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The first schools in the 13 colonies opened in the 17th century. The Boston Latin School was the first public school opened in the United States, in 1635. To this day, it remains the nation’s oldest public school. https://www.americanboard.org/blog/11-facts-about-the-history-of-education-in-america/ -
The first college in North America was Harvard College, founded in 1636 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard is the oldest and most renowned institution of higher education in the United States and is considered one of the best universities in the world.
https://usamerica.us/uncovering-the-secret-of-the-first-college-in/ -
The original Department of Education was created in 1867 to collect information on schools and teaching that would help the States establish effective school systems. While the agency's name and location within the Executive Branch have changed over the past 130 years, this early emphasis on getting information on what works in education to teachers and education policymakers continues down to the present day.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html -
By 1900, 31 states had compulsory school attendance for students from ages 8-14. By 1918, every state required students to complete elementary school. -
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.
https://www.fns.usda.gov/nslp -
Columbia offering one of the first academic-credit courses in computing in 1946. “They helped catalyze the teaching of computer science,” says Henry Chesbrough, executive director, Program in Open Innovation, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley. -
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Federal student loans are first offered under the National Defense Education Act to help the United States compete with the Soviet Union. High school students gifted in science, mathematics, and modern foreign languages were offered grants, scholarships, and student loans.
https://acu.edu/2022/03/07/student-loans-a-helpful-history-and-look-forward/ -
On November 29, 1975, President Gerald Ford signed into law the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In adopting this landmark civil rights measure, Congress opened public school doors for millions of children with disabilities and laid the foundation of the country’s commitment to ensuring that children with disabilities have opportunities to develop their talents, share their gifts, and contribute to their communities. -
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, U.S. federal law aimed at improving public primary and secondary schools, and thus student performance, via increased accountability for schools, school districts, and states. https://www.britannica.com/topic/No-Child-Left-Behind-Act