Teachers in today’s classrooms are expected to deliver personalized learning for their students. They are asked to differentiate instruction, use data to inform decisions and adjust their instructional approach to meet individual student needs, backgrounds, and interests. Yet, the same focus on personalization is often missing when it comes to professional learning for teachers. According to the EdWeek Research Center, 48% of teachers reported that their professional development experiences were irrelevant and not connected to their biggest needs. Too many professional development sessions are one-size-fits-all, disconnected from teachers’ daily work, and lacking sustained support. If we believe in the importance of personalized learning for students, why wouldn’t we use the same approach for teachers?
The case for personalized professional learning
Personalized professional learning means more than offering teachers a choice of workshop topics from a list that leaders have already selected. It involves collaboratively developing learning experiences, considering teachers’ specific roles, content areas, instructional materials, grade levels and experience levels. It means creating opportunities for teachers to engage in relevant, job-embedded learning aligned with their goals and challenges.
Unfortunately, much of the PD teachers receive is generic, compliance-driven or delivered in isolated sessions with little follow-up. This disconnect not only limits the impact of PD but also sends a mixed message: while we expect teachers to deliver personalized learning to students, we don’t always model the same approach in how leaders deliver support to teachers. A growing body of research, in addition to calls from teachers, is making the case for change.
What the research says:
- The Standards for Professional Learning developed by Learning Forward emphasize that effective professional learning must be sustained, curriculum-based and relevant to teachers’ instructional contexts. Research on implementing the Standards demonstrated that when professional learning is personalized “through individualized coaching, micro-credentialing, technology, and related approaches that support individualized pathways to professional growth,” it improves teacher instructional practices and student outcomes. Personalized Learning for Teachers was associated with an average effect size of 0.69 for teacher instructional practices and 0.08 for student achievement across 28 studies.
- Rivet Education, an organization dedicated to improving instruction through effective implementation, reinforces the importance of personalized professional learning by focusing on quality instead of quantity. Their review of the research demonstrated that short, high-quality, curriculum-based, and personalized professional learning aligned with high-quality instructional materials is more effective than longer, untargeted sessions. Rivet estimates that 10 hours of high-quality curriculum-based professional learning is more impactful than 100 hours of ineffective PL. Rivet Education underscores the importance of personalizing professional learning by ensuring it is based on the instructional materials teachers use in their classrooms.
- A recent randomized study by Demszky et al. (2025), in which educators were given automated feedback on their instruction, contributes more to the understanding of effective personalized professional learning. Half of the teachers were given agency to choose their feedback topics, but they did not improve more on average than those assigned feedback topics. However, teachers who demonstrated motivation by actively engaging with additional learning resources and who were in the group with agency over PL choices experienced significant improvements in instructional practice and student attendance. This study suggests that personalization through choice is most effective when paired with teacher engagement and motivation.
- Earlier evidence for the efficacy of personalized PL comes from a meta-analysis conducted by the Learning Policy Institute, which reviewed 35 rigorous studies. They found that personalized, job-embedded PL models — such as coaching, collaborative inquiry, and curriculum-based training — significantly outperformed traditional workshops. Coaching, in particular, was linked to measurable improvements in teaching practices and student achievement. In contrast, one-time workshops showed little to no impact. These findings make a strong case for shifting from one-off PD to sustained, job-embedded, personalized professional learning.
Implications for school and district leaders
For administrators, the message is clear: professional learning must reflect the same principles we value in student learning. This means moving away from compliance-based PD and toward teacher-centered approaches, considering educators’ needs, expertise, and the instructional materials they use in their classrooms.
Here are a few strategies to consider:
- Use teacher voice and choice early in the process of planning professional learning. Work collaboratively with teachers to choose topics, formats, and goals to ensure relevance.
- Invest in curriculum-based professional learning aligned with what is happening in the classroom. Teachers are more likely to engage in and be motivated by PL, which directly supports their day-to-day work.
- Differentiate support based on teacher experience, content area, grade levels and instructional goals.
- Invest in coaching and collaborative learning structures. These models provide ongoing, personalized feedback and help build collective efficacy.
When professional learning is personalized, teachers are more engaged, educators are more likely to implement new practices and teacher retention improves.
Looking Ahead
Personalized professional learning is not just more engaging for teachers; it’s more effective. The research is clear: sustained, relevant and personalized PL leads to better teaching and learning.
Yet, there is still more to learn. The Research Partnership for Professional Learning (RPPL) has identified personalization as a key area for future research and investment. They are working to build shared measurement tools and research infrastructure to understand better how to personalize professional learning effectively and equitably at scale.
If we expect teachers to personalize learning for every student, we must do the same for them. It’s time to meet teachers where they are—and help them grow from there.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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