Schools Struggle to Get Personal

Education looks a lot different than it did 50 years ago. Of course these changes have incited debates on all accounts. Regardless of where you stand on new principles like Common Core, standardized testing, or college applications, there's a couple things everyone should agree on: 1.We have gotten a lot better at understanding HOW people learn 2. Technology offers the opportunity to cater to many different learning needs. Since we better understand how to teach different types of learners and technology has made it possible to do so at scale, it seems obvious that we should do our best to provide personalized learning opportunities for as many children as possible.

It is a parent's responsibility to compare the pros and cons of each school option before enrolling their child. One major comparison is public versus private. Of course each has their unique benefits. Unfortunately, both are quite restrained when it comes to offering personalized education. As the demand for individualized learning has grown, one clear winner has emerged.

At the core of the struggle for better education is the economics of serving more students while trying to administer the newest techniques and tools. It's no surprise that these education budget battles consistently make headlines. Along with the budget troubles comes the challenge of implementing these new tools and methods across entire school districts. For these reasons, public education often lags the private industry by several years in adoption of new tools and techniques. Many public schools are still using decade old computers, often lacking the quantity to service their students as well.

Parent's recognize this flaw with public education. Private schools are less constrained by budget as they have more control; they also have more flexible to experiment with new tools and methods. The problem of switching to private is the cost. Private primary and secondary schools require a significant financial commitment for most families. It seems this is the major factor in the slow growth rate of private institutions, which have consistently enrolled just 10% of all enrolled students.

So where can parent's access individualized learning opportunities? Private companies offering in-person and online services largely. Parents can pay significantly less to hire a tutor or purchase and online course than to enroll in a private school. They're able to only pay for what they view as important their children to learn and to do so at their own pace. Supplemental education has the flexibility and economics to grow and make a real impact on the way children learn. This trend has and will continue to lead to new and interesting services to provide children with the personal learning opportunities they need to grow.

Sources: NCES