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1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act
ESEA provided federal funds to schools primarily for education programs for disadvantaged students in order to support equity in education.
Constitutionally education is a states’ right so federal involvement was questioned but justified on the basis of equity (civil rights) legislation and the “spending clause” of the Constitution. -
1983 Report “Reclaiming our Nation at Risk
The Commission felt that our system of education was not keeping pac with the progress of other nations.
The Commission recommended "that schools colleges and universities adopt more rigorous and measurable standards, and higher expectations, for academic performance ... and that 4-year colleges and universities raise their requirements for admission." -
1994 Improving America’s Schools Act and Goals 2000 Educate America Act
Improving America's Schools Act of 1994: Required state academic-content standards and tests.
Goals 2000: Educate America Act: Provided federal funds to aid states in writing those content standards. -
2002 ESEA Reauthorization: “No Child Left Behind”
Built on the foundation laid in the 1980's and 1990's by ensuring that states accepting the federal government's targeted investment agreed to measure and report on results in terms of standards and accountability.
The purpose/goal of the legislation is the same; most funds are in Title 1 for education support for disadvantaged students.
About 10% of public education costs are now funded by the federal government, primarily via NCLB. -
2007 ESEA Fails to be Reauthorized
Continuing resolution passed instead, legislation continues “as is” until reauthorized, this continues until present time.
Failure of reauthorization leads to the actions below, based on the authority of the Department of Education (executive branch of federal government) to make some types of adjustments in legislation without Congressional approval. -
2009 Race to the Top Grant Competition
A small part of ARRA, the Department of Education is given money to distribute as it desires via a grant program.
With Race to the Top, states must design and implement common academic standards that build towards college and career readiness, expand effective support to teachers and principles, reform and improve teacher preparation, fully implement a statewide longitudinal data system, and prioritize and transform persistently low performing schools. -
2010 ESEA Reauthorization: A Blueprint for Reform
This document contains the Department of Education/Obama Administration proposals for changing NCLB when it is reauthorized. The executive branch can propose legislation, but it is written and passed only by Congress, and Congress may be in total disagreement with the executive branch. -
2011 NCLB Waivers/Flexibility
States may request flexibility for:
Timeline for achieving 100% proficiency -
2010-2011 New Illinois Education Legislation
(1) Adoption of common core standards and assessments, (2) new teacher performance evaluation system (3) new teacher certification guidelines and requirements, (4) new data systems of identification of lowest performing schools, and (5) more charter schools and new authorization guidelines.