In the current school model, coursework is often disjointed and unrelated to the workplace. In this environment, student engagement and motivation is often lacking, and the dropout rate is higher because of it.

When students see that what they are doing in school is directly related to their interests, strengths and passions, using personalized learning, they are more deeply engaged in learning, more highly motivated and can quickly see the connection between what they do and how they want their future to look. Thus, they are more prepared for the future, the dropout rate is significantly reduced, behavior problems evaporate, and students want to stay in school longer.

This is where personalized, student-centered learning solves both the achievement gap, and deepens the learning process. Personalized learning is centered around the idea that students should drive their own learning, and the teacher acts as their mentor, rather than a depositor of facts. Early research by companies such as the Rand Corporation and ASCD has shown that it raises grades, increases graduation rates and results in more students entering college than ever before.