Parents & Guardians
Your Support Makes the Difference
Parents and guardians are a student's first and most influential teachers. From encouraging curiosity in elementary school to helping navigate college applications and financial aid in high school, your involvement has a lasting impact on your student's future.
Career and college planning isn't a one-time conversation—it's an ongoing journey that begins early and continues through graduation. By talking about goals, encouraging exploration, setting expectations, and planning together, you can help your student make informed decisions with confidence.
Whether your student is just starting school or preparing for graduation, ICAN provides resources to support your family every step of the way.
How Can You Support Your Student?
🌟 Encourage Exploration
Help your student discover their interests, talents, and future possibilities by encouraging curiosity and exposing them to new experiences.
Explore:
📚 Support Academic Success
Academic choices today create opportunities tomorrow. Encourage strong study habits, monitor progress, and work with your student's school to plan for future success.
Explore:
- Academic Planning
- Four-Year Planning
- College Credit in High School
- High School Transitions
💰 Plan Financially
It's never too early to begin saving and talking about paying for education after high school. Learning about financial aid, scholarships, budgeting, and responsible borrowing helps families prepare for future costs.
Explore:
🎓 Explore Postsecondary Options Together
Help your student learn about the many pathways available after high school, including apprenticeships, certificates, community colleges, universities, military service, and direct entry into the workforce.
Explore:
- College Planning
- Apprenticeships
- Military Careers
- Career Training Programs
- College Search
📅 Stay Involved Every Year
Career and college planning happens over time. Use ICAN's grade-level planning resources to stay on track and know what steps to take each year.
Explore:
- Elementary Planning
- Middle School Planning
- High School Planning
- Planning Checklists
- ICAN Mobile App
- Events & Presentations
Planning by Grade Level
👧 Birth Through Elementary School
The elementary years are all about building curiosity, confidence, and good habits that support future success.
Focus on:
- Talk about careers and encourage your child to dream big.
- Read together every day to build language and learning skills.
- Encourage your child to explore new interests and activities.
- Teach the importance of saving money and setting goals.
- Open or contribute to a college savings account if possible.
- Reinforce that education opens doors to future opportunities.
Explore:
🎒 Middle School
Middle school is the time to begin connecting interests with future opportunities while preparing for high school.
Focus on:
- Encourage career exploration and interest assessments.
- Meet with your student's school counselor.
- Begin discussing high school course planning.
- Encourage extracurricular involvement and community service.
- Continue contributing to college savings when possible.
- Introduce budgeting and financial responsibility.
- Talk regularly about future goals and education options.
Explore:
🎓 High School
High school is when plans become action. Families play an important role in helping students make informed decisions about education, careers, and finances.
Focus on:
- Review and update your student's four-year plan annually.
- Encourage challenging coursework, including dual credit or AP when appropriate.
- Research careers and the education or training they require.
- Visit colleges, career fairs, and apprenticeship programs.
- Complete the FAFSA and apply for scholarships.
- Develop a family plan for paying for education after high school.
- Discuss expectations for college, finances, transportation, employment, and academic success.
Explore:
Recommended Resources
| Career Planning | College Planning | Financial Planning | Family Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
Parent Planning Checklists
Stay informed with age-appropriate planning checklists designed to help families support students from elementary school through high school graduation.
→ View Parent Planning Checklist for Birth through Elementary School
→ View Elementary Planning Checklist
→ Join the ICAN App for tailored parent checklists
Continue Your Journey
Every student's path is unique, but they don't have to navigate it alone. Continue exploring ICAN's career planning, college planning, and financial aid resources to help your family make informed decisions and prepare for a successful future.
