Personalized Learning

Massachusetts Consortium Aims to Accelerate Successful Personalized Learning Practices

• By Sri Ravipati
• 12/15/16

A new public-private consortium plans to catalyze personalized learning in Massachusetts K–12 education.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the LearnLaunch Institute have created the Massachusetts Personalized Learning Edtech (MAPLE) Consortium, a collaborative effort among districts and schools to identify, analyze and promote personalized learning practices that work. MAPLE “will leverage the work being done by the Commonwealth’s most innovative schools to enable all districts to incorporate personalized learning approaches and cutting-edge pedagogies, ensuring all students are prepared to be productive and successful citizens in the 21st Century,” according to a news release.

The consortium will provide peer and partner support, professional learning, digital tools, funding strategies and “a rich evidence base” for personalized learning — all of which aim to increase student engagement and achievement.

Initially, the consortium founding districts include Andover, Arlington, Beverly, Burlington, Concord, Millis, Natick, Needham, North Reading, Revere, Somerville and Westford; next year, MAPLE will add “up to 30 more member districts to support the systemic expansion of personalized learning in Massachusetts,” according to the release.

Further information is available on the MAPLE site.