Chapter 10: Middle Grades Teachers' Dispositions In Personalized Learning Environments

Major initiatives to personalize education for students are increasingly pervasive across U.S. states, cities, and districts (Patrick, Worthen, Frost, & Gentz, 2016). The cities of Washington DC, Dallas, and New Orleans are piloting personalized learning environments, with Denver Public Schools aiming to have 100% of students in “personalized learning schools” by 2025 (Education Cities, 2014, p. 13). The states of New Hampshire, Maine, Iowa, and Oregon have been transitioning to more personalized education systems over the past several years (Center for Digital Education, 2013; Iowa Department of Education, 2013), and Vermont has gone so far as to legislate that all students in Grades 7-12 have personalized learning plans (PLPs) in place by 2018.