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Colonial Period
From the late 1600's to the late 1700's, Only larger towns in New England were required by law to have schools. Other places schools weren’t free or public. School was linked to protestant bible and religion. The purpose of schools was to prepare students to be like their parents -
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Education Throughout American History
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Horace Mann -Top 5
Horace Mann was named secretary of the new Massachusetts board of education in 1837. Mann visited different schools and found that poorer communities had lower quality schools. He started the common schools movement. His goal was to start tax sponsored public schools to give children in poorer communities a higher quality education. The education system still works to improve and provide these equal opportunities today. https://www.pbs.org/onlyateacher/horace.html -
Committee of 10
Formed by the National Education Association. The committee of ten was a group of educators in 1892 who recommended that all high schools in the United States should have a standard curriculum. -
Progressive Education Movement
John Dewey started the Progressive Education movement.
Progressive Education rejected emphasis on strict discipline and memorization of traditional classroom teaching; instead it encouraged the use of group work and hands on activities. -
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Secondary (or high school) Movement
This movement refers to the increased enrollment in secondary schools. In the start of the 20th century, secondary schooling wasn’t the norm. Most children only stayed in school until they were about 14. More jobs were created that required higher education and drove enrollment. In 1910 only 9% of adolescence graduated high school. In 1940 the amount increased to 50%. -
Measurement Movement
Thorndike and Terman began intelligence and achievement tests. They established norms for math, reading, handwriting and other subjects. Tests used to identify children who were above or below average. -
World War II - Top 5
World War II had a big impact on education in America. Because so much federal funding was directed to war efforts, less funding was spent on education. Many students and teachers enlisted in the armed forces, causing high school enrollment to drop. However, because so many men were involved in the war, more opportunities were available for women for teaching and higher education.
http://www.theedadvocate.org/uncovering-devastating-impact-world-war-ii-american-education/ -
Brown vs the Board of Education
Declared state-sponsored segregated schools were unconstitutional. Opposed the “separate but equal” decision determined in Plessy vs Ferguson. -
Sputnik and the NDEA - Top 5
The NDEA was enacted in 1957 after the Soviet Union launched the first satellite. Americans started worrying that the Soviets were technologically superior and that the U.S. was behind in education. The act increased funding on education. Today many Americans still compare our country's education to education of other countries.
https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Sputnik_Spurs_Passage_of_National_Defense_Education_Act.htm -
Civil Rights Act -Top 5
Before Title IV of the Civil Rights Act in was passed in 1964, African American children attended segregated schools that received less funding and resources. It perpetuated the cycle of poverty among African Americans. The Civil Rights laws improved educational opportunities for millions of students.
http://civilrights.findlaw.com/discrimination/title-iv-of-the-civil-rights-act-of-1964-desegregation-of-public.html -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Passed by pres. Lyndon B. Johnson in as part of his “war on poverty.” It funded both elementary and secondary education.
It focused on equal access to education, providing each student with fair and equal opportunity for a higher quality education. -
Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)
IDEA is a federal law that was passed in 1975 by President Gerald Ford. The law laid out children’s rights in special education. -
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Standards Movement
The movement started in 1983 with the Nation at Risk Report and continued to advance. In 2009, the common core standards were launched. The standards movement placed an emphasis on setting academic standards, outlining what students should know in different grades. These standards drive the curriculum that teachers and schools use to meet these standards. They are also used to evaluate well-performing vs. struggling schools. -
School Choice Movement and Tax Vouchers
Idea started in the 1950’s and gained popularity in the 1990’s when charter schools became more common. This movement provided more options for K-12 education in the U.S. It provided tax credits for parents who wished to enroll their child in a private or charter school. Parents were provided more control and flexibility for their child’s education. -
No Child Left Behind Act - Top 5
This act was passed in Congress in 2001 and signed by President George W. Bush on January 8, 2002. This act updated the Elementary and Secondary Education act. It ensured that students in public schools achieve learning goals while being educated in safe classrooms by well-prepared teachers.
http://www.k12.wa.us/esea/NCLB.aspx
