The author of the book, The Disengaged Teen, argues that the education sector has been divided into two camps: the "instructional core" and "innovation" thinkers, who believe quality curriculum and good teachers are essential elements in improving learning. The author's organization, Transcend, has become the home of the Gradient Learning program, a system for whole-student learning that integrates high-quality instructional materials from leading curriculum providers, key life skills, real-time data, and monitoring tools with dedicated coaching. The program has reached over 250,000 students across 46 states and has been successful in helping communities design learning environments where strong instruction meets intentional experience design. This shift in focus on academic success is seen as a missed opportunity, as public school enrollment has dropped by nearly two million students since 2020, with homeschooling up 45% in some states and private school enrollment surging.