Schools were closed down for the spring, and many are projected to remain closed for the fall. How will this affect children’s academic development? Some propose handing out “A grades” to each and every student, regardless of their development. Others argue for holding each and every child back for a whole year.

The common flaw in each of these impulses lies in these words: “each and every.” Not every child develops in the same way, and we must promote differentiated solutions that reflect this.

In this video, Independent Institute Research Fellow Dr. Vicki E. Alger and Independent Executive Director Dr. Graham H. Walker discuss the dangers present in “one-size-fits-all” approaches to augmenting K-12 education in light of COVID-19. Dr. Alger prefers a more parent-directed approach in which parents themselves can decide how best to augment their children’s learning. She will discuss Education Savings Accounts, hybrid programs that blend homeschool and brick and mortar school, and other solutions that champion choice and would respond nimbly to our current environment.

Dr. Alger received her Ph.D. in political philosophy from the Institute of Philosophic Studies at the University of Dallas, where she was an Earhart Foundation Fellow. She is author of the independent book, "Failure: The Federal 'Misedukation' of America's Children," which traces the enormous waste and harm from the federal government involvement in K-12 education and explains why more and more parents support educational freedom.

Failure: The Federal 'Misedukation' of America's Children, by Vicki E. Alger