If you walked into a typical public K-12 classroom today, it would not look significantly different from your own classroom 15, 20, or even 30 years ago. The challenges that sparked early calls for education reform are still visible today.

Perhaps the chalkboards would be replaced by whiteboards, and teachers may now have microphones hanging around their necks. However, the classroom setup and teaching methods would be very similar: students passively learning from desks in rows facing the front of the room, where the teacher lectures from a state-mandated, standards-based curriculum, focusing on subjects and information likely to be on end-of-year exams.

The most troubling similarity across the decades: large gaps in student learning proficiency that persist and continue to widen. After decades of trying to make standardized education work, communities, parents, and educators are pushing for solutions and policy reforms that support variety and innovation. This guide explores the primary challenges in K-12 education and offers solutions that could lead to transformative outcomes in educational reform.

First, let’s unpack the biggest challenges that should be addressed.

Issue 1: One-size-fits-all approach

In 1989, 49 governors and President George H.W. Bush convened with the predetermined goal of improving the quality of American education. Their primary means for achieving this goal was the standardization of learning expectations to be monitored via yearly testing. 

In the 35 years since the summit, federal and state legislatures have relied on a one-size-fits-all education model. Governments have focused more on what schools are teaching rather than who they are teaching. However, the idea that every school can and should be teaching the same things, in the same way, has failed miserably. For example, two-thirds of high school students report being disengaged, and some inner-city schools have zero students testing at grade level in math and reading. 

One-size-fits-all teaching methods don’t factor in individual students and their unique needs and learning styles. This can lead to disengagement, frustration, and poor outcomes.

Issue 2: Lack of individualized education

Students are more likely to thrive in environments that offer personalized learning experiences tailored to their interests and abilities. In one study, students in schools using personalized learning methods outperformed their peers in math and reading over two school years, and students who lagged when they first entered personalized learning environments reached or surpassed national averages by the end of those two years.

Increased engagement is a key benefit of personalized learning. When students feel like their needs matter and are given the reins to their own learning, they’re more likely to stay engaged and master difficult concepts.

Issue 3: Inadequate preparation for the real world 

The current public education system is heavily focused on test scores and college preparation. To that end, high schools emphasize academic subjects like math, reading, and science. Students leave high school knowing how to memorize information, take tests, and do the kind of math and chemistry most of them will never use again. 

In the meantime, most students feel unprepared socially and emotionally for life after school. Their traditional K-12 education hasn’t equipped them with essential life skills such as financial literacy, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, resilience, and effective communication. They’ve been taught to pursue college for so long that they lack awareness and information about alternative postsecondary career paths that don’t require degrees. 

According to a 2023 study by ECMC, only 13% of high school graduates felt they were prepared to choose a path after high school. Of students who chose to pursue a degree, 64% of them cited a lack of information about other pathways as a barrier to choosing anything else. 

These gaps have added urgency to calls for public education reform that prioritizes real-world readiness and supports students in discovering diverse paths to success.

Issue 4: Limited role for parents in shaping education

In traditional K–12 systems, parents often feel sidelined. Key decisions, like what children learn, how they're taught, and where they attend school are typically made without meaningful input from families. But parents know their kids best, and many are seeking more say in how and where their children learn.

This push for education freedom is rooted in trust: trusting families to choose the learning environment that fits their values, goals, and needs. As more parents explore custom learning paths, the education system is being reshaped from the ground up — by those closest to the students themselves.

Reform 1: Embrace individualized education

To address these pressing issues, K-12 education reform efforts should prioritize increasing access to individualized learning experiences that cater to each student’s unique needs and interests. Expanding personalized education options can empower students to take charge of their educational journey, leading to greater engagement, confidence, and success.

Key approaches gaining traction include:

• Individualized learning adapts the content, pace, and teaching methods to suit each student’s unique strengths, challenges, and interests.
• Self-directed learning empowers students to set their own educational goals and pursue them at their own pace, with guidance from mentors or educators.
• Community-driven education models are led by local educators, parents, and entrepreneurs who design learning environments tailored to their community’s specific needs.
• Alternative learning environments emphasize holistic child development by integrating practical life skills, emotional growth, and academic learning in flexible and innovative settings.

VELA, part of the Stand Together community, believes that sustainable change in education reform will come from the ground up. Through a vibrant network of education changemakers, VELA catalyzes a dynamic alternative education ecosystem by supporting community-driven innovation and accelerating the exploration of new frontiers in education.

Reform 2: Offer a diverse range of learning options 

K–12 educational reforms should focus on expanding access to a broad spectrum of learning experiences tailored to each student’s needs. More families are seeking flexible, personalized alternatives to the traditional school model — and the education landscape is evolving to meet that demand.

The growth of education savings accounts (ESAs), vouchers, and learning pods is driving this transformation. These tools lower financial and structural barriers, enabling families to choose education paths that reflect their values and support their children’s unique ways of learning.

Education innovations are happening rapidly in the private education sector — fueled largely by disillusioned educators and parents. Scholarship programs like North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship and educational savings accounts like Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account provide ways of financing and accessing tailored education options — whether public or private. 

Reform 3: Drive meaningful educational reform via advocacy and policy changes 

Advocating for policy changes that promote education freedom and innovation can drive meaningful education reform. Grassroots activists, educators, and organizations in the Stand Together community work to champion new education policies and initiatives, fostering a more inclusive and individualized K-12 education experience.

Building strong relationships between educators, students, families, and communities is essential for driving transformative change in K-12 education. By working together, stakeholders can encourage and support the entrepreneurs driving K-12 education reform. By investing in new and creative approaches to education, we can unlock the potential of individualized learning and empower students, educators, and communities to thrive.

Reform 4: Empower learning through AI and adaptive technology

As education reform continues to evolve, technology is opening new doors for personalized, student-led learning. Artificial intelligence (AI) and adaptive tools are giving students more control over their pace, style, and direction — while helping educators focus on what matters most: teaching.

Instead of one-size-fits-all instruction, adaptive learning platforms use AI to:

• Adjust lessons in real time based on student responses
• Highlight learning gaps and recommend personalized resources
• Encourage mastery by letting students progress when they’re ready

These tools make learning more flexible and responsive to each student’s needs — especially those who may struggle in traditional classroom settings. At the same time, AI is helping reduce the administrative burden on teachers. Tasks like grading, data entry, and lesson planning can be automated or simplified, freeing up teachers to focus on mentoring, connecting, and creating dynamic learning experiences.

This isn’t about replacing educators — it’s about giving them more freedom to do what they do best. And it’s about creating an environment where students are not just passive recipients of information but active participants in their own education journey.

The future of K-12 educationan reform

The future success of K-12 education lies in embracing individualized learning experiences and expanding access to diverse education options. By fostering collaboration, innovation, and community engagement, we can empower students, educators, and communities to overcome challenges and usher in a new era of K-12 education that truly serves the unique needs of every learner.

Learn more about Stand Together’s education efforts and explore ways you can partner with us.