Yong Zhao’s New Book Explains Why Education Reform Keeps Fixing the Past Instead of Building the Future

For decades, there has been widespread agreement that American education is not working the way it should. Students are often described as falling behind, schools are under constant pressure to improve outcomes, and governments and institutions have poured millions of dollars into reform efforts. Yet despite all this attention, energy, and investment, the results have been disappointing. Test scores remain uneven, inequalities persist, and many students still feel disconnected from what they are learning.

In a new book, University of Kansas scholar Yong Zhao takes a direct and challenging look at why education reform has failed to deliver meaningful improvement. His central argument is simple but powerful: most reforms are focused on fixing the problems of the past, using the same old frameworks, rather than inventing a new future designed around the needs, strengths, and potential of individual students.

Zhao’s book, Fix the Past or Invent the Future: Moving Beyond One-Size-Fits-All Education, explores how education systems became trapped in outdated thinking and what it would take to finally move beyond it.

Why Education Reform Has Struggled for So Long

According to Zhao, one of the biggest reasons reform efforts have fallen short is that they rely on a one-size-fits-all model. Policies, curricula, and teaching strategies are typically designed around averages and probabilities rather than real students. Research studies identify methods that work for most learners, and those methods are then applied across classrooms as if they are universally effective.

The problem, Zhao argues, is that probability is not certainty. Even if a strategy works for many students, it will not work for all. Every classroom is filled with individuals who have different interests, abilities, motivations, cultural backgrounds, and emotional needs. Treating students as data points instead of unique human beings means that many of them are left behind, no matter how well-intentioned the reform may be.

Zhao points out that education systems often confuse improvement with standardization. By tightening standards, increasing testing, and enforcing uniform benchmarks, reformers hope to raise overall performance. In reality, this approach often narrows learning and discourages creativity, curiosity, and risk-taking.

The Limits of Popular Reform Trends

The book also takes a close look at some of the most widely promoted education reforms of recent years. Zhao examines ideas such as growth mindset and social-emotional learning, which are often presented as solutions to motivation, resilience, and emotional well-being in schools.

While these approaches can be helpful in certain contexts, Zhao argues that they are frequently oversimplified and misapplied. When treated as universal fixes, they can become rigid programs rather than responsive supports. In some cases, they may even contribute to frustration or emotional stagnation when students are expected to adapt themselves to the system instead of the system adapting to them.

Another major area of focus is artificial intelligence in education. Zhao notes that AI is often framed as either a threat to learning or a revolutionary solution. In his view, neither perspective fully addresses the real issue. If AI is simply layered onto the existing education model, it will only reinforce the same structural problems. New technology, he argues, cannot solve old problems unless the underlying paradigm changes.

From Fixing the Past to Inventing the Future

The book is divided into two main sections. The first, focused on “fixing the past,” explains why traditional reforms struggle. The second, “inventing the future,” outlines a different vision for education—one that emphasizes personalization, creativity, and problem-solving.

Zhao believes that society is at a critical moment. Technological advances, especially AI, make it possible to design learning experiences that are tailored to individual students in ways that were unimaginable before. Instead of forcing students to master the same narrow set of skills, schools could help learners develop their unique strengths and passions.

Personalized learning, as Zhao describes it, is not about students working alone on screens. It is about using technology, community resources, families, and educators to create flexible learning pathways. AI can help identify interests, connect learners to relevant challenges, and support deeper exploration rather than rote memorization.

Teaching Students to Find and Solve Real Problems

A major theme in the book is the shift from teaching students how to answer known questions to helping them identify new problems worth solving. Zhao argues that the ability to recognize emerging challenges, define meaningful questions, and collaborate on solutions will be one of the most important skills for future citizens.

Current education systems, however, are still largely focused on correct answers to predetermined problems. This approach may prepare students for exams, but it does little to prepare them for a world shaped by rapid change, automation, and global interdependence.

Zhao also challenges the idea of meritocracy as it is commonly understood in education. When success is measured through standardized rankings and competition, collaboration and shared responsibility are often sidelined. A future-focused education system, he suggests, would emphasize human interdependence, recognizing that progress depends on diverse talents working together.

Starting Change Without Waiting for the System

One of the most practical aspects of the book is its message that meaningful change does not have to wait for large-scale policy reform. Zhao acknowledges that many educators and families feel discouraged after decades of failed initiatives. However, he argues that individuals and communities still have the power to act.

He introduces the idea of a “school within a school,” where teachers, students, and parents experiment with new approaches inside existing structures. These small-scale innovations can demonstrate what is possible and gradually influence broader change.

The book encourages educators to move away from passively following top-down directives and instead become active drivers of change. Zhao uses a simple metaphor to make this point: people who sit in the passenger seat often feel uncomfortable, while the driver feels more in control. In education, he argues, taking responsibility for change can be empowering rather than overwhelming.

Broader Context: Personalized Learning and AI in Education

Beyond the book itself, Zhao’s arguments connect to a larger global conversation about the future of learning. Around the world, education systems are grappling with how to balance standards with flexibility, and how to integrate technology without losing the human element of teaching.

Research increasingly shows that student engagement and motivation are closely tied to relevance and autonomy. When learners see how education connects to their interests and real-world challenges, they are more likely to persist and succeed. AI, when used thoughtfully, has the potential to support this shift by reducing administrative burdens and opening new pathways for exploration.

At the same time, Zhao’s work serves as a reminder that technology alone is not a solution. Without rethinking goals, values, and structures, even the most advanced tools will fall short.

A Call to Rethink What Education Is For

At its core, Fix the Past or Invent the Future is a call to rethink the fundamental purpose of education. Instead of asking how to improve test scores or enforce standards more effectively, Zhao urges readers to ask deeper questions about who students are, what they care about, and how education can help them contribute meaningfully to society.

The book does not offer quick fixes or easy answers. Instead, it provides a clear-eyed analysis of why reform has failed and a hopeful vision of what could come next if educators, students, and communities are willing to imagine something different.

Research reference:
https://www.ascd.org/books/fix-the-past-or-invent-the-future