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"Ye Olde Deluder Satan" Law
I mark this as important because this is one of the first laws that made towns establish "schools" that taught kids to read and write. This law also began the process of taxing residents for funding the school. In addition, elected officials were getting involved with the school. I think this event is important because it was one of the biggest kick-offs to how schools are today. Yes, there have been TONS of changes, but without this start public schools would not be where they are. -
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Evolution of Public Education
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John Dewey's Theory- Late 1800s/ Early 1900s
Dewey's balance between subjects and students was crucial to today's K-12 public education. His recognition of the need of a mid-point between the strict subject curriculum and the child-centered methods can be seen in public classrooms around the world today. As of one of the first to establish this method, I classify this point in time to be very important in today's K-12 public education. We see this nice balance in many schools, rather than just subject- centered or just child-centered. -
The Change of Vocational Education
After the civil war, vocational education was on the rise until about 1950. From 1950 on it has been more balanced with academics. This is an important event in time because we see many high schools who focus on getting kids ready for their future by using vocational education and other courses. Public educators need to prepare kids for the work-force, without neglecting the scholastic skills needed because many students choose to go straight to the workforce out of high school. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Had this event not taken place, schools today would still be segregated and many African Americans would be receiving unequal opportunities. It is important that kids, these days, have the opportunity to be exposed to a diverse school environment where all races are receiving equal treatment and education. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act- 1990, 1997
The initial 1990 Act, as well as the 1997 amendment are important events in history because the number of kids with disabilities ranging from learning disabilities to behavioral disabilities and even those with hearing impairments etc. are growing, along with the rate of those in poverty. Today's public education needed those with disabilities to be ensured a free opportunity for the services they need to succeed in school.IDEA has helped shape today's public education greatly for these reasons. -
Election of Barack Obama
I choose the general event of the election of Obama because it resulted in events that shape today's public education immensely. His Recovery and Reinvestment Act got the ball rolling with the Race to the Top which resulted in many schools going to common core standards. Had Obama not been elected, public school's would not be stressing such standards today.
