Under Act 77, the Flexible Pathways Initiative, approved last year by the state legislature and signed by Governor Peter Shumlin, schools are required to implement PLPs for each student in grades 7 and 9 by the fall of 2015. They'll be phased in for all of the 40,500 students in 7th through 12th grade over the next few years.
Although the law doesn't mandate PLPs for younger students, Tom Alderman, the director of secondary and adult education at the Vermont Agency of Education, said state leaders—starting with the governor—believe they're essential for all children.
"These plans would help guide each student's education and also tie educational goals to career opportunities, making school more relevant," said Gov. Shumlin, in his 2013 State of the State address. He added that the goal "is to increase our students' individual options while fostering a connection between school and career."
