History of Education Timeline

By rz20

  • National Defense Education Act

    Congress passed the National Defense Education Act (NDEA), which began federal funding for S(cience), T(echnology), E(ducation) and M(ath) education. It was the launchpad for the STEM progams that we have in place today.

  • Economic Opportunity Act

    President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into action the Economic Opportunity act, which focused on poverty in particular. This event was the start of many programs within the educational system that helped to ensure that people of lower socio-economic status could still recieve an education.

  • Elementary and Secondary Education Act

    Signed into law in 1965, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act helped lower income families within the primary and secondary school system. The ESEA helped to make sure that children were able to succeed in their classroom setting, as well as meet state requirements for knowledge of core subjects.

  • Equal Opportunity in Education Act

    Congress amended the Civil Rights Act of 1964, adding the Equal Opportunity in Education Act. Out of this came Title IX, which was a huge step towards equality within the educational system.

  • Education of All Handicapped Children Act

    The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, signed into law in 1975, jumpstarted the creation of policies by states that would make sure that all kids with disabilities would recieve a quality education. This was one of the first of it's kind, and was the platform for many other federal acts and programs.

  • Head Start Act

    In 1981, the EOA was updated and became the Head Start Act, based upon the establishment of the Head Start Program in the year 1965. Head Start has branched into many different programs, and is the most successful educational program specifically addressing children living in poverty.

  • Individuals with Disabilities Act

    The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was passed in 1990, and sought to make every public school classroom an "inclusive classroom". This meant that all children, despite varying disabilities or challenges, would be able to learn alongside one another in the same environment.

  • No Child Left Behind

    Officially signed into law in 2002, NCLB has become one of the most well-known acts in our country's history. It addressed the need for accountability through student testing, and provided funding for schools that were able to meet certain requirements as a result of the standardized tests.