Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons^™

Family Matters: Teachers' Perceptions Of Community And School Culture After Seven Years Of Personalized Learning Reform, Tony Durr, Nicole Graves, Patrick D. Hales

Middle Grades Review

This paper explores the school culture and sense of community of a Midwestern middle school after seven years of personalized learning reform. This mixed method study identified a strong school culture based on the School Culture Triage Survey. Focus group interviews supported the survey findings and attributed the successful implementation and expansion of the personalized learning program to affiliative collegiality, autonomy/innovation, being student-centered, and intentional. These findings can be powerful for any school in instituting personalized or customized learning models.