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Rethinking School: Controversial Ideas Reshaping K–12 Education (a 4 Part Series)

Surf Skate Science - Push for Good - Christian Skaters

July 2, 2025


The world our students are stepping into is vastly different from the one schools were designed for. Yet across the country, many classrooms still operate like it's 1955—rigid schedules, standardized tests, industrial-era buildings, and one-size-fits-all curriculum. As Sir Ken Robinson once said, "We are trying to meet the future by doing what we did in the past." That tension is driving a wave of radical change in K–12 education—and sparking plenty of controversy along the way.


In my next few article, we'll explore a few ideas that are disrupting the status quo. These aren’t just trends; they’re signals of a larger shift in how we define success, equity, and purpose in education. For each, we unpack the arguments, surface the challenges, and share evidence that helps us move from fear to informed possibility.


Unbundling Education

Imagine a world where school is no longer a building but an ecosystem. Unbundling means families are curating education from multiple sources: co-ops, microschools, online courses, apprenticeships. Supporters say it democratizes access and fosters innovation. Critics fear a loss of cohesion and oversight.


Ron Matus, in his comprehensive study "A La Carte Education," outlines how this unbundled model is already reshaping the landscape in states like Florida. He writes, "We are entering an era where learning can happen anytime, anywhere, and from anyone." His findings show that families utilizing education savings accounts (ESAs) are increasingly customizing their children’s education by blending enrichment programs, tutoring, and core subject learning.


Programs like ours at Surf Skate Science are living proof of this new model's potential. By combining STEAM learning with place-based and project-based education, students can explore real-world subjects like engineering, marine biology, sustainability, and architecture in skateparks and along the coastline. But it doesn’t stop there. Through carefully designed challenges and projects, students simultaneously engage in mathematics, English, civics, and history.


For example, a project to design a sustainable skatepark might integrate geometry (for ramp angles), persuasive writing (for advocacy proposals), and civics (by attending city planning meetings). In this model, the lines between disciplines blur in a way that mirrors the real world. Students aren’t just learning about history; they’re making it.

As Matus notes, "The shift isn’t just about breaking apart the old system. It’s about building something more connected to who students are and who they are becoming."

Rethinking School - Kids learning architecture in a skatepark

Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) & School Choice

School choice has long been a hot topic—but the rise of Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) has intensified the debate. These accounts give families state funds—often $7,000–$10,000 per student—to spend on approved educational services like private tutors, online programs, and even homeschooling materials.


Success in Florida

Since Florida launched its universal ESA program in 2023, allowing up to $8,000 per child to be used for a wide array of educational providers, the response has been powerful. According to Johns Hopkins’ Homeschool Hub:


  • 152,000 Florida students were homeschooled in the 2021–22 school year—a 69% increase compared to 2017–18.

  • In 2023–24, approximately 6.4% of Florida's K–12 students were homeschooled, up from 4.5% in 2021–22.

  • This isn’t just a pandemic spike. Homeschooling growth has continued in 19 of 21 states studied by Johns Hopkins.


Arguments For Rethinking School with ESAs


  • ESAs empower fam ilies to tailor education to individual student needs.

  • They fuel a shift toward project-based, personalized ecosystems like Surf Skate Science.

  • Johns Hopkins studies confirm that ESA adoption has not led to increased regulation of homeschoolers—in fact, freedoms have expanded in some states.


Arguments Against


  • Critics argue ESAs divert resources from traditional public schools.

  • There are concerns about transparency, accountability, and quality assurance.


Yet for many families, the ability to build a personalized, dynamic learning experience far outweighs the bureaucracy of the traditional model. ESAs, when paired with strong community-driven programs, may be laying the foundation for a new era of education.


The Decline of the College-For-All Model (Revisited)

The once-standard path of K–12 to college to career is no longer the default. Rising tuition costs, mounting student debt, and a growing skills gap have all contributed to a shift in mindset. More students—and families—are questioning whether the traditional four-year college route is the best or only path to a fulfilling and financially stable future.

Our own family illustrates this paradigm shift. As Florida homeschoolers, our three children each pursued a unique path through the flexibility of dual enrollment opportunities offered in the state:


Our oldest daughter, passionate about understanding human behavior, dual enrolled at FAU while exploring both forensic science and psychology. That early access to college-level coursework helped her solidify her purpose. She’s now a doctoral student at the University of Utah in child psychology, working directly with youth.


Our middle son, a natural builder who spent hours with LEGO sets, dual enrolled in architectural drafting at our local technical college. That hands-on experience not only earned him scholarships to FAU’s architecture program but also led to a side-hustle as a paid architectural drafter during college. Today, he works with a prestigious firm and is on his way to professional licensure.


Our youngest son decided that college wasn’t his path. Instead, he dual enrolled in welding at our local tech school. At just 18 years old, he’s receiving job offers with salaries that rival or exceed those of his siblings—and he has zero college debt.

Our story is not unique. According to the Strada Education Network, 50% of recent college grads say they would choose a different educational path if given the chance. Meanwhile, the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce still reports that bachelor’s degrees lead to higher average lifetime earnings—but that picture is increasingly complicated by soaring tuition costs and underemployment.

Rethinking School - Tech Careers on the rise

A 2023 analysis from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights that skilled trades—including welders, electricians, and HVAC technicians—are among the fastest-growing and most in-demand careers, with median annual salaries rivaling those of many white-collar jobs. And the National Center for Education Statistics reports that enrollment in career and technical education (CTE) programs is steadily rising, with nearly 8 million high school students participating in CTE pathways.


This shift signals more than just economics. It reflects a cultural change—one that values purpose, skill, and agency over prestige. As families begin to prioritize fit over formula, education systems must adapt to support a variety of success stories—not just one mold.


Mastery-Based Learning: Learning for Understanding, Not Just Advancement


Imagine a system where students advance only when they genuinely understand a concept—no more speeding through curriculum until the bell rings. This is the essence of mastery-based learning (also known as competency-based education), where the goal isn’t to check boxes by seat‐time, but to ensure deep, meaningful understanding.


Real-World Success: One Stone’s Student-Crafted Model


In Boise, Idaho, One Stone high school embodies this philosophy. Since launching in 2016, this student-led “lab school” has revolutionized high school learning: with no traditional grades, kids build portfolios, engage in design-thinking labs, and work with adult coaches supporting their self-directed learning journey.


  • College entry success is impressive: in spring 2023, One Stone’s senior cohort was accepted into 83.8% of the colleges they applied to.

  • Their class of 2023 earned $2 million in merit scholarships—demonstrating the power of mastery-based credentials.


Mastery Transcripts: Beyond A–F Grades


The Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC) is pushing a new standard: transcripts that spotlight real skills, projects, and growth instead of GPAs. As of October 2021, over 400 schools worldwide—including 125 public schools—have adopted or are piloting mastery transcripts. The first wave of applicants using mastery-based records were admitted to 170 colleges, including top-tier institutions like MIT and Middlebury—demonstrating that admissions offices value credible, competency-based evidence.

Rethinking School - Mastey as the new norm

Outcomes for Homeschoolers vs. Traditional Students


Interestingly, mastery learning and homeschooling share overlapping strengths—personalization, flexibility, and evidence over seat time. Data shows:


  • 74% of homeschooled students go on to college—compared to just 44% of public school peers.

  • College graduation rates are 67% for homeschoolers vs. 59% for traditional students.

  • On standardized tests like the SAT, homeschoolers average about 1190—nearly 130 points above public school averages.


This data reinforces a central truth: personalized, mastery-focused approaches aren’t just idealistic—they produce real academic outcomes.


Why Mastery-Based Learning Could Be the Future

Rethinking School - Mastery Transcript
“One Stone students become confident leaders… adults express surprise at all they’re doing at their age.” “Mastery-driven systems cultivate lifelong learners with the mindsets needed for rapid change.”

Rethinking Standardized Testing


Few things have sparked as much controversy as standardized tests. While originally intended as tools for fairness and benchmarking, many argue they have become gatekeepers to opportunity—reinforcing inequities rather than resolving them. Critics point to the narrow scope of intelligence being measured and how performance often correlates more with socioeconomic status than actual learning.

Sir Ken Robinson famously stated, "We are educating people out of their creative capacities," and standardized tests, many argue, are a big part of that. Teaching to the test narrows curricula, limits teacher creativity, and disengages students from authentic learning.


Yet, there's a growing wave of non-traditional learners—particularly homeschoolers and those in alternative programs—who consistently outperform their traditionally schooled peers on these same tests. According to the National Home Education Research Institute, homeschooled students score an average of 15 to 30 percentile points higher than public school students on standardized academic achievement tests. Their SAT scores often average 100–130 points higher than the national public school mean.


These students, interestingly, are rarely taught to the test. Instead, they engage in interdisciplinary, often interest-driven learning. This raises an important question: what if real learning—not rote preparation—is the best test prep of all?


Meanwhile, higher education is also shifting. According to FairTest, more than 1,900 colleges and universities in the U.S. have become test-optional, including Ivy League institutions. Admissions officers are increasingly prioritizing portfolios, interviews, essays, and real-world experiences over numerical scores.


Still, standardized testing advocates argue that having a common, quantifiable measure is essential to monitor school effectiveness and equity gaps, especially for historically marginalized students.


The challenge moving forward is not whether we should measure learning, but how—and for what purpose. As we move away from testing as the center of the school experience, we open space for assessment models that honor creativity, critical thinking, and meaningful progress.


Looking Ahead


This is just the first of a four-part series. We have touched on five critical shifts that are challenging the foundations of traditional education: unbundling learning, expanding school choice through ESAs, rethinking the college pathway, advancing mastery-based learning, and questioning the value and impact of standardized testing.

These are not simply trends—they're deep paradigm shifts backed by data and driven by families, students, and educators who are demanding more from the system:


  • 69% increase in homeschooling in Florida from 2017–2022 (Johns Hopkins Homeschool Hub)

  • 74% of homeschooled students go to college vs. 44% of public school students (NHERI)

  • 83.8% of One Stone students accepted to college in 2023, earning $2M in scholarships

  • 50% of recent college grads would choose a different path (Strada Education Network)

  • 15–30 percentile points: homeschoolers’ edge on standardized tests (NHERI)


As we continue this series, we’ll dive into topics like AI in the classroom, microschools, redefining the role of teachers, and inclusive curriculum. The goal is to foster informed conversations—because the future of education depends on our willingness to reimagine it. We'd love to hear your thoughts. Post your comments below.


"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." — William Bruce Cameron (often misattributed to Einstein)

References


Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy. (2024). Homeschool Hub: National and state data on homeschooling growth. Johns Hopkins University. https://education.jhu.edu/edpolicy/policy-research-initiatives/homeschool-hub/


Mastery Transcript Consortium. (2021). A new transcript for a new era. https://mastery.org


Matus, R. (2023). A la carte education: Florida’s new frontier of personalized learning. Step Up For Students / redefinED. https://www.redefinedonline.org


National Center for Education Statistics. (2022). Career and technical education statistics. U.S. Department of Education. https://nces.ed.gov


National Home Education Research Institute. (2022). Research facts on homeschooling. https://www.nheri.org/research-facts-on-homeschooling/


One Stone. (2023). Annual outcomes report. https://onestone.org


Robinson, K. (2006, February). Do schools kill creativity? [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity


Strada Education Network. (2023). Majorities of college graduates would choose a different path. https://stradaeducation.org


U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023). Occupational outlook handbook: Fastest growing occupations. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/


Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. (2022). The college payoff: More education doesn’t always mean more earnings. https://cew.georgetown.edu


FairTest: The National Center for Fair & Open Testing. (2024). 1,900+ colleges and universities are now test-optional. https://fairtest.org


Cameron, W. B. (1963). Informal sociology: A casual introduction to sociological thinking. Random House.


 
 
 

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