Events in the Development of American Education

By Linguist3

  • "School and Society" published by John Dewey

    Dewey criticized the "toe the line" method of schooling centered on teachers and textbooks. He advocated for educating the "whole child", with hands-on and interpersonal methods of learning.

  • National Education Association's Committee of Ten appointed

    Charles W. Eliot chaired this board. The board guided America into an era during which a greater and greater proportion of the population was able to attend secondary school. The board advocated dividing secondary schools into four different courses of study, each of which could be used for getting into college.

  • 1900's World Fair in Paris

    Americans showed off their progressive education policies at the 1900's World Fair in Paris. In the years ahead, representatives from many countries toured progressive American schools, spreading the model to different areas of the world.

  • William Wurt designs schools in Gary, Indiana

    These schools were designed to integrate the children on immigrants in a new steel mill in Indiana into American culture. In these schools, students moved around to different room for different classes and did lots of hands-on activities. The schools also included elements of hygiene and good citizenship. The method followed by the schools was known as "Work, study, play."

  • John Mitchell implements Gary schools in NYC

    The implementation of Gary-style schools sparked controversy, led to riots, and were eventually stopped. Immigrants did not want students to learn trades to become factory workers, but instead to have a more traditional reading-and-writing curriculum. An English-only curriculum is adopted.

  • WWI Begins

    Because of the war, English-only curriculum is pushed. Foreign-language, especially German, curriculum was all but ended. Schools included the Pledge of Allegiance and patriotic songs in their daily routines to instill a sense of pride and allegiance to the United States in students.

  • "Science of School Management"

    Elwood P. Coverley advocates for career tracking; different "tracks" were given to students depending on what was expected to be their future jobs.

  • Development of IQ Testing

    Louis Terman develops an intelligence test to help schools divide students based on ability. However, these tests often served to segregate students based on ability and often along cultural and racial lines as well.

  • Great Depression

    With the Great Depression, child labor was finally outlawed, and all children were required to attend school until the age of 16.

  • Cold War begins

    The Cold War changed the purpose and outlook of schools. Schools began to teach math and science more heavily to keep up with the technology of the Soviet Union. In particular, the Soviet launch of Sputnik gave many in the United States a "wake-up call" to begin developing their space program.

  • "Life Adjustment Education"

    This movement during the 1950's advocated progressive education by trying to make school relevant to teenagers. Skills such as interpersonal relationships, dating, and hygiene were taught.

  • Brown v. Board of Education

    Brown v. Board of Education ruling is passed in the Supreme Court, overturning the principle of "separate but equal" segregation, particularly in education.

  • Integration of Little Rock High School

    Nine black students were integrated into Little Rock High School with the help of federal troops sent by Dwight D. Eisenhower to enforce the anti-segregation ruling.

  • IQ testing ended in schools

    Julian Nava leads a campaign during the 1960's and 1970's to end IQ testing in schools. Critics of IQ testing argued that IQ tests were strongly culturally biased and left behind students with diverse abilities.

  • Rise of Homeschooling

    John Holt advocates homeschooling as an alternative to public and private schools. The movement gains traction especially among the Christian right beginning in the 1970's.

  • "A Nation at Risk"

    Ronald Reagan releases a report exposing the "public school monopoly". The report calls for strengthening parental control, school choice, and free-market reforms. There is a shift from equality in education of excellence in education.

  • NYC allows school choice

    New York City begins to allow students to enroll in schools of their choice, not just the closest public school. Other cities followed suit, helping along a larger movement of school choice in the country.