Case study explores innovation efforts at private K-12 school in China

A new dissertation from the RAND School of Public Policy examines how a private K-12 school in China, supported by a leading technology company, is responding to national calls for greater innovation in education. The study highlights the paradox that while Chinese students often achieve high scores on international academic assessments, they tend to face challenges with practical problem-solving and creativity—skills considered vital in an economy increasingly driven by technological change and artificial intelligence.

The research draws on qualitative data to explore how this particular school defines and implements innovation within the context of China's shifting educational policies. According to the author, innovative efforts at the school are influenced by "the interaction of entrepreneurial culture and educational mindset, a balance between exploratory experimentation and established practices, state policy shifts, and the leverage of professional development and external partnerships to foster teacher agency." The findings also note that despite various structural constraints, some of these practices show early signs of being adaptable to other educational settings.

This dissertation was submitted in March 2025 as part of the requirements for the Frederick S. Pardee Ph.D. in Policy Analysis at RAND's graduate program. It was supervised by faculty including Alice Huguet (chair), Jennifer Bouey, Susan Bush-Mecenas, and Scott Rozelle as an external reader.

RAND Corporation is known for its role as a nonprofit institution focused on improving policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. Its dissertations are reviewed and approved by faculty committees before publication.

The full dissertation is available online: https://www.rand.org/pubs/rgs_dissertations/RGSDA4497-1.html

For more information about RAND’s work in education reform and related topics such as curriculum development or secondary education in China, further details can be found on their website.