Identity Support Plans - Tools to Support Schools in Planning, Safety, and Educational Equity for Gender Diverse Students
All public schools in California are required to offer Identity Support Plans (IDSP) for LGBTQ+ students in elementary, middle, and high school. In accordance with this policy, the Pacific Southwest Center collaborated with a group of school mental health specialists to develop a set of tools to aid districts in making educational spaces safe and supportive for ALL students, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression.
This webpage is a listing of the two sets of Identity Support Plan tools that are available for school personnel use. Listed below is the IDSP tool and accompanying “Explainer” document for elementary schools, and an IDSP and associated “Explainer” document for middle and high schools.
Identity Support Plan for Elementary- A Tool to Support Elementary Schools in Planning, Safety, and Educational Equity for Gender Diverse Students
This Identity Support Plan tool is a Word document, intended to serve as a downloadable and printable form to be filled out collaboratively by elementary school staff, the student, and the student’s caregiver(s), to ensure that the student feels safe in classrooms and across the school environment. The Identity Support Plan for Elementary (IDSPE) outlines the student’s rights and provides information on available accommodations, such as updating the student’s gender pronouns, creating a classroom inclusivity plan, ensuring restroom safety and access, and more. It also gives students a chance to share and express how they feel about their name and gender expression or identity. This form was created to help gender-diverse students share anything about their learning environment that might make them feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
Identity Support Plan for Elementary (IDSPE) Explainer
This document explains the Identity Support Plan for Elementary (IDSPE) process, provides guidance about how to use the IDSPE tool, and offers strategies and discussion tips that school staff can use when working with caregivers and students. An Identity Support Plan for Elementary (IDSPE) supports public school staff in California to work with gender-diverse students, and potentially their caregivers, to identify strategies for ensuring that their identity is respected and supported. The IDSPE process fosters an educational environment that is safe and supportive for ALL students, and it serves as an effective tool to help guide school staff conversations with families, other caregivers, and children.
Identity Support Plan for Secondary- A Tool to Support Schools in Planning, Safety, and Educational Equity for Gender Diverse Students
This tool guides California public middle and high school personnel through the development of a plan to support LGBTQ+ students’ identity, success, and safety at school. It is a Word document and may be downloaded and printed (as a hard copy) for school staff, caregivers, and the student to collaboratively complete the document. Similar to the IDSPE, the Identity Support Plan for Secondary outlines the student’s rights and provides information on available accommodations, such as updating the student’s name and gender pronouns, creating a classroom inclusivity plan, ensuring restroom safety and access, and more. This tool supports districts’ commitment to making educational spaces safe and supportive for ALL students, with respect to their gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression.
Identity Support Plan for Secondary: Interviewer Preparation Document
This “Explainer” document describes the IDSP process, provides guidance about how to use the IDSP tool, and offers strategies and discussion tips that school staff can use when working with caregivers and students. The IDSP for secondary schools supports public middle and high school staff in California to work with gender-diverse students, and potentially their caregivers, to identify ways in which the student’s identity is respected and supported at school. The IDSP process fosters an educational environment that is safe and supportive for ALL students, and it serves as an effective tool to help guide school staff through conversations with families, other caregivers, and children.
Access the IDSP Tool Access the Interviewer Preparation Document