diff --git a/app/models/learning_outcome_group.rb b/app/models/learning_outcome_group.rb
index 64f4c5edd99..b829884a8a9 100644
--- a/app/models/learning_outcome_group.rb
+++ b/app/models/learning_outcome_group.rb
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ class LearningOutcomeGroup < ActiveRecord::Base
   belongs_to :context, polymorphic: [:account, :course]
 
   before_save :infer_defaults
-  after_create :clear_descendants_cache
-  after_update :clear_descendants_cache, if: -> { clear_descendants_cache? }
   resolves_root_account through: -> (group) { group.context_id ? group.context.resolved_root_account_id : 0 }
   validates :vendor_guid, length: { maximum: maximum_string_length, allow_nil: true }
   validates_length_of :description, :maximum => maximum_text_length, :allow_nil => true, :allow_blank => true
@@ -288,14 +286,6 @@ class LearningOutcomeGroup < ActiveRecord::Base
     ancestor_ids.member?(id)
   end
 
-  def clear_descendants_cache
-    Outcomes::LearningOutcomeGroupChildren.new(context).clear_descendants_cache
-  end
-
-  def clear_descendants_cache?
-    (previous_changes.keys & %w[learning_outcome_group_id workflow_state]).any?
-  end
-
   private_class_method def self.title_order_by_clause(table = nil)
     col = table ? "#{table}.title" : "title"
     best_unicode_collation_key(col)
diff --git a/lib/outcomes/learning_outcome_group_children.rb b/lib/outcomes/learning_outcome_group_children.rb
index 7df1eb6b0ce..bf25467a7ec 100644
--- a/lib/outcomes/learning_outcome_group_children.rb
+++ b/lib/outcomes/learning_outcome_group_children.rb
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ module Outcomes
     end
 
     def suboutcomes_by_group_id(learning_outcome_group_id, args={})
-      learning_outcome_groups_ids = children_ids(learning_outcome_group_id) << learning_outcome_group_id
+      learning_outcome_groups_ids = children_ids_with_self(learning_outcome_group_id)
       relation = ContentTag.active.learning_outcome_links
         .where(associated_asset_id: learning_outcome_groups_ids)
         .joins(:learning_outcome_content)
@@ -91,13 +91,6 @@ module Outcomes
       end
     end
 
-    def clear_descendants_cache
-      return unless improved_outcomes_management?
-
-      Rails.cache.delete(descendants_cache_key)
-      clear_total_outcomes_cache
-    end
-
     def clear_total_outcomes_cache
       Rails.cache.delete(context_timestamp_cache_key) if improved_outcomes_management?
     end
@@ -112,7 +105,7 @@ module Outcomes
     private
 
     def total_outcomes_for(learning_outcome_group_id, args={})
-      learning_outcome_groups_ids = children_ids(learning_outcome_group_id) << learning_outcome_group_id
+      learning_outcome_groups_ids = children_ids_with_self(learning_outcome_group_id)
 
       relation = ContentTag.active.learning_outcome_links
         .where(associated_asset_id: learning_outcome_groups_ids)
@@ -162,34 +155,21 @@ module Outcomes
       )
     end
 
-    def children_ids(learning_outcome_group_id)
-      parent = data.find { |d| d['parent_id'] == learning_outcome_group_id }
-      parent&.dig('descendant_ids')&.tr('{}', '')&.split(',') || []
-    end
-
-    def data
-      if improved_outcomes_management?
-        Rails.cache.fetch(descendants_cache_key) do
-          LearningOutcomeGroup.connection.execute(learning_outcome_group_descendants_query).as_json
-        end
-      else
-        LearningOutcomeGroup.connection.execute(learning_outcome_group_descendants_query).as_json
-      end
-    end
-
-    def learning_outcome_group_descendants_query
-      <<-SQL.squish
+    def children_ids_with_self(learning_outcome_group_id)
+      sql = <<-SQL.squish
         WITH RECURSIVE levels AS (
-          SELECT id, learning_outcome_group_id AS parent_id
-            FROM (#{LearningOutcomeGroup.active.where(context: context).to_sql}) AS data
+          SELECT id, id AS parent_id
+            FROM (#{LearningOutcomeGroup.active.where(id: learning_outcome_group_id).to_sql}) AS data
           UNION ALL
           SELECT child.id AS id, parent.parent_id AS parent_id
             FROM #{LearningOutcomeGroup.quoted_table_name} child
             INNER JOIN levels parent ON parent.id = child.learning_outcome_group_id
             WHERE child.workflow_state <> 'deleted'
         )
-        SELECT parent_id, array_agg(id) AS descendant_ids FROM levels WHERE parent_id IS NOT NULL GROUP BY parent_id
+        SELECT id FROM levels
       SQL
+
+      LearningOutcomeGroup.connection.execute(sql).as_json.map {|r| r["id"]}
     end
 
     def context_timestamp_cache
@@ -198,10 +178,6 @@ module Outcomes
       end
     end
 
-    def descendants_cache_key
-      ['learning_outcome_group_descendants', context_asset_string].cache_key
-    end
-
     def total_outcomes_cache_key(learning_outcome_group_id = nil)
       ['learning_outcome_group_total_outcomes',
        context_asset_string,
diff --git a/spec/lib/outcomes/learning_outcome_group_children_spec.rb b/spec/lib/outcomes/learning_outcome_group_children_spec.rb
index b3f37386c8b..34e729e00d0 100644
--- a/spec/lib/outcomes/learning_outcome_group_children_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/outcomes/learning_outcome_group_children_spec.rb
@@ -417,21 +417,6 @@ describe Outcomes::LearningOutcomeGroupChildren do
     end
   end
 
-  describe '#clear_descendants_cache' do
-    it 'clears the cache' do
-      enable_cache do
-        expect(LearningOutcomeGroup.connection).to receive(:execute).and_call_original.twice
-        expect(ContentTag).to receive(:active).and_call_original.exactly(4).times
-        expect(subject.total_outcomes(g0.id)).to eq 12
-        expect(subject.total_outcomes(g1.id)).to eq 9
-        subject.clear_descendants_cache
-        instance = described_class.new(context)
-        expect(instance.total_outcomes(g0.id)).to eq 12
-        expect(instance.total_outcomes(g1.id)).to eq 9
-      end
-    end
-  end
-
   describe '#clear_total_outcomes_cache' do
     it 'clears the cache' do
       enable_cache do