As Robert Pondiscio observed recently, K–12 schools have largely been spared disruptive innovation of the sort that has transformed everything from retail to consumer package goods, telecommunications, computing, steel, newspapers, and more.

Yes, there have been disruptive innovations in how students learn. Namely in the form factor.

Consider that even just 15 years ago the dominant curriculum companies were clear: McGraw-Hill, Pearson, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt — all textbook companies.

Fast forward and digital-native companies have been disrupting the staid and supposedly impenetrable market of textbooks. Yes, the textbook companies are still around and transforming themselves—HMH, McGraw-Hill and Savvas (a spin-off of Pearson). But there are new entrants in the previously-impenetrable core curriculum market—entities like Amplify, Great Minds, Curriculum Associates and Imagine Learning.