Two of the biggest names in technology and education philanthropy are jointly funding a $12 million initiative to support new ways of tailoring classroom instruction to individual students.

The grant marks the first substantive collaboration of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, chaired by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the philanthropic and investment arm of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, pediatrician Priscilla Chan.

Their joint award was given in April to New Profit, a Boston-based "venture philanthropy" organization. New Profit will in turn provide $1 million, plus extensive management advising, to each of seven other organizations working to promote personalized learning.

"We are pleased to work with CZI to strengthen the impact and sustainability of each of these organizations," Adam Porsch, a senior portfolio officer at the Gates Foundation, said in an interview.

Read the source article at Education Week