Plan Early. Explore Every Pathway.
Course planning for the 2027–28 school year is underway. Throughout the year, students will work with their campus counselors to explore interests, consider available courses and pathways, and build a plan for the year ahead.
Why We Plan Early
Beginning course planning in the fall gives students more time to explore their options and connect their interests and goals with courses for the following year. It also gives campuses an earlier look at student interest as they plan courses, staffing and schedules for the year ahead.
Our goal is simple: Keep pathways open and help every student discover what they are passionate about.
📅 Key Dates at a Glance
October – December 2026
Learn & Explore: Students and families learn about Naviance and start exploring interests by working their 4-year (high school) and 3-year (middle school) plans. Each school’s counseling team is following a slightly different timeline through this period.
Now available: Explore the 2027–28 Course Catalog to learn more about courses and opportunities available to students.
Monday, Oct. 19, 2026: Watch our Course Selection Family Webinar to learn more about the process, available programs and how families can stay involved.
January 2027
Plan & Prepare: Students continue working with counselors to connect their interests and goals with courses for the 2027–28 school year. Events hosted at the campus level for students transition to a new level: 5th to 6th and 8th to 9th.
Feb. 22 through March 11, 2027
Adjust if needed: Beginning Feb. 22, draft course plans will be available for families to review in the Home Access Center (HAC). All families should review their student’s plan. If changes are needed, students and families can request revisions through March 11.
👪 How Families Can Help
- Talk about interests. Ask your student what subjects, activities or potential career paths excite them.
- Check Naviance together. Review saved courses and career clusters.
- Mark deadlines. The schedule-change window for the 2027–28 school year goes from Feb. 22-March 11, 2027.
- Reach out. Contact your campus counseling department with questions. They’re here to help!
💻 Family Webinar
Visit the links below to watch the webinar from Oct. 19, 2026, with members of the Advanced Academics & Pathways team.
What was Covered
Note: The links on the numbers below will jump you straight to each section of the presentation
- (🎬 1) Introduction from Shayla Pratt, Director of Counseling
- (🎬 2) Counseling Department: Course Selection Timeline and Overview
- (🎬 3) Counseling Department: Correspondence, Distance, and Virtual Coursework Approval Process
- (🎬 4) Advanced Programs: AP, IB, dual credit and Early College HS
- (🎬 5) Career & Technical Education (CTE): Electives to Jumpstart Your Career
- (🎬 6) Live Q&A with panelists
If you have specific questions, please contact [email protected] or your campus’s counseling department.
Campus Counseling Departments
High School
Campus Information Nights
Throughout the month of January, our middle and high schools will host a series of targeted information sessions for our students transitioning up to the next level: 5th up to 6th and 8th up to 9th. This includes students visiting their feeder school during the day. It also includes information night for families to gather more information.
We will add these dates for each school at a later time.
Additional Resources
- Naviance is the hub for course planning and interest exploration.
About Naviance | Naviance Login - Middle School & High School Course Catalog
- Explore Career & Technical Education (CTE)
Frequently Asked Questions
View the full Course Selection Q&A List for additional details.
What is Naviance, and how do parents get access?
Naviance is a comprehensive college and career readiness solution that helps align student strengths and interests with postsecondary goals, improve student outcomes, and connect learning to life. In Leander ISD, Naviance serves as an essential tool for students, counselors, and families to plan for the future. Students create 3-year plans (middle school) and 4-year plans (high school), research colleges, careers and the military, and take interest inventories. Student and parent accounts begin in 6th grade. Your campus counseling department emails login information. If you haven’t received it, contact your student’s school counselor.
When do students make their 3-year and 4-year plans? Can the plans change?
Students begin a 3-year middle school plan in 6th grade and build a 4-year high school plan with their counselor in 8th grade. Plans are updated every year. Parent approval means “I have seen and agree with the plan for this year.” Courses for 9th grade cannot be changed after March 11, but courses for later years can be adjusted each year.
Whom should I contact with questions?
Start with your campus counseling website and newsletter, which list when each grade level meets with counselors. If you can’t find the answer, email your student’s school counselor. Students moving from 8th to 9th grade should contact their middle school counselor, who works closely with the high school counselor. In January, every campus will also hold a parent information night.
What are summer or correspondence courses, and what is changing?
These are approved courses taken through UT High School, Texas Tech High School or Texas Virtual School Network, typically online, to earn high school credit. Starting in 2027-28, students may begin taking them the summer after 8th grade, and students in the Class of 2031 and later may earn up to four correspondence credits in high school. Submit the Coursework Approval Form by March 11, finish coursework by July 25, and make sure the official transcript reaches your campus by 4 p.m. on August 1.
How is GPA calculated?
Refer to page 40 of the High School Course Catalog or the Class Ranking page for course levels and the GPA calculation. Middle school courses, including high school courses taken in middle school, are not included in the high school GPA. ACC dual credit courses and UT High School and Texas Tech High School courses are not included in GPA.
How do I choose between AP, IB and dual credit?
All three offer college-level rigor but differ in curriculum, cost and how credit is awarded. Consider your student’s goals, interests, learning style and the colleges they are considering, and keep a healthy balance with activities outside of school. Students can combine them as their schedule allows. See our comparison chart for further descriptions on each path.
What is Leander Early College High School, and how do students apply?
Leander ECHS lets students earn a high school diploma (Distinguished with Honors) and 60 college credits toward an Associate of General Studies from Austin Community College, completely free. Current 8th and 9th graders can apply. The application window runs November 1 to February 1 (priority deadline) and stays open until all seats are filled, with admission notifications beginning in mid-February and continuing through the spring. Virtual and in-person town halls will be posted by November 1, and campus tours are available on request. ECHS is academically focused, so it does not offer athletics or band, but students enjoy many student-led clubs. Learn more and apply for ECHS.
How do I find out which CTE programs are offered at my campus? What if mine isn’t offered?
See “CTE Programs by Campus” on the CTE High School Programs page. Students who want a program not offered at their home campus can apply through the district transfer process.
When can new students enroll in LISD?
New-student registration has traditionally opened around April 1, and applications for out-of-district students and campus transfers open earlier, as early as January or February. Dates are being finalized and will be posted on the district website. Once your student enrolls, a counselor will contact you to help select courses.
Can students earn high school credit by taking an exam?
Yes. Students in grades 6–12 can earn credit with no prior instruction by scoring 3 or higher on an approved AP exam, 50 or higher on an approved CLEP exam, or 80% or higher on another approved criterion-referenced test. Exams are offered four times a year, with one year of a course allowed per testing window. Learn more on the Exam for Acceleration page.
