Less is more: Leveraging the power of de-implementation to drive excellence in education

Abstract

Teachers face mounting demands to implement numerous programs and practices aimed at improving student outcomes. This persistent pursuit of novel, transformative solutions has led to unsustainable workloads, heightened stress, and widespread burnout among teachers—often without corresponding gains in student achievement. This paper introduces a systematic de-implementation process for discontinuing low-value programs and practices in education. We consider key barriers to de-implementation, including cognitive biases and organizational pressures that reinforce ineffective routines. To support practical application, we present the GROW framework—Get Ready, Replace, Optimize, Watch—a systems-level approach designed to empower educators and leaders through the process of identifying and replacing ineffective practices with evidence-based replacements and sustaining meaningful change. By shifting from a “more is better” mindset to a “less is more” strategy, de-implementation offers a promising pathway to alleviate teacher burden, enhance instructional quality, and improve student outcomes. We conclude with a call to action for researchers, policymakers, funders, and practitioners to prioritize de-implementation as a transformative lever for educational excellence.