This article is the 9th installment of the “5 Educational Concepts to Eliminate” series. This series began in 2016 and has been read hundreds of thousands of times by educators across the world. As we enter the dawn of 2025, we must re-evaluate our current positions and pivot as needed to ensure we are meeting the needs of all stakeholder groups. Here are 5 educational concepts we need to finally eliminate in 2025.
- Blaming COVID Shutdowns for the Lack of Current Academic Progress
While the initial disruptions caused by COVID shutdowns were significant, it’s time to move beyond them as an excuse for why many students are still struggling academically. The prolonged reliance on this explanation risks overshadowing the need for proactive solutions. Students have returned to classrooms, and we’ve had time to adjust to new realities in education. If progress isn’t being made at this point, it’s not the shutdowns—it’s the strategies.
Even before COVID, test scores were stagnating, and achievement gaps persisted across racial, economic, and geographical lines. The pandemic didn’t create these inequities; it revealed and deepened them. Blaming COVID lets us off the hook from addressing the root causes: underfunded schools, outdated curricula, and a one-size-fits-all approach to learning that ignores individual student needs. Instead of lamenting the past, we should focus on systemic solutions like equitable funding, updating curriculum, utilizing instructional technology, and more targeted interventions.
Schools must focus on targeted interventions like intensive tutoring, differentiated instruction, and evidence-based practices to close learning gaps. The conversation should shift from “what happened” to “what can we do now?” Holding onto the shutdown narrative prevents us from taking the meaningful actions necessary to drive improvement.
2. Always Choosing Relationships Over Rigor
The habit of blaming COVID for ongoing academic struggles often overlaps with an overemphasis on relationships at the expense of rigor. In the wake of the pandemic, many schools shifted their focus to rebuilding trust and emotional connections with students—which was absolutely necessary at the time. The key phrase here is “at the time”. However, some schools have struggled to transition back to a balanced approach that also prioritizes academic excellence.
When we place too much emphasis on relationships without gradually reintroducing rigor, we risk sending the message that students can’t handle challenges. Similarly, continuing to blame COVID creates a culture of lowered expectations, where the focus remains on what students have been through rather than what they are capable of achieving. It’s time to recognize that strong relationships and high expectations are not mutually exclusive—they are complementary. Students will rise to the occasion when they know they are supported and believed in, and when teachers pair empathy with accountability.
3. Not Moving Beyond Quick-Fix SEL Solutions
Social-emotional learning (SEL) has become a buzzword in education, and many schools have adopted programs to teach skills like empathy, resilience, and self-awareness. Scores of companies have released SEL programs for schools to purchase due to new state mandates for SEL curriculum. While these programs can be helpful, they’re not a magic wand. SEL isn’t something you can check off a to-do list after a 20-minute session for students a few times per week.
True social-emotional learning requires an ongoing commitment to creating a school culture that values emotional intelligence as much as academic achievement. It’s about embedding SEL into the fabric of the school—in how teachers interact with students, how discipline is handled, and how students are encouraged to collaborate and resolve conflicts. It’s not a program; it’s a process. To make SEL meaningful, schools need to invest in true professional development for teachers, integrate SEL into daily routines, and model the behaviors they want to instill in students. Much like Response to Intervention or MTSS, SEL is a process, not a program.
4. Making Excuses for Student Behaviors and Not Having a Behavior Matrix
Managing student behavior is one of the most challenging aspects of education, yet too often schools fall into the trap of making excuses for disruptive behaviors without implementing a clear framework for addressing them. Excuses like “they’re just having a bad day” or “that’s just how they are” fail both the students who misbehave and the ones who are impacted by those behaviors. This includes teachers.
What is needed is a well-defined behavior matrix that outlines expectations, consequences, and supports for students. A behavior matrix provides consistency, transparency, and fairness—students know what is expected of them and what will happen if they cross the line. This is also a vital aspect for parents. Importantly, it also includes restorative practices that help students learn from their mistakes and rebuild trust. By holding students accountable while offering them pathways to improve, schools can create a more positive and productive environment for everyone.
Having a behavior matrix is essential for several reasons:
- Clarity and Consistency: Students and staff need clear, consistent guidelines to understand what behavior is acceptable and what isn’t. A behavior matrix eliminates confusion and ensures everyone is on the same page.
- Fairness: When expectations and consequences are clearly defined, discipline becomes fair and impartial. This reduces perceptions of bias and helps foster trust between students and educators.
- Proactive Support: A behavior matrix doesn’t just focus on consequences; it provides opportunities for students to learn and grow through restorative practices, conflict resolution, and positive reinforcement.
- Improved School Climate: Consistent expectations and fair consequences create a safer, more respectful environment where students can focus on learning without unnecessary disruptions.
- Empowering Teachers: A clear framework empowers teachers to address behavior issues confidently, knowing they are supported by a school-wide system.
By adopting and maintaining a behavior matrix, schools can create a structured yet supportive environment that promotes accountability, growth, and respect for all students.
5. Ignoring the Potential of AI in Transforming Education
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing countless industries, and education should be no exception. Yet educational systems are hesitant to explore how AI can enhance learning and teaching practices. From personalized learning plans to real-time feedback and administrative automation, AI offers a powerful toolset to address long-standing challenges in education.
AI can help identify gaps in student understanding and tailor content to meet individual needs, ensuring no one falls through the cracks. It can also reduce teacher workloads by automating grading and administrative tasks, freeing educators to focus on what matters most: teaching and building relationships with students. However, leveraging AI effectively requires thoughtful implementation, proper training, and safeguards to ensure equity and data privacy.
By embracing AI’s potential, schools can create more adaptive, efficient, and inclusive educational environments that prepare students for the future.
The Principal’s Desk, Assistant Principal’s Desk, and The School Counselor’s Desk was founded by Dr. David Franklin. Dr. Franklin is an award winning school administrator, education professor, curriculum designer, published author and presenter at national and international education conferences. He is also the co-author of “Can Every School Succeed” and the #1 Amazon Best Seller in Education Administration: “Advice From The Principal’s Desk”.
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