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Common School Movement
Common Schools were the precursors to today's public schools. They were the first free, universal, non-sectarian schools that were funded by tax money. Horace Mann pushed for universal education for all, which resulted in the Common School movement and gained him the nickname Father of the Common School. Common Schools began rapidly popping up across America and were the beginning of the creation of todays' public schools. (Common school movement, n.d.). -
The Morrill Act
The Morrill Act provided states with land grants. The states sold the land and put the money toward the building of new or existing colleges, focusing on agriculture and mechanic arts. This opened up thousands of opportunities for farmers and working people who were previously excluded from higher education (Morrill Act. n.d.). Additional land grant acts followed, which were all very important stepping stones in the creation of new colleges across the country. -
Brown V. Board of Education
Brown V. Board of Education didn't completely end segregation in schools, but it put the law on the side of equality (Separate is Not Equal, n.d.). This also annihilated the “separate but equal” rule that was previously sanctioned by the Supreme Court in Plessy V. Ferguson in 1896, which allowed states and school districts to designate some schools “whites-only” and others “Negroes-only" (Strauss, 2014). This was significant because it was a push in the right direction for educational equality. -
No Child Left Behind
The focus of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was to "close student achievement gaps by providing all children with a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education" (No Child, n.d., para. 3). This was done by requiring "each state to establish state academic standards and a state testing system that meet federal requirements" (No Child, n.d. para. 4). NCLB was important because it provided equal educational opportunities for disadvantaged students. -
Every Student Succeeds Act
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and is considered a replacement of No Child Left Behind. ESSA makes sure that ALL kids are provided a quality education, regardless of income, race, or disabilities. ESSA focuses highly on academic standards, testing, school accountability, goals for academic achievement, and plans for helping struggling schools (Lee, n.d.). ESSA is important because it encourages individualized learning for students.
