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Committee endorses bill to add career coaches to middle and high school planning
Summary
SB 482 would integrate career coaches into Individual Graduation Plan development for eighth- and tenth-graders, require statewide vendor lists and demand reporting on districts that underutilize career development funds; the committee reported it favorably after supporters and BESE representatives described pilot programs and said the bill is optional for districts.
Senate Bill 482, sponsored by Sen. Reese, would embed career coaches into Louisiana's Individual Graduation Plan (IGP) process, require the Department of Education to provide professional development and publish an approved statewide list of career coaching vendors by January 2027, and require annual reporting of districts that fail to spend at least 95% of their career development funds.
The sponsor said career coaches would "participate alongside counselors and parents" in IGP development, bringing more individualized, early career planning to eighth and tenth graders. Ashley Townsend of the Department of Education said some districts are piloting the model and that the measure expands options for districts: "No, ma'am. This would just make that option available to them."
Committee members asked whether private vendors could steer students and how the program would be funded; BESE submitted a green card in support. Representative Taylor moved to report the bill favorably and the committee approved it by voice vote.
