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Horace Mann
Often described as the "Father of the Common School". He spearheaded the educational reforms that ensured every child had a basic education funded by taxes. Mann was influential in the development of teacher training schools and the earliest attempts to professionalize the profession. -
Committee of Ten
A group of educators appointed by the National Education Association to establish a standard high school curriculum. A recommendation of 8 years of elementary and 4 years of secondary education was made. They believed that all students benefited from a standardized curriculum regardless of future career path. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Supreme Court ruling that established "separate but equal". This ruling upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation laws for public facilities. -
Brown versus Board of Education
Landmark Supreme Court Decision that declared state laws creating separate schools for black and white students was unconstitutional. "Separate but equal" was inherently "unequal". -
Common Core
Educational initiative that details what K-12 students should understand at the end of each grade for English language and math. It seeks to establish consistent educational standards across states. These standards were not adopted by all states.