# What K-12 Education System Tries to Do And Where It Misses

By Michael B. Horn · Published 2025-03-26 · Updated 2026-06-08 · Education Technology on MarketScale
Canonical: https://www.marketscale.com/industries/education-technology/what-k-12-education-tries-to-do-and-where-it-misses
Creator hub: The Future of Education with Michael Horn

> American schools struggle to balance expanding social missions with declining literacy proficiency among core student populations

## Key points

- Only 30% of U.S. eighth graders tested proficient in reading in 2024, reflecting a fundamental misalignment between school practices and current learning science.
- Public schools are expected to fulfill nine distinct societal roles—from academic instruction to social services—often without adequate training or resources.
- Character and values education has become a political flashpoint, with many schools defaulting to avoidance rather than community-driven norms.

Block Field

As America reevaluates what its public schools are truly for, new questions emerge about the purpose, performance, and priorities of K-12 education system. A system once centered around teaching the "three Rs" now juggles responsibilities as diverse as social services, values instruction, and community governance. Yet, despite these ambitions, a growing chorus of education experts warns the system may be misaligned with both modern science and society's evolving needs. According to national data, just 30% of eighth graders were found to be [proficient in reading](https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/reading/2024/g4_8/?grade=8) in 2024, a foundational skill K-12 education strives to prioritize.

> Just 30% of eighth graders were found to be proficient in reading in 2024, a foundational skill K-12 education strives to prioritize.

So, in 2025, as students face new societal challenges and schools shoulder more roles than ever before, we ask: What is the K-12 education system really trying to do, and where is it falling short?

In this episode of [*The Future of Education*](https://marketscale.com/shows/the-future-of-education-with-michael-horn/), co-hosts [Michael Horn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbhorn/) and [Diane Tavenner](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-tavenner/) are joined by **Stacey Childress**, Senior Education Advisor at [**McKinsey & Company**](https://www.mckinsey.com/). Together, they examine nine major roles K-12 public schools are expected to play today, from core academic instruction to community caretaking, and uncover where the system is overburdened, under-resourced, or simply [misaligned with student needs](https://marketscale.com/industries/education-technology/education-sector-needs-to-focus-on-tailoring-solutions-to-meet-student-and-teacher-needs/).

The main topics of conversation…

-  **Learning Misalignment**: Schools remain out of step with current learning science, especially in how reading and foundational skills are taught and assessed. 
-  **Values Without Vision**: The system is caught in political crossfire around character education—often defaulting to avoidance instead of establishing intentional, community-driven norms. 
-  **Systemic Overload**: From serving meals to writing policy, schools are tasked with functions far beyond education, yet rarely supported with the training or structure to fulfill them effectively. 

### About the Speakers

**Stacey Childress** is a senior advisor at **McKinsey & Company**, where she supports global investors, philanthropies, and education-focused organizations. She previously served as CEO of **NewSchools Venture Fund** and the **Advanced Education Research and Development Fund**, and led transformative initiatives at the **Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation**, deploying over $300 million to drive innovation in K–12 education. With prior experience as a Harvard Business School professor and board member at **Kahoot!**, she brings deep expertise in education entrepreneurship, investment strategy, and system-level change.

Tags: Diane Tavenner, k-12 education, Michael Horn, Public school system, Stacey Childress, The Future of Education

---
Source: MarketScale, https://www.marketscale.com/industries/education-technology/what-k-12-education-tries-to-do-and-where-it-misses. Published for AI indexing and citation; cite the canonical URL. Site guide for agents: https://www.marketscale.com/llms.txt