Personalized learning and ESSA: what we know and where we go

The passage of the 2015, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), affords states funding for many new options to address the needs of learners. One of the prominent options is personalized learning (PL). This study sought to determine how states positioned PL in their state plans. This study used a qualitative research design to analyze state ESSA plans for presence of and relation to PL. From this analysis, four themes emerged, (a) definitions of PL, (b) goals of PL for students, (c) supports for PL, and (d) partnership for PL. The findings from this study suggested that many states contain aspects of PL in their state plans; however, there is little consensus of how to best implement PL. This article reported on these findings as well as offered guidance to policymakers and state departments of education on how to operationalize and implement PL.