Small K-12 Interventions Can be Powerful

By Hunter Gehlbach

The 2014-15 school year is shaping up to be a litmus test for many of the ambitious initiatives created to address a number of formidable K-12 challenges. The Common Core State Standards face a high-stakes test in the courts of public and political opinion. Khan Academy videos, Chromebooks, and blended learning approaches will show that they improve student learning and proliferate, or fail to do so and fade from view. As stakeholders in the education of our youths, we should be thrilled if these bold programs improve student outcomes. But do we really need any more comprehensive, costly initiatives to fix our most challenging problems?