High School and Beyond Plan

Starting in Fall 2026, Issaquah School District students in grades 7 through 12 – and their families – will have access to Washington State’s new universal High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) platform, SchooLinks. SchooLinks is a modern career-readiness platform that helps students prepare for life after graduation.

Using this platform, students will be able to...

• Access surveys to explore their career interests, strengths, and skills
   
• Find career matches based on the results of the surveys and activities they complete
   
• Explore all career fields, including the post-high school pathway(s) to access them
   
• Explore 2-year and 4-year colleges, apprenticeships, trade schools, and other options for education or training after high school
   
• Create course plans based on career interests, aspirations, and goals
   
• Connect to local or regional internship, employment, volunteer, and career exploration opportunities
   
• Explore events and programs happening in their school and community
   
• Increase their understanding of typical cost of living expenses in the "Game of Life," a financial future planning feature
   
• Ensure they know how to apply for financial aid
   
• Create digital portfolios and resumes they can choose to share with employers and colleges
   
• Write annual career-readiness goals that are aligned with post-high school plans to help stay focused and on track
   
• And more!

Students and families will receive information about SchooLinks access in Fall 2026. Stay tuned!

Xello is an online program that ISD students use to complete the High School and Beyond graduation requirement. Each student has a Xello account beginning in 6th grade. Xello offers many useful features:

• Xello allows students to explore various post-high school pathways, including 4-year college, 2-year college, technical & vocational training, military, apprenticeships, on-the-job-training, and a gap year.
• Within Xello, students can research many different careers, colleges, and majors. Students can save their favorites so they can easily return to them later.
• Students can use the About Me page in Xello to list their interests and skills, plus any education, work, and volunteer experiences they've had, which builds toward a future resume.

Access is easy! Students sign into ClassLink and launch Xello from there.

The Digital Resources for Students page provides directions and tips for logging into ClassLink.

Xello Family is a feature that allows caretakers to log into their own Xello account. Through this account, caregivers can see their student's Xello portfolio, including progress on their High School and Beyond Plan activities, including saved careers, colleges, and interests. Caregivers can also log into Xello as a demo student, allowing them to explore the Xello platform with the same view a student would have.

To access Xello Family, caregivers must first receive an invitation via email, which will include a link (that expires after 7 days) to access their Xello Family account.

• In September of each school year, Xello will send email invitations to all caregivers listed in Family Access for all ISD middle and high school students. The email included a link to access their Xello Family account. NOTE: If you can't locate this email, check your spam/junk folder!
• If you have not received an email invitation, or you received one but the link has expired, please complete this Xello Family Account Request Form. ISD staff will process additional Xello Family Account requests as quickly as possible.
• Once a caregiver has accepted the email invitation and accessed Xello Family, they can bookmark this site and return to log in.
• Learn about Xello Family features in this Xello Family Overview video. More tips and support available at the Get Started with Xello Family support page.

Students and families lose access to Xello on August 1, 2026. Before access is lost, students can download their Xello Profile, which includes information like saved skills, experiences, careers, and colleges.

Download step-by-step instructions showing how to save a student's Xello Profile.

The HSBP focus in 7th grade is to complete the Find your path assessment and explore careers of interest.

Students, if you missed this lesson at school, you can find the instructions to complete the activity by reviewing this PowerPoint:

• Find your path PowerPoint

The HSBP focuses in 8th grade are: setting SMART goals, exploring careers and learning about types of financial aid.

Students, if you missed these lessons at school, you can find the instructions to complete the activities by reviewing these PowerPoints:

• Exploring Career Matches PowerPoint
• College Bound Information PowerPoint
• Course Planner PowerPoint

The HSBP focus in 9th grade is  Post-high school pathways.

Students, if you missed these lessons at school, you can find the instructions to complete the activities by reviewing these PowerPoints:

• Post-High School Pathways PowerPoint
• Course Planner PowerPoint

The HSBP focus in 10th grade is Resume development.

Students, if you missed this lesson at school, you can find the instructions to complete the activity by reviewing this PowerPoint:

• Resume Builder PowerPoint

The HSBP focuses in 11th grade are narrowing and preparing for your career interests and Financial Aid.

Students, if you missed these lessons at school, you can find the instructions to complete the activities by reviewing these PowerPoints:

• Is College for Me? PowerPoint
• Financial Aid YouTube Video
  • Watch this video,then complete the Financial Aid Resources activity on your To-Do list. Consult with your College & Career Center for more information!

The HSBP focuses in 12th grade are Resume and Senior Exit Interview.

12th grade students will be given Homeroom/Flex Time to complete these activities independently using the instructions below:

• Student Directions
  • Resume Expectations
  • Exit Interview Expectations

Below is the list of Senior Exit Interview questions. Each student will be asked the required first question, then the interviewer will choose 2-3 additional questions to ask. Students should prepare answers to all predetermined interview questions.

Senior Exit Interview Questions

Tips:

• To answer each interview question, students can use examples from school, work, volunteering, clubs, sports, family responsibilities, friendships, and personal hobbies.
• Students should only use examples they are comfortable sharing.
• Students may want to use the Interview Answers Preparation Template linked below in the Templates section.

Below are the student expectations for the Senior Exit Interview. Students should review these to ensure that they're properly prepared.

Senior Exit Interview Student Expectations

Below is the feedback form that interviewers will use to provide written feedback to support students in strengthening their career‑readiness skills. Students should review this rubric to understand how they'll be evaluated.

Senior Exit Interview Feedback Form

Below is a Microsoft Form that students can fill out to enroll in the optional Senior Exit Interview Preparation course on Canvas. This asynchronous, self-paced course provides learning materials on resume development, interview preparation, and professionalism.

Senior Exit Interview Preparation Course Enrollment Form

Below are templates that students might find helpful as they prepare for their Senior Exit Interview.

• Resume Template: Students might use this template if they don't yet have a resume. Students can also find free resume templates on platforms like Microsoft Word or Canva.
• Resume Checklist: Students can use this checklist to make sure that their resume meets general professional expectations.
• Interview Answers Preparation Template: Students can use this template to prepare responses to each of the interview questions.
• Professionalism Plan Template: Students can use this template to create a plan to prepare for their interview, such as what they'll wear and how they'll use proper interview etiquette.

Below is a list of answers to frequently asked questions about the Senior Exit Interview. Students should review this document if they have any questions about the Senior Exit Interview.

Senior Exit Interview FAQs + Answers