Throughout history, educational reform has been motivated by a desire to improve student achievement. Many people believe that education has a powerful effect on social issues such as health, wealth and well-being. In fact, some scholars have found that small improvements in schooling are highly correlated with increases in economic growth and social welfare.

Over time, democratic political impulses have driven educational reform, with the most sweeping changes occurring in the mid-20th century. The Civil Rights Movement sparked the desegregation of schools and helped ensure access for marginalized populations. Landmark legal rulings such as Brown v. Board of Education and landmark legislation such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) helped address disparities in education, creating opportunities for students to learn and achieve.

Today, most educational reforms seek to boost academic performance and close equity gaps. Some of these efforts are successful, but others fall short of their goals. For example, a recent McKinsey study found that the highest-performing countries focus on improving governance and implementing strategies that minimize the impact of social background on student achievement.

The scope of educational reform is wide and requires an understanding of a range of goals. To see the full picture, it is necessary to look beyond curricula and standards and consider innovations such as reimagined grading systems that create stronger incentives for student success, solutions like stackable credentials that increase college completion rates and streamlined advising programs that help students persist through challenges.