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Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka entitled students to receive a quality education regardless of their racial status. The ruling set the foundation for the civil rights movement and gave African American’s hope that “separate, but equal” on all fronts would be changed. Although the decision was related to the segregation of African American students, in many parts of the country Native American, Asian, and Hispanic students were also routinely segregated. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was passed as a part of United States President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty". ESEA authorizes state-run programs for eligible schools and districts working to raise the academic achievement of struggling learners and address the challenges faced byr students who live with disability, learning difficulties, poverty, or who need to learn English. -
Bilingual Education Act
Title VII of The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, known as the Bilingual Education Act, established federal policy for bilingual education. Citing its recognition of “the special educational needs of the large numbers children of limited English-speaking ability in the United States,” the Act specified that the federal government would provide financial assistance for innovative bilingual programs. -
Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974
The Equal Educational Opportunities Act (EEOA) of 1974 is a federal law of the United States of America. It prohibits discrimination against faculty, staff, and students, including racial segregation of students, and requires school districts to take action to overcome barriers to students' equal participation. -
Lau v. Nichols
The case of Lau v. Nichols in 1974 had a very important impact on education for students who do not speak English as their primary language.When students arrive in school with little or no English-speaking ability, "sink or swim" instruction is a violation of their civil rights, according to the U.S. Supreme Court in this 1974 decision. -
English for the Children initiatives: Proposition 227
Proposition 227 required that students who were “English learners” (formerly called limited English proficient or LEP) be placed in an English immersion program in which nearly all instruction was in English but at a pace the student could understand. -
English for Children (Arizona Proposition 203)
Requires that all public school instruction be conducted in English. Children not fluent in English should be placed in an intensive one-year English immersion program to teach them the language as quickly as possible while also learning academic subjects. -
No Child Left Behind Act
Under The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), states are required to test students in reading and math in grades 3–8 and once in high school. All students are expected to meet state standards in reading and math by 2014. States are also required to set targets for overall achievement and for specific group of students, such as ELLs or economically disadvantaged students. These targets determine whether the school makes AYP, as measured by state standardized tests. -
Race to the Top
Race to the Top, R2T, RTTT or RTT, is a $4.35 billion United States Department of Education competitive grant program to states to encourage education innovation and reform. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA, Race to the Top promises to help states and districts close achievement gaps and get more students into college by supporting key reform strategies. -
ESEA Flexibility
The U.S. Department of Education has offered states the opportunity to apply for flexibility on certain provisions of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). In exchange for flexibility waivers, applicant states have agreed to carry out reforms around standards and accountability, which include raising standards, improving accountability, and implementing reforms to improve teacher effectiveness. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act Flexibility Waivers
The U.S. Department of Education has invited each State education agency (SEA) to request flexibility regarding specific requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) in exchange for rigorous and comprehensive State-developed plans designed to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction.
