Personalized Learning

Personalization is “a learning process in which schools help students assess their own talents and aspirations, plan a pathway toward their own purposes, work cooperatively with others in challenging tasks, maintain a record of explorations, and demonstrate their learning against clear standards in a wide variety of media, all with the close support of adult mentors and guides.” (National Association of Secondary School Principals)

The Flexible Pathways Initiative, created by Act 77 of 2013 and found in 16 V.S.A. § 941, has charged Vermont secondary school educators to create personalized learning environments that offer flexible pathways to graduation and a planning process by which students and educators can reflect on and document student learning over time. We encourage all educators to access, modify and adapt these resources to provide a personalized experience for all students.

Learn more about Flexible Pathways in Vermont.

Learn more about all of our resources on student-centered learning with this Roadmap.

Personalized Learning and Flexible Pathways Communications Tools

These flyers have been designed for schools to use with their students, families, colleagues and community to support schools in the communication of the components and prospects of Act 77.

Vermont Comprehensive School Counselor Framework

With support from the Vermont School Counselor Association, the Vermont AOE and the American School Counseling Association, a formal ad hoc committee of school counselors, representative of K-12 schools across the state, developed the current version of the Vermont Comprehensive School Counselor Model. In developing this resource for educators, counselors and administrators, the ad hoc committee reviewed frameworks from several states, and actively solicited feedback through surveys, including via the Agency of Education website, and focus groups with school counselors across Vermont to hear their stories, incorporate their feedback, and learn of the successes and challenges in school counseling. This framework is meant to be a support and guide.

2021 School Counseling Survey Results

In February 2021, the Agency issued a state-wide survey of school counselors. The purpose of the survey was to provide the Agency with information that would help the Agency to:

prioritize policies and activities that improve the landscape for school counseling in the state;
help counselors more fully connect students' personalized learning plans with flexible pathway options;
promote best practices in counseling in alignment with American School Counselor Association (ASCA) standards; and
assess the needs of counselors and students related to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to effectively target supports.

Complete results are available in Findings from Vermont Agency of Education Survey of Career Advising Practices Among School Counselors. Summary results of the survey are included below:

Personalization Training

Personalized Learning Plans: A Learning Series for Vermont Educators
Self-Paced Courses with the Vermont Professional Learning Network
Proficiency-Based Learning, Personalized Learning Networking Series
- October 13, 2017
- November 17, 2017

Questions or suggestions?

Email Jess DeCarolis, Division Director, Personalization & Flexible Pathways, or call (802) 595-9740.
Email Sigrid Olson, Personalized Learning Coordinator, or call (802) 828-7134.