High School and Beyond Plan
Preparing Students for College and Career
The High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) is a Washington State graduation requirement. As an important step in transitioning to life after high school, the HSBP helps students focus on setting goals, as well as preparation and readiness for future work, career and/or college.
Starting in middle school, students work with their families and school staff to develop their HSBP. Students continue to revise their plan each year through middle school and high school as their interests and/or goals change.
Beginning Sept. 2, 2026, our district will transition from Naviance to SchooLinks, the state-selected HSBP platform for Washington schools. This shift ensures alignment with state requirements while providing improved tools for students to explore their interests, plan for life after high school, and track progress toward their goals.
SchooLinks also expands access for families, creating new opportunities to engage in their student’s planning process.
About SchooLinks
Seattle Public Schools has transitioned to SchooLinks, the district’s new High School and Beyond Plan platform for students in grades 6–12.
Beginning Sept. 2, students can use SchooLinks to:
- Complete High School and Beyond Plan activities.
- Explore careers and interests.
- Build and update graduation plans.
- Research colleges, apprenticeships, military service, and other postsecondary pathways.
- Search for scholarships and other opportunities.
- Track college and career planning activities.
Student Access and Support
Students can access SchooLinks beginning Sept. 2.
- Accounts are automatically created by Seattle Public Schools
- Students log in using their SPS username and password (through Clever or a school-provided link)
Student Login Instructions:
- Open the Clever Student Portal.
- Scroll to College Career Readiness.
- Favorite SchooLinks to keep it near the top of the Clever dashboard.
- Select the SchooLinks application.
Students who previously used Naviance:
Historical HSBP task-completion records have been archived in SchooLinks. To view these records:
- Select Documents from the left navigation menu.
- Open the archived HSBP task-completion record.
Only HSBP task-completion records were included in the archival migration. Transcripts will be managed through a separate SchooLinks process. Naviance résumés and other files did not transfer.
Students applying to college may also use College Application Manager if their school has activated the feature.
Student Support
Students will receive support through:
- Classroom lessons connected to their High School and Beyond Plan
- Guidance from school counselors and staff
- Step-by-step tutorials and resources
Families will also receive information to help support students at home.
Parent/Guardian Access to SchooLinks
SchooLinks allows families to:
- View your student’s High School and Beyond Plan and progress
- Explore college and career options together
- Stay informed about important milestones and next steps
Resources for Parents/Guardians:
Login instructions:
Families can access SchooLinks beginning Sept. 2.
- Log in to SchooLinks using one of the options below:
- Click Login with Google, Microsoft, or LinkedIn if you have a Google, Microsoft, or LinkedIn email on file with the district.
- Click Forgot Password, enter the email you have on file with the district, then follow the email instructions to create a password.
- Once logged in, click the My students tab at the top to view your students.
- If you don’t see the right students, please reach out to the district for corrections.
- Click your student’s name to view their casefile. From the casefile you can see your student’s assessment results, review course plans, reach out to their counselor, and more!
Important Dates for Students and Families
Important HSBP and SchooLinks Dates for Students and Families
School counseling teams will work with students to discuss planning in SchooLinks.
Aug. 17–28
Sept. 2
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the HSBP?
The High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) is a state graduation requirement designed to help students explore careers or college pathways starting in 6th grade in Seattle Public Schools. It centers on students reflecting on three guiding questions: Who am I?, What can I Become? and How do I Become That? Throughout the year, students update their HSBP goals to reflect their changing interests and goals, connecting what they learn and the skills they develop to future career pathways.
Why is SPS using SchooLinks?
With the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 5243 in 2023, OSPI began moving to transition all public schools serving students in grades 7-12 to one statewide platform for HSBP. In May 2024, SchooLinks was introduced as the new statewide platform for Washington State.
On this page, you’ll find a short video explaining the “why” behind this exciting transition, along with key information about student pathways, the implementation timeline, and training and support for educators, families, and school staff.
Prior to the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 5243, districts varied in what tools they used for HSBP, meaning not all students had access to the same resources. Switching to the universal platform from SchooLinks ensures every student in Washington will have equal access to high-quality career and college readiness tools.
How does SchooLinks help students plan for the future?
llows students to adapt and customize their pathway that feels like the best match for them. Examples of these pathways include:
- 2-year college: associate degrees and workforce credentials
- 4-year college: bachelor’s degree programs and further university preparation
- Apprenticeship programs: hands-on training in skilled trades and technical careers
- Direct workforce entry: immediate employment opportunities, and career training
- Military service: armed forces career preparation
SchooLinks gives students an easy-to-use space to explore careers, plan for career and college pathways, and map out steps toward their goals. Through the platform, students can:
- Discover career pathways that match their interests and strengths
- Explore career and college opportunities
- Track their goals and progress from 7th through 12th grade
- Choose school courses to build on skills needed for their career(s)of interest
With SchooLinks, every student has access to the same high-quality tools to plan a future that fits them.
Why does one HSBP platform help students and families?
Using one statewide online HSBP platform gives students and families across Washington access to helpful services, including:
- Assistance for students and families to better understand and navigate the college application, financial aid, and scholarship processes.
- Ensuring access to the universal online HSBP platform for another year empowers students and families across Washington to access beneficial services the platform provides, including but not limited to:
- Ability for parents, guardians, and families to learn about how their students’ interests and skills connect to potential career and college opportunities as a means of helping them make informed course decisions and stay engaged in school;
- Capability for a student’s HSBP to move more seamlessly from district to district, which is especially important for highly mobile populations;
- Opportunities for students and families to directly connect with school counselors and educators;
- Capability for students and families to access the platform in more than 100 languages;
- Options to explore trade, apprenticeship, and military career opportunities;
- Ability for students to connect with local employers, internships, job shadowing offerings, and career-connected opportunities based on their career interests;
- Access to essential career and college preparation events, such as career, college, and financial aid fairs; and
What is required in the HSBP?
The requirements of the High School and Beyond Plan are described in RCW 28A.230.212 and in WAC 180-51-220. Decisions about whether a student has met the requirements for the High School and Beyond Plan are made locally per RCW 28A.230.212. The HSBP helps to bridge the other two components of the Washington diploma: it helps to guide selection of the individual student’s courses and graduation pathway option, based on the career and education goals identified in the individual student’s plan.
- Identification of career goals aided by a skills and interest assessment.
- Identification of educational goals.
- A four-year plan for courses taken in high school that satisfies state and local graduation requirements and aligns with students’ secondary and postsecondary goals that may include education, training, and careers.
- Options for satisfying state and local graduation requirements, taking into account academic acceleration (RCW 28A.320.195), dual credit courses, Career and Technical Education programs, and graduation pathway options.
- Resume or activity log, that includes the student’s education, work experience, community service, including how districts recognize community service (RCW 28A.320.193)
- Evidence that the student has received information on federal and state financial aid programs that help pay for postsecondary programs, including evidence that the student has received the following information:
- Documentation necessary for completing financial aid applications, information provided on the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) website about the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid)
- Application timeliness and submission deadlines, and the importance of submitting applications early
- Information specific to students: 1.) who have been in foster care, 2.) who are, or are at risk of, being homeless, or 3.) whose family member or guardians will be required to provide financial and tax information necessary to complete application
- Opportunities to participate in sessions that assist students and, when necessary, their family members or guardians, in filling out financial aid applications.
- Information on the College Bound Scholarship application and eligibility
How do schools support the HSBP process?
Districts and schools must create processes for High School and Beyond Planning that support the following:
What are the state law requirements?
RCW 28A.230.212 establishes the core requirements for every student’s HSBP. Plans must include career and college goals, a personalized four-year course plan, activities that support exploration and planning, and, when applicable, alignment with a student’s IEP transition plan.
RCW 28A.230.215 requires OSPI to provide one online platform that supports the development and management of HSBPs. The platform ensures equitable access, consistency across districts, and portability of plans as students move. OSPI has selected SchooLinks as the statewide platform, with phased implementation beginning in 2025.
Can students opt out of SchooLinks?
No, there is not a specific opt out process for SchooLinks. SPS does have a process to opt out of general internet access.
The SPS Network Use Agreement outlines the standards for appropriate use of SPS computers and internet network. All students with individual network accounts are required to accept the SPS Network Use Agreement when they first log on to the district network and when there are changes to the agreement. Read more about the SPS Network Use Agreement.
Specifically, for parents that wish to opt “out” of general internet access by enrolling their child into a restricted-internet configuration, please email cybersecurity@seattleschools.org.