Fueled by a culture fascinated by numbers and increased accountability, data-driven instruction has become a mighty force as it joins with the tools of technology to handle the mammoth task of gathering, sorting, analyzing, and synthesizing data. Success stories from districts all over the country attest to the positive results of implementing meaningful assessment practices and rigorous use of data. After reading these glowing reports, one cannot help but wonder whether the old adage, "To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail" is an apt description of the mindset of the numbers-focused profession of education. The author asserts that the numbers alone won't provide educators with the creative solutions they need to solve this list of systemic challenges. Just as important will be the new ideas needed to address the complex problems within the system and people who are relentless in the pursuit of solving them--the social innovators.