Despite record-high graduation rates approaching 90% nationwide, American schools are failing to adequately prepare students for life after receiving their diplomas, according to education expert Siri Fiske.
“It doesn’t matter how many kids obtain a high school diploma if they’re not ready for the world that awaits,” says Fiske, founder of Mysa Schools and the Micro School Network. Evidence supports her concern – in California last year, only 44% of graduating seniors demonstrated college or career readiness.
The disconnect between graduation statistics and actual student preparedness highlights a fundamental problem: many educational institutions remain anchored in outdated approaches while the professional world has evolved dramatically.
Fiske, who has established educational programs across multiple states and internationally, believes schools would benefit from adopting practices common in successful businesses. She points to several potential improvements, starting with the traditional age-based classroom structure.
Current educational systems group students strictly by age, despite wide variations in cognitive and social development among children in the same grade. This approach contrasts sharply with effective workplace environments where teams form based on skills and experience rather than birth year.
“Imagine what would happen if workplaces functioned this way,” Fiske notes. “Employees sorted into teams based on age — rather than ability and experience — would quickly become hamstrung.”
Research supports an alternative: concept-mastery learning, where students advance based on demonstrating understanding rather than completing time-based requirements. This approach has shown particular promise for students with learning differences, as educators at Sphinx Academy in Kentucky have observed with their “twice exceptional” high school students.
Technology integration represents another area where education lags behind industry. While caution around screen time is warranted, research indicates that thoughtfully implemented digital tools can enhance learning outcomes. Computer programs excel at teaching rule-based subjects requiring repetitive practice, freeing teachers to focus on mentoring and developing higher-order thinking skills.
Some forward-thinking schools already demonstrate effective technology integration. At One Stone, a micro school in Boise, Idaho, students apply digital design software to architectural projects they later build physically. Meanwhile, at Fiske’s own Mysa School in Washington D.C., administrators are testing AI-powered software to track student progress and quickly identify learning challenges.
The information age also calls for less emphasis on memorization. “No workplace prohibits employees from opening Google,” Fiske points out. Rather than quizzing students on historical dates, she suggests focusing on deeper analytical thinking – such as examining Lincoln’s evolving perspectives on slavery rather than memorizing when he issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
While some innovative institutions have begun embracing these shifts toward skill-based learning, collaborative environments, and strategic technology implementation, most educational systems continue changing at what Fiske describes as “a creaky pace.”
For American education to truly prepare students for their futures, it may need to look less like traditional schooling and more like the workplaces where graduates will eventually spend their careers.
