Personalized learning has lengthy history in American education and many of the themes, ideas, concepts, and language appearing in the 21st century have long been noted as effective educational strategies. Project based learning, the importance of relationships and community, and an emphasis on student engagement are elements of Vermont's Act 77 that have been recognized as effective educational theories. And while the goal of our educational system is to provide an engaging, productive, and developmentally appropriate process for helping students develop the skills necessary for success in a democratic society, the nation's educational system as a whole, and Vermont's specifically, faces significant challenges in achieving these goals (See these resources for more information).
Awareness, or a sense of educational history, is an important professional foundation for educators thinking deeply about their practice. Understanding trends, past initiatives, and the role of schools in society can help teachers view their work through a broader perspective. In doing so, perhaps they can also identify the more deeply rooted structural and policy issues that prevent educational systems from achieving maximum effectiveness.
Today we will begin a brief foray into the history of personalized learning, and some of the precedents of Act 77, in order to develop a deeper sense of why theories of personalized learning continue to be recognized as effective educational platforms, yet remain so difficult to integrate into today's schools.
Historical Context
Education reform in Vermont has a long and rich history. The most recent phase, culminating with the passage of Act 77 in 2013, can be traced through several essential documents.
High Schools on the Move, published in 2002, describes the work and conclusions of a task group charged by the State Board of Education (SBE) in 1999 with addressing “the critical issues facing Vermont high schools”. Twelve Principles were identified which remain at the heart of the reform effort today.
The Future of Education in Vermont, a 2007 publication, articulated the vision of the State Board of Education and the then Commissioner of Education. It identified five components of a desired state to be addressed: student-centered education; leadership; flexible learning environments; engaged community partners; and indicators of success.
In 2009, the Vermont Legislature developed and passed what became Act 44. This contained the first use of the phrase “Flexible Pathways to Graduation” and established the goal of a 100% graduation rate by 2020. While much of Act 44 was in session law only, it was the basis for the statutory language that would become Act 77 of 2013.
In 2011, an informal study was conducted by the Department of Education to “uncover both opportunities and challenges related to two major policy directions that are currently driving high school transformation in Vermont: flexible learning pathways and proficiency-based graduation models”. The resulting Policy Research Team Final Report offered seven “Essential Recommendations”, all of which find reference points in Act 77.
Opening the 2012 Session of the Vermont Legislature, Governor Shumlin devoted much of his State of the State Address to education issues. The vision he offered contained the elements that saw their genesis a decade earlier. The Education Committees of the House and Senate worked closely with the Department of Education to develop a bill designed to reflect the Governor’s vision. While that bill failed to pass, it did set the stage for a renewed effort the following year. Act 77 became law in July of 2013, and can be seen as the result of many years of work on the part of many Vermont citizens, educators, and policy-makers to create a policy environment designed to foster a system of public education in which every student graduates, and every graduate is college and career ready. The following describes the essential elements of Act 77, The Flexible Pathways Initiative.
Flexible Pathways to Graduation
The concept of flexible pathways to graduation is at the heart of Act 77, and is defined as “any combination of high-quality academic and experiential components leading to secondary school completion and postsecondary readiness, which may include assessments that allow the student to apply his or her knowledge and skills to tasks that are of interest to that student”. This does not refer to a finite menu of pre-selected pathways from which a student must choose. Rather, it implies that there may be as many unique pathways as there are students. And the components that make up each pathway are limited only by our imaginations and the resources available. That implies a need for familiarity with school-based course offerings, virtual learning opportunities, community work-based learning opportunities, and dual enrollment options.
Schools must be prepared to assign value toward the satisfaction of progression and graduation requirements to learning experiences well beyond the traditional classroom and course. Any experience through which learning occurs and can be demonstrated should be enabled to serve as the basis for value, or “credit”. This new way of looking at learning and its demonstration implies a new role for schools and educators. Understanding how to value all learning experiences against the Standards to which all students are held will demand a significant practice shift.
Personalization
The personalization of the educational experience has its most obvious manifestation in the requirement that all students in grades 7 through 12 will have Personalized Learning Plans (PLPs) by the 2018-19 school year. While the requirement for PLPs applies to grades 7 through 12, Act 77 also makes it clear that the Legislature believes that “personalized learning and personalized instructional approaches are critical to students in kindergarten through grade 6 as well.” It is also clear that the Legislature has placed the emphasis not on the plan as documentation, but on the planning process. The definition of PLP includes “documentation of an evolving plan developed on behalf of a student in an ongoing process involving a secondary student, a representative of the school, and, if the student is a minor, the student’s parents or legal guardian and updated at least annually by November 30 … ”.
Personalization is also manifested through the expectation that students will be able to engage in “flexible pathways to graduation”, defined as “any combination of high-quality academic and experiential components leading to secondary school completion and postsecondary readiness … ” This concept is not the same as students choosing from a limited menu of pathways pre-designed by educators. Rather, the emphasis is on “any combination of high-quality academic and experiential components”. This suggests that there may be as many unique pathways as there are students. It is the responsibility of the school representative in the planning process to ensure that successful completion of a student’s plan will result in graduation and college and career readiness.
Act 77 explicitly references several categorical examples of experiences that may become components in a PLP. These include: “applied or work-based learning opportunities, including career and technical education and internships; virtual learning and blended learning; dual enrollment opportunities …; early college programs … ” While there is an expectation that each of these categories of learning experiences will become more readily available to more students, this should not be seen as placing a limit on the possibilities for inclusion in a student’s flexible pathway to graduation.
The Agency of Education was required by Act 77 to “convene a working group to … support implementation of the personalized learning plan process … ” That working group has met and has published on the Agency website “guiding principles and practical tools for the personalized learning plan process and for developing personalized learning plans.” Several schools were awarded grant funds for use during the winter and spring of 2014 for the purpose of testing those tools through direct use. The website will continue to evolve as a primary source of support for PLP implementation.
Work-Based Learning
Act 77 envisions the expansion of work-based learning (WBL) opportunities to more students. At a minimum this requires that schools “provide students, beginning no later than seventh grade, with career development … resources.” Historically, work-based learning opportunities have been available to Career and Technical Education (CTE) students under the direction of a licensed Co-op Coordinator. In recent years, some high schools have dedicated staff to this work. Expansion of such opportunities to more students will require efforts on two fronts. CTE resources should be more readily available to students as PLP components without the need for a commitment to CTE. Work-based learning opportunities should be more readily available to students through their high schools. When the latter is the vehicle for this expansion, it must be done in a way that is safe and in compliance with law and regulation. Several schools have expressed interest in pursuing this by seeking grant funds to enable training on the WBL Manual and the WBL Gold Standards. The effort will continue to ensure that all personnel facilitating WBL services are familiar with these resources.
Virtual/Blended Learning
Act 77 also envisions the expansion of virtual learning opportunities (i.e. “learning in which the teacher and student communicate concurrently through real-time telecommunication” and “online learning in which communication between the teacher and student does not occur concurrently and the student works according to his or her own schedule”). It is also recognized that virtual experiences may be more valuable when blended with face-to-face instruction. The State has made significant investments in virtual learning. Specifically, schools have access to the Learning Network of Vermont (LNV) and to the Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative (VTVLC). The former uses equipment now installed in most Vermont schools, and enables access to global learning resources. The latter offers more traditional coursework through an online platform in partnership with schools. This is an essential element if we are to take advantage of learning opportunities beyond the school building. It also implies a responsibility for ensuring that such experiences are relevant and of high quality.
Dual Enrollment
Act 77 defines dual enrollment as “enrollment by a secondary student in a course offered by an accredited postsecondary institution and for which, upon successful completion of the course, the student will receive … secondary credit … and postsecondary credit”. There was a preexisting Dual Enrollment Program before the passage of Act 77, established and managed by the Vermont State Colleges (VSC). The new Dual Enrollment Program, created by Act 77, is the responsibility of the Agency of Education. The Agency has contracted with VSC for the management of the Program. The intent of Act 77 is to expand the availability of dual enrollment opportunities, equitably, statewide. The mechanism for accomplishing this is to encourage schools to bring college courses to the secondary campus, in addition to students attending classes at a postsecondary institution. In other words, dual enrollment should not be limited to those students in close proximity to a college campus. High school juniors and seniors may access up to two vouchers for use at participating college partners. In the first two years of the program, state funds will cover the entire cost of tuition. Starting in FY2016, schools will be responsible for 50% of the tuition costs. Those costs are prescribed in Act 77, and when combined with student usage history, should be predictable. Students must be able to demonstrate their readiness for college-level coursework, and dual enrollment courses must appear in the student’s PLP. That readiness determination is to be made jointly by the secondary and postsecondary institutions.
Schools are required to provide access to eligible students. Providing access will certainly include determining eligibility, assisting eligible students in choosing courses and receiving vouchers, and transripting college courses in compliance with the statute. In some cases it will also include arranging for college courses to be offered on the secondary campus. There is also an expectation that secondary schools will collect enrollment data to be used in a longitudinal review and evaluation of the Dual Enrollment Program.
Early College
The Early College Program established by Act 77 expands upon the VAST model. In addition to VAST (Vermont Academy of Science and Technology), a program operated by Vermont Technical College, other postsecondary public and private institutions are encouraged to develop similar programs. This will have the effect of enabling many more students to complete the 12th grade experience, earn a secondary diploma, and also complete the first year of a college experience. Because this is based on the VAST model, students are required to unenroll from high school. Unlike VAST, students at other postsecondary institutions will re-enroll in high school in order to receive a diploma. Secondary schools will therefore be responsible for helping eligible students plan for Early College (it must appear in the student’s PLP), transcripting the college experience as applicable to the satisfaction of graduation requirements, and awarding the diploma. Unlike dual enrollment, schools will not have an expense associated with Early College participants, but these students will also not be included in the school’s census.
The four categorical components referenced above all enjoy varying levels of state financial support, and are acknowledged as potential components in any student’s flexible pathway to graduation. But they should not be seen as placing a limit on what students and schools may imagine as contributing to each student’s unique experience.
As a whole, Act 77 moves Vermont’s public education system to a model based on personalization. That is, we are expected to place students at the center of the construction and implementation of their own learning experience. Our role as educators is to facilitate that experience in a way that maximizes the opportunities for students to pursue “high-quality educational experiences that acknowledge individual goals, learning styles, and abilities”, and ensures that all students graduate, and that all graduates are college and career ready.
Reference List
(2014). Introduction to Act 77 - Vermont Agency of Education. Retrieved January 16, 2016, from