Giving Compass' Take:

• A study from the Center on Reinventing Public Education found that teachers do not receive enough support or guidance when implementing personalized learning initiatives. 

• The author suggests that more philanthropists are helping teachers by providing outside resources. Is there room for collaboration between principals and private organizations so that this effort can be ongoing? Are there any pre-established networks between teachers to help with implementation and best practices? 

• Read about how school systems can block teacher innovation. 

The funding and management of costly tech-based personalized learning models continue to be problematic according EdTech: Focus on K-12's coverage of a recent study from the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE). The study suggests that the efforts are hampered by a misalignment between the goals of classroom teachers and the support they receive from their school districts.

More funding for these initiatives is now available under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), specifically under Title IV (Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants), which received a boost this year, and Title II grants. However, more philanthropic organizations are also offering help and resources for implementation.

While more schools are turning to personalized learning models, the success rate varies widely depending on implementation and support. In many schools personalized learning has strong support in and is effective in changing instruction.

Teachers were often faced with the challenge of being tasked with innovation without proper guidance from principals and proper support from the central office.The study also offers strategies for building support, seeking out leaders who are prepared to lead innovation, and collaborating with partners, including local charter schools, who are “poised for innovation.”

The good news is that funding sources for such innovation are more available through the increased flexibility of ESSA funds, which provide opportunities not only for increases in educational technology resources, but also for professional development and training in implementation of those resources.

EdSurge has created a guide to examine what personalized learning looks like in each state. While the promise of personalized learning has so far shown some success and attracted philanthropic interests, the sketchy implementation of the model has some experts wondering how long this support will last.

Read the full article about personalized learning by Amelia Harper at Education Dive