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Department clarifies Course Choice and IGP rules; parents must sign annual plans
Summary
LDOE officials said parents must consent to Course Choice enrollments and that Individual Graduation Plans (IGPs) are developed beginning in eighth grade and signed annually; questions remain about scheduling, staffing and funding.
Louisiana Department of Education officials reviewed high school pathways, telling the task force that Course Choice courses and Individual Graduation Plans require active parent engagement and annual consent.
Tiffany Thomas, who manages the state's Course Choice program, said recent policy updates emphasize parent authority: "Parents have to give consent, not can. They must," she said, describing an upcoming requirement that parents formally sign off on selective Course Choice enrollments beginning this school year. Candice Jones, who works in the Office of Career and College Readiness, said the Individual Graduation Plan is started in eighth grade and that parents typically sign the IGP with the student each year.
Presenters acknowledged operational questions from members: scheduling constraints vary widely by district; some Course Choice enrollments are virtual, others require travel; and the state has a funding formula that provides roughly $77 per eligible student in grades 7–12 (based on the prior year's February 1 count) for Course Choice allocations, which may not cover high‑cost provider fees.
Panelists said the department will circulate links and staffing/scheduling guidance and that Course Choice priorities for limited funds remain, so not every student request can be funded. Officials invited districts to request model scheduling materials and to raise specific implementation questions to the department's Course Choice team.
