Education and Career Action Plan (ECAP)
On February 25, 2008 the Arizona State Board of Education approved Education and Career Action Plans for all Arizona students grades 9-12. An ECAP (Education and Career Action Plan) reflects a student’s current plan of coursework, career aspirations, and extended learning opportunities in order to develop the student’s individual academic and career goals.
Why is an ECAP important?
We as educators believe that integrating an Education and Career Action Plan (ECAP) process into all facets of the school experience enables students to be lifelong learners and problem-solvers, developing and applying 21st century skills to their life experiences, as students, as workers, as consumers, and as responsible citizens. With the ability to identify skills and interests and to apply that knowledge to create their own ECAP, our students will have developed needed skills to advance in a more fluid, seamless transition, meeting 21st Century technologies and work place postsecondary requirements.
ECAP Components
The four components of ECAPs include: Academic, Career, Postsecondary, and Extracurricular. These components should be documented, reviewed, and updated a minimum of once per academic year. The Implementation Plan and Student Sample Plan should contain documentation of activities being provided in all four required areas. ECAP must be reviewed with the student and parent(s)/guardian(s) annually. Signatures or acknowledgment of involvement from parent(s)/guardian(s) are an important documentation aspect of a successful ECAP.
