Giving Compass' Take:

• The 74 reports on a new $14 million commitment by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which will almost double the number of schools getting access to personalized learning programs in the Chicago area.

• This new investment should signal the seriousness of major donors when it comes to student-focused education initiatives. Will more funders follow suit?

• Here's what happens when every student gets a personalized learning plan.

The number of personalized learning schools in Chicago will nearly double with a $14 million grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to expand the student-centered approach in America’s fourth-largest district.

Most of the money will be spent on professional development for teachers, with some going toward technology for classrooms. Chicago Public Schools will receive $4 million, and LEAP Innovations, a national personalized learning organization that has worked closely with Chicago to develop its student-centered learning models, will receive $10 million.

“The goal of this grant is to expand the number of schools that are getting access to personalized learning,” said Phyllis Lockett, founder and CEO of LEAP Innovations. “This opportunity for equity is really huge, just from the standpoint of personalized learning meeting kids where they are and valuing differences.”

Personalized learning in Chicago is opt-in, meaning principals and teachers can choose to adopt the approach. LEAP helps support those schools. Lockett said there’s great demand from Chicago schools, making the extra funding critical for expansion. Nearly 100 schools will be added to the 120 that already have personalized learning models.

Read the full article about Chan Zuckerberg's investment in personalized learning by Laura Fay at The 74.