Oregon’s Personalized Learning Requirements help students connect what they learn in school with their individual interests, strengths, goals, and plans after graduation. These requirements are designed to ensure that every student graduates with more than completed coursework—they leave with experience making decisions, exploring possibilities, setting goals, applying their learning, and preparing for adult life.

The Personalized Learning Requirements are required for graduation but do not add credits to the 24-credit Oregon Diploma. They include:

1. Education Plan and Profile
2. Career-Related Learning Experiences
3. Extended Application

Students begin this process during middle school and continue developing it throughout high school. The requirements apply to students in CLHS, CLOA, and FLEX, although the activities and methods used to complete them may be adapted to each student’s educational setting, abilities, interests, and needs.

Learn more about Oregon’s Personalized Learning Requirements.

Students are not expected to select one career in middle school and follow it forever. Interests, circumstances, and goals change. The Personalized Learning Requirements give students a structured way to explore different possibilities, learn from experience, revise their plans, and keep more than one future pathway available.

A student might be interested in health care during eighth grade, engineering during sophomore year, and entrepreneurship during senior year. Those changes are a normal and valuable part of the planning process. The student’s Education Plan and Profile should grow and change with the student.

Cobra Advisory

Cobra Advisory guides students through the Personalized Learning Requirements. Students receive time, instruction, adult guidance, and organized activities that help them develop their Education Plan and Profile, participate in Career-Related Learning Experiences, and complete an Extended Application.

Cobra Advisory includes:

• Interest, strength, and aptitude exploration
• Career-cluster research
• Decision-making and goal-setting activities
• Four-year course planning
• Annual graduation-progress reviews
• Résumé development
• Employability and professional communication skills
• Career and postsecondary research
• Financial-aid awareness
• Career speakers and informational interviews
• Preparation for workplace visits or job shadows
• Reflection on work, volunteer, or community experiences
• Extended Application planning and documentation
• Portfolio organization
• Transition planning for life after high school

Cobra Advisory provides the support and structure, but students are responsible for participating, completing assigned activities, maintaining documentation, and communicating when they need assistance.

1. Education Plan and Profile

The Education Plan and Profile is a living record of the student’s goals, plans, experiences, progress, and accomplishments. It begins during middle school and must be reviewed and updated at least annually.

The Education Plan describes where the student may want to go and the steps that could help the student get there. The Education Profile documents what the student has learned, completed, experienced, and accomplished along the way.

Examples of Education Plan Information

A student’s plan may include:

• Personal interests and strengths
• Career areas the student wants to explore
• Possible education or training after graduation
• Short-term and long-term goals
• A tentative four-year high school course plan
• Courses connected to the student’s interests
• CTE pathways or advanced coursework
• Dual-credit or college-course opportunities
• Career-Related Learning Experiences to pursue
• Possible Extended Application topics
• Plans for employment, college, apprenticeship, military service, or training
• A primary postsecondary plan
• One or more alternative plans
• Steps needed to prepare for the student’s next transition

Examples of Education Profile Evidence

A student’s profile may contain:

• Annual interest or aptitude results
• Four-year plans and annual updates
• Graduation-progress reviews
• Course histories
• Significant work samples
• CTE projects
• Research projects
• Creative work
• Laboratory or technical projects
• Résumés
• Cover letters
• Awards and recognitions
• Industry certifications
• First aid, CPR, food-handler, or safety certifications
• Dual-credit coursework
• Volunteer or community-service records
• Employment or internship experience
• Leadership activities
• Club, activity, or athletic participation
• Career-interview notes
• Job-shadow reflections
• Workplace-visit reflections
• Extended Application documentation
• Personal reflections about growth, setbacks, and changing goals

Examples of Annual Education Plan and Profile Activities

Students might:

• Complete an interest inventory and compare the results with the previous year.
• Identify three occupations connected to a personal strength.
• Review the transcript and determine which graduation requirements remain.
• Revise the four-year plan after discovering a new career interest.
• Add a certification, award, project, or volunteer experience to the profile.
• Compare two postsecondary pathways leading to the same career.
• Identify the courses required for a CTE pathway.
• Develop a primary plan and a backup plan.
• Reflect on why a previous goal changed.
• Select senior courses based on graduation needs and future plans.

2. Career-Related Learning Experiences

Career-Related Learning Experiences are structured activities that connect school learning to careers, workplaces, community needs, and adult responsibilities. They allow students to learn about work before making major decisions about education, training, or employment.

A Career-Related Learning Experience is more than simply attending an event. Students should prepare for the experience, participate meaningfully, connect it to their interests or learning, and reflect on what they discovered.

Examples of Career-Related Learning Experiences

Career Awareness and Exploration

• Attending a presentation by a local employer or professional
• Participating in a career fair
• Researching a career cluster
• Comparing several careers within one industry
• Interviewing a professional about their education and work
• Touring a business, college, training center, hospital, farm, shop, or public agency
• Participating in a virtual workplace tour
• Exploring career options through an aptitude or interest program
• Researching wages, working conditions, education, and advancement opportunities

Workplace and Employment Experiences

• Completing a job shadow
• Participating in an internship
• Participating in work-based learning
• Holding a part-time or seasonal job
• Completing supervised workplace training
• Learning and applying workplace safety procedures
• Practicing professional communication with a supervisor
• Participating in an apprenticeship exploration activity
• Interviewing for a real or practice position
• Developing a résumé and cover letter for a specific job

Employment does not automatically complete a Career-Related Learning Experience. The student must document the experience, identify what was learned, connect it to future planning, and complete any required reflection or evidence.

School and CTE Experiences

• Completing a construction, welding, automotive, agriculture, health science, media, or arts project connected to an industry
• Working with an industry mentor
• Completing an industry certification
• Participating in a career and technical student organization
• Presenting work to an industry or community audience
• Solving a problem provided by a business or community partner
• Developing a product for an authentic client
• Participating in a workplace safety or employability-skills activity
• Using professional tools, software, or processes

Community and Service Experiences

• Volunteering with a nonprofit organization
• Participating in a community-improvement project
• Helping organize a public event
• Supporting a food bank, animal shelter, senior center, youth program, or environmental project
• Serving in a leadership role
• Developing a service project in response to a community need
• Working with a local government agency
• Participating in emergency-preparedness or public-safety activities

Volunteer hours alone do not automatically satisfy the requirement. Students should identify the skills they used, the community need addressed, what they learned, and how the experience connects to their goals.

College and Training Exploration

• Visiting a college, university, community college, or trade school
• Attending a program-information session
• Interviewing a college student, apprentice, instructor, or training coordinator
• Comparing certificate, apprenticeship, associate-degree, and bachelor’s-degree pathways
• Completing a dual-credit course
• Participating in a college or career summer program
• Researching the cost and time required for different training options
• Learning about financial aid, grants, scholarships, and apprenticeships

Evidence of a Career-Related Learning Experience

Evidence may include:

• A completed reflection
• Interview questions and notes
• Photographs of the activity or completed work
• A supervisor or mentor verification
• A work sample
• A presentation
• A résumé entry
• A certificate
• A time log
• A workplace evaluation
• A description of skills practiced
• A comparison of expectations before and after the experience
• An explanation of how the experience affected the student’s plans

3. Extended Application

The Extended Application is a non-credit graduation requirement that allows a student to apply knowledge and skills to a meaningful project, investigation, experience, or problem. It should connect to the student’s interests and Education Plan and Profile and be informed by the student’s Career-Related Learning Experiences.

The Extended Application is personalized. Students do not all need to complete the same project or produce the same type of final product. A strong Extended Application includes a clear purpose, sustained student effort, applied learning, evidence of the process, a final product or outcome, and reflection.

Examples of Extended Applications

Career and Technical Projects

• Design and build a piece of furniture for a community organization.
• Develop a construction plan and cost estimate for a small structure.
• Design, fabricate, test, and revise a welded product.
• Diagnose and document a recurring automotive problem.
• Create a safety-training resource for beginning shop students.
• Develop a planting, irrigation, or soil-management plan.
• Create a small forestry or habitat-restoration proposal.
• Develop a health-education campaign for a specific audience.
• Produce a radio segment, podcast, short film, or public-service announcement.
• Design the technical plan for a theater production.
• Create a professional photography portfolio for a client or community purpose.

Research and Inquiry Projects

• Investigate a local environmental problem and propose a realistic response.
• Compare the training pathways for several health-care careers.
• Research local housing needs and develop a community-information resource.
• Examine how social media affects small businesses.
• Investigate water quality and communicate the findings.
• Research the history of a local community, organization, or property.
• Compare the costs and benefits of several postsecondary pathways.
• Investigate a public-policy issue and present evidence-based recommendations.
• Conduct a scientific investigation connected to agriculture, health, or the environment.

Community and Service Projects

• Identify a community need and organize a response.
• Develop a volunteer-recruitment plan for a nonprofit organization.
• Create an informational guide connecting families with local resources.
• Plan and implement a community cleanup or restoration effort.
• Organize a collection drive and evaluate its results.
• Develop an activity or mentoring program for younger students.
• Create an accessibility review for a community space.
• Develop educational materials for a local organization.
• Plan an event that benefits a school or community group.

Business and Entrepreneurship Projects

• Develop a complete business plan for a small enterprise.
• Create and test a product.
• Conduct market research for a business idea.
• Develop a budget, pricing model, and marketing plan.
• Design a website or promotional campaign for a community client.
• Create a proposal to improve an existing business process.
• Operate a small student enterprise and evaluate the results.
• Interview local entrepreneurs and use the findings to revise a business concept.

Creative and Communication Projects

• Produce a documentary about a local issue or individual.
• Write and revise a collection of original work.
• Create an art portfolio organized around a central question or theme.
• Develop and perform an original theatrical or musical work.
• Produce a photography exhibit with an accompanying artist statement.
• Create a public-information campaign.
• Develop a podcast series about careers or community issues.
• Design a publication for a real audience.

Work-Based Extended Applications

• Identify a workplace problem and develop a proposed solution.
• Create an employee-orientation or safety resource.
• Document the development of a complex workplace skill.
• Compare classroom expectations with actual industry practices.
• Develop a professional portfolio based on an internship.
• Research advancement and training pathways within the student’s workplace.
• Design a process improvement and evaluate its results.

A job, internship, volunteer activity, or class assignment may provide the foundation for an Extended Application, but the experience alone is not sufficient. The student must develop and document the extended learning, final product, and reflection required by the District.

Possible Extended Application Products

A completed Extended Application might result in:

• A physical product
• A research paper
• A technical plan
• A performance
• A portfolio
• A presentation
• A documentary
• A podcast
• A website
• A business plan
• A community proposal
• A service project
• A public-information campaign
• A scientific investigation
• A design prototype
• An instructional resource
• A workplace improvement plan
• A combination of several products

Extended Application Evidence

Students may be asked to provide:

• A project proposal
• A project timeline
• Research notes
• Planning documents
• Drafts and revisions
• Photographs or video
• Work samples
• Mentor or supervisor feedback
• A final product
• A presentation or demonstration
• A self-assessment
• A reflection explaining what was learned
• An explanation of how the project connects to future goals
• Documentation in the Education Plan and Profile

Grade-Level Progression

Grades 7–8: Awareness and Initial Planning

Students begin or update the Education Plan and Profile, explore interests and strengths, learn about career clusters, understand high school graduation requirements, and develop a tentative four-year plan.

Examples include:

• Completing an interest inventory
• Researching three careers
• Learning how high school credits work
• Comparing CLHS, CLOA, and FLEX
• Exploring CTE and elective options
• Developing a tentative ninth-grade schedule
• Participating in a career speaker activity
• Saving an accomplishment or meaningful work sample

Grade 9: Exploration and Foundation

Students begin earning high school credits, update their plans, explore different pathways, and start collecting portfolio evidence.

Examples include:

• Reviewing first-semester grades
• Updating the four-year plan
• Exploring career clusters
• Beginning a résumé or activity list
• Documenting a volunteer, school, or career activity
• Saving significant work samples
• Identifying courses connected to personal interests

Grade 10: Deeper Exploration

Students complete more focused career exploration, participate in Career-Related Learning Experiences, develop their résumés, and begin considering Extended Application topics.

Examples include:

• Completing an informational interview
• Participating in a workplace visit
• Researching training requirements for a career
• Comparing two postsecondary pathways
• Updating the résumé
• Documenting employment or volunteer experience
• Identifying several possible Extended Application ideas

Grade 11: Focus and Preparation

Students complete a detailed graduation review, develop postsecondary plans, continue Career-Related Learning Experiences, and select or begin the Extended Application.

Examples include:

• Completing a job shadow or career interview
• Comparing colleges, apprenticeships, training programs, or employers
• Selecting an Extended Application topic
• Developing a project proposal and timeline
• Identifying a mentor or community partner
• Updating the résumé and portfolio
• Developing a primary postsecondary plan and a backup plan

Grade 12: Completion and Transition

Students complete and document all Personalized Learning Requirements, finalize the Extended Application, and prepare to transition into employment, college, training, apprenticeship, military service, or another selected pathway.

Examples include:

• Completing the Extended Application product
• Presenting or demonstrating learning
• Submitting required reflections and evidence
• Finalizing the Education Plan and Profile
• Updating the résumé
• Documenting final Career-Related Learning Experiences
• Completing a senior transition plan
• Verifying that all Personalized Learning Requirements are recorded as complete

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the Personalized Learning Requirements earn credits?

No. They are non-credit graduation requirements. Students must complete them in addition to earning the credits required for their diploma.

Are Personal Financial Education and Higher Education and Career Path Skills part of the Personalized Learning Requirements?

No. Those are separate, credit-bearing diploma requirements. Cobra Advisory may reinforce related skills, but students must complete the required courses and earn the applicable credits.

Does every student complete the same activities?

No. The required components are the same, but the student’s interests, experiences, projects, evidence, and future plans may differ.

Can students change their career goals?

Yes. The Education Plan and Profile is intended to change as students gain experience and learn more about themselves.

Can one activity support more than one requirement?

Yes. For example, a job shadow may become part of the student’s Career-Related Learning Experiences, inform the Education Plan and Profile, and help the student select an Extended Application topic. Each requirement must still be appropriately documented.

Does having a job automatically complete the Career-Related Learning Experience?

No. Employment may qualify when it is connected to learning goals and includes appropriate documentation and reflection.

Is an Extended Application a research paper?

No. Extended Applications need to be project-based applications of learning and may be technical, creative, service-oriented, career-based, entrepreneurial, scientific, or academic. The final product should fit the student’s topic and intended learning.

Can students complete requirements virtually?

Yes. CLOA, FLEX, and other students may complete appropriate virtual career interviews, online workplace tours, digital projects, remote presentations, or other approved activities.

Can the requirements be adapted for a student with a disability?

Students must be provided appropriate access, accommodations, modifications, and supports consistent with their IEP, Section 504 Plan, or other applicable educational plan. The requirements should allow students to demonstrate meaningful planning and applied learning in an accessible way.

Student Responsibilities

Students are responsible for:

• Participating in Cobra Advisory.
• Completing assigned activities and reflections.
• Updating the Education Plan and Profile annually.
• Saving required evidence and documentation.
• Participating meaningfully in Career-Related Learning Experiences.
• Planning and completing the Extended Application.
• Asking for help when requirements are unclear.
• Communicating when a barrier affects participation.
• Verifying that all requirements are recorded as complete before graduation.

Who Can Help?

• Cobra Advisory teacher: Advisory activities, portfolios, reflections, Education Plan and Profile, Career-Related Learning Experiences, and Extended Application support.
• Academic advisor: Graduation planning, course selection, forecasting, and postsecondary pathways.
• Classroom or CTE teacher: Subject-specific projects, technical guidance, work samples, and possible Extended Application connections.
• Case manager: Accessibility, accommodations, transition services, and individualized supports.
• CLOA or FLEX staff: Program-specific options, virtual activities, individualized learning experiences, and documentation.
• Community or industry partner: Career information, mentoring, workplace experiences, feedback, and authentic project opportunities.

Students should retain copies of important evidence and review their progress annually. Waiting until senior year to begin or reconstruct the Personalized Learning Requirements can limit the quality of the experience and create unnecessary barriers to graduation.