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HLS 26RS-1542 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 973
BY REPRESENTATIVE BAMBURG
STUDENTS: Provides for the development, review, and revision of student high school
graduation plans
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:2925(A)(1), (3), (6), and (7), relative to student high school
3 graduation plans; to allow certain responsibilities of school counselors with respect
4 to the development, review, and revision of the plans to be fulfilled by a career
5 coach; to provide for meetings pertaining to plan revision; and to provide for related
6 matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:2925(A)(1), (3), (6), and (7) are hereby amended and reenacted
9 to read as follows:
10 §2925. Individual graduation plans
11 A.(1) By the end of the eighth grade, every student, with the assistance of his
12 parent or legal guardian and school counselor or career coach, and for a student with
13 an exceptionality as defined in R.S. 17:1942, except a student identified as gifted or
14 talented and who has no other exceptionality, the student's Individualized Education
15 Program team, if applicable, shall begin to develop an Individual Graduation Plan
16 to guide the next academic year's course work and to assist the student in exploring
17 educational and career possibilities and in making appropriate secondary and
18 postsecondary education decisions as part of an overall postsecondary plan.
19 * * *
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HLS 26RS-1542 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 973
1 (3) By the end of the tenth grade, each student's Individual Graduation Plan,
2 based on the student's academic record, talents, and interests, shall outline high
3 school graduation requirements relevant to the student's chosen postsecondary goals.
4 Each student, with the assistance of his parent or legal guardian and school counselor
5 or career coach, shall choose the high school curriculum framework and related
6 graduation requirements that best meet his postsecondary goals. Each student's
7 Individual Graduation Plan or the student's Individualized Education Program, if
8 applicable, shall include the recommended sequence of courses for successful
9 completion of a standard diploma.
10 * * *
11 (6) Upon completion of the review, the plan shall be signed by the student,
12 his parent or legal guardian, and the school counselor or career coach.
13 (7) Prior to revising a student's Individual Graduation Plan, the school
14 counselor or career coach shall meet individually with the student's parent or legal
15 guardian either in person or virtually to explain the possible impacts the revisions to
16 the plan might have on the student's graduation requirements and postsecondary
17 education goals unless notified by the parent or legal guardian that the parent or legal
18 guardian chooses not to have this meeting. Any revisions to a student's plan shall be
19 approved in writing by the student's parent or legal guardian.
20 * * *
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 973 Original 2026 Regular Session Bamburg
Abstract: Provides for the development, review, and revision of student high school
graduation plans.
Present law provides for the preparation of individual high school graduation plans for
students. Proposed law revises present law as follows:
(1) Present law requires the assistance of a student's parent or legal guardian and school
counselor throughout the development of certain plan components by the end of the
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1542 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 973
eighth grade and by the end of the 10th grade. Proposed law assigns the school
counselor's responsibility to either the counselor or a career coach.
(2) Present law provides for annual plan review and requires that the plan be signed by
the student, his parent or legal guardian, and the school counselor upon the
completion of the review. Proposed law assigns the school counselor's responsibility
to either the counselor or a career coach.
(3) Present law requires the school counselor to meet with the student's parent or legal
guardian prior to plan revision either in person or virtually. Proposed law assigns the
school counselor's responsibility to either the counselor or a career coach, specifies
that this person meet with the parent or legal guardian individually, and provides that
the meeting requirement applies unless the counselor or coach is notified by the
parent or legal guardian that the parent or legal guardian chooses not to have this
meeting.
(Amends R.S. 17:2925(A)(1), (3), (6), and (7))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.