Why Innovation Efforts Are Failing to Transform K-12 Education?
In the United States, calls for transforming K-12 (kindergarten through 12th grade) schools are growing daily. However, many of these efforts are failing due to the complex web of relationships and expectations, known as valu;e networks, that shape schools. Families, unions, higher education institutions, and various state and federal agencies all play roles in setting school priorities, creating significant barriers to innovation.
The most innovative approaches in education often conflict with the priorities of the traditional education system. New models, such as competency-based learning, self-paced blended learning, and project-based learning with real-world experiences, challenge many assumptions of conventional education. Yet, existing value networks resist these innovations. Parents often trust what they know when considering what’s best for their children. Students have learned to “manage” within the current system and do not want rules to change mid-game. Teachers and administrators, who have spent years or even decades honing their expertise within the existing system, prefer to improve it rather than reinvent it. Education reformers, having invested significant political capital in improving traditional schools, are reluctant to abandon their efforts.
Successful new school models emerge not by transforming existing schools but by creating new value networks. These models do not attempt to change the current system’s value networks but rather build new ones. They offer flexible programs for students who do not fit into the traditional system and alternative approaches for pioneering families. School districts can contribute to transformation by supporting new models such as virtual schools, alternative education programs, and career and technical education programs. By backing these innovative approaches, they help pave the way for educational transformation.