-
Massachusetts Act of 1642
The Massachusetts Act of 1642 made education a requirement. Before this, parents could decided whether or not to have their kids educated, but church and civic leaders decided that education could no longer be voluntary.
This is significant in the history of American educaiton because it was the first step in Americans making education a priority and something of great importance. This is why I have included it as one of the top ten important events in American education. -
Massachusetts Act of 1647
Five years later after the first Massachusetts Act involving education, the Massachusetts Act of 1647 made it a law for schools to be established and supported.
I've included this because in shows America's continuing priority in Education. It also seems a little ironic that this act passed way back in 1647 made it they law that schools should be supported, versus today when we always hear about schools being underfunded. -
First public high school
The first public high school in the United States taught basic skills and subjects such as history, geography, health, and physical training.
This is important because it was the start of a higher form of education that is still a staple in American education today. -
First English Speaking Kindergarten
The first English speaking Kindergartens in the United States empahsized growth, activity, play, songs, and stories.
This is importanct because it shows a growth to a new age group in American Education, and just like the first high schools, represents a new form of education in American that is still around today. -
Soviet Sputnik
Soviet Russia's launch of Sputnik set the United States even more into the great space race. This is important to American education because it also set off an emphasis in mathematics, sciences, and languages. Students were educated in these not only to gain advances for the United States in space travel, but for their "safety" at the time. -
Brown V. Board of Education of Topeka
Brown V. Board of Ed. rejected the "separate but equal" doctrine and started the movement of desegragtion in American schools.
Tihis is important to American education because it, as many of the events in this timeline do, shows America's growth not only in education but also as a society as a whole. People need to be treated equally and fairly, and that's what Brown V. Board set out to do. -
Title IX
Title IX made education an equal playing field for both sexes. Women were now able to further their education as men had been able to before, and to get better jobs because of this increased education.
This is important to American education because, like Brown V. Board it makes education an equal oppurtunity for more of US citizens. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
This act made more educational opportunites for children with handicaps. It gguarantees that children with special needs will receive an appropriate education in the least restrictive environment.
Like Brown v. Board, and Title IX this event is important because it opened up education opportunites to more Americans that didn't have a fair chance before. -
Nation at Risk Report
While all seemed to be going well, this report knocked America off their feat with the news that American schools were not really doing that great. It then called for the "five new basics" of English, mathematics, science, social studies, and computer science.
This is important to American Education because it really took an honest look at schools to see how students were doing, even when things seemed to be going well, and then reinstituted a need for the basic subject. -
No Child Left Behind Act
President George W. Bush signed this into law to try and make America's schools better and their teachers more accountable. He may have had good intentions, but this act has kind of back fired as seen most noticable in the states that are recalling it. It is important to American education because it has shaped so much of how are modern schools function and how the modern teacher teaches.