ACP in the 2017-18 School Year

by Tahira R. Chaudary, Wisconsin DPI

Welcome back to school!  The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Academic and Career Planning (ACP) team is looking forward to the 2017-2018 school year and is continuing to develop resources needed for successful Academic and Career Planning implementation with school leaders around the state.

DPI and the ACP Team recently held a successful Academic and Career Planning (ACP) Conference on August 21-22 under the theme “Ready, Set, Go”  focused on preparing schools for statewide ACP implementation this fall. The two-day conference featured many inspiring speakers and powerful keynotes. The conference provided teams with an opportunity to learn more about ACPs, strategies for successfully involving community members, and gaining insight on how other districts are delivering ACP services. The information provided will help school districts implement ACP at their districts as well as improve ACP programs that have already begun.  

On the first day, keynote addresses were followed by three rounds of breakout sessions. On day two, two rounds of breakout sessions were followed by a closing address and optional workshops and space for ACP teams to meet.  Session themes included the following: 

With full implementation required starting this fall, school and district leaders must take the charge in leading for change and cultivating all staff support to develop a school-wide culture that values principles of ACP.  In order for students and schools to realize the full benefits of ACP, districts must make a shift in thinking, approaching, and delivering career development.  Successful ACP implementation requires adaption to each school’s individual needs. The process helps students take ownership of course-taking and planning for post-secondary goals. You don’t need all the components in place from the start, but it helps to have a team that can identify your school’s needs. That leads to the creation of a manageable process and action plan, setting the school up for success.

DPI has created useful implementation resources, including professional learning lessons, intended to provide facilitators with the tools they need to plan and implement ACP at the school-level. They can be found at: https://dpi.wi.gov/acp/implementation/pl. The recently updated Table of ACP Components will help districts think about the types of ACP services that could be provided to students.  Furthermore, each CESA has designated a contact to assist your district as you continue to network to share and collaborate for ACP program planning and delivery requirements.

Copies of the presentations at the conference can be found at: https://dpi.wi.gov/acp/events/leadership-conference/workshop-session.  To stay current with all ACP happenings, follow us on Twitter (@WisDPI_ACP) or Google + Community.

Read more at:

Elementary Edition - Secondary Edition - District Level Edition