system.
“Our goal for this project is to ensure all Washington students have access to a platform that offers the most comprehensive suite of tools and resources, and that provides real-time data and information to students, parents, guardians and counselors,” State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said in a public statement.
The new SchooLinks HSBP platform will guide and track students as they build and refine their postsecondary plans, an ongoing process that starts in seventh grade, the news release states. It adds that the platform includes tools for goal setting, course planning, career exploration, resume building and learning about financial aid.
“The High School and Beyond Plan is a powerful platform that guides students to resources, course options and other tools in support of their career and college exploration,” Reykdal said in the public statement. “Every student needs a postsecondary plan for their success and the success of our state.”
The transition to a universal online HSBP platform was mandated by the state Legislature in 2023 to eliminate variances in the technologies districts use to help students create and execute their postsecondary plans.
“These variances can create inequities for students and families, and do not reflect the Legislature's vision for the role of the High School and Beyond Plan in promoting student success in secondary and postsecondary endeavors,” the bill states.
Forty-five Washington school districts piloted the SchooLinks HSBP platform this school year, and more than 150 are making the transition to the system now. The state’s remaining districts will implement the platform by 2027, per the OSPI news release.
