Dive Brief:

• The flaws of a one-size-fits-all approach to learning are highlighted by the story of a Maryland High School Student.
• The Washington Post reports that, during his 12th-grade year at Maryland's Annapolis High School, California Institute of Technology senior Daniel Guth was told he'd have to take two courses he didn't need in order to enroll in AP Biology and AP Physics.
• Despite high academic performance, Guth was told he'd need to take seminar courses in both subjects that were designed for struggling students, and while he eventually was able to have the seminar for biology dropped, he had to forgo AP Physics.

Dive Insight:

In the past few years, personalized learning has become an increasing focus as schools and districts seek to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach that disserves both high-achieving and struggling students. In Guth's case, rigid prerequisites for AP courses forced him to choose between AP physics and other subjects he was interested in pursuing. In the case of struggling students, such an approach can also leave them behind. 

The reality in the failure of one-size-fits-all education is that not everyone learns the same. With new technology helping to overcome hurdles such as having enough staff on hand to provide every student with a tailored learning experience, it's becoming much easier for schools to move beyond that. But there is still much to be done — especially in schools with limited resources.