I think the biggest problem with attempts to "revolutionize" US education is that nobody has identified an actual problem it has. US public schools actually get pretty damn good results by worldwide standards.
This is in spite of the system, instead of because of it. Some people were going to do well regardless - because they were well-nourished as children, grew up in stable homes, etc. Most the rest are good worker-bees, or good candidates for filling the prisons (a make-work program).
> I think the biggest problem with attempts to "revolutionize" US education is that nobody has identified an actual problem it has.
I think John Gatto [1] pointed out that "Nothing of value to the individual happens by force" - maybe the quote is in one of his books. Gatto's essay on retiring, "I Quit, I Think" [2], precisely describes professional teachers' dilemma.
[1] http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/
[2] https://web.archive.org/web/20100309061700/http://www.johnta...
From a semi-recent slatestar link thread[0] (Tyler Cowen is Marginal Revolution):
"Tyler Cowen makes the case that Denmark’s institutions aren’t that great because Danes in the US do better than Danes in Denmark, suggesting Denmark is a successful country mostly because of Danish culture (Cowen didn’t mention genes, but should have)."
[0]:https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-08-16/denmark-s...
Technology has helped in the past, after all. Computers for test-grading, for example, from scan-trons back in the 1980's to software that can give a math test and automatically score them. Overhead projectors, smartboards, and so on. None of these are absolutely necessary, but helpful.
Problems? It is pretty easy to spot problems: The scores inside the us are vastly different in different areas, for example. Stress levels both for students and teachers. Funding is poor in places.
Then there is this kid speaking about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnsejGj4JSg