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Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647
Expanding on the previous legislation that required all parents to teach their children to read, the old Deluder Satan Act required all towns of 50 or more families to have an appointed reading and writing teacher. The only focus of education was for children to be able to read Scripture. -
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The National Period of Educational Reform
With the newfound freedom from England, American policymakers believed the educational system should reflect the beliefs of the country- free, equal, and expansively covering important topics. Acreage and money were delegated for schools, additional studies, such as German and French, were added to the traditional Greek and Latin to aid upcoming businessmen, and a national language was carved by Webster to promote nationalism. -
First Kindergarten established
Inspired by the works of German educator Froebel, Margaret Schurz established the first kindergarten class in Watertown, Wisconsin. The curriculum is centered around play, freedom, love, and security, which provides students with a sense of trust in their learning environment. -
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The Transitional Period
With more and more subjects being introduced in the elementary and secondary levels, a need for unity and cohesion arose. Committees were formed to establish a common curriculum, including two major educational reformers, William Harris and Charles Eliot. -
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Curriculum as a Science
After deciding on subjects to be taught and the time allocated on each, it was determined curriculum should have a psychological foundation and those principals determine its purpose. Major theorists, including Bobbitt, Caswell, and Tyler, each impacted educational reform in their own way. Until most recently, Tyler’s view on curriculum was the most popular, shaping the majority of curriculum being written. -
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act
President Johnson passed this act in 1965 under his Great Society program, with the focus being on providing federal aid to help disadvantaged students. This money, known as Title I, seeks to equalize the opportunities available to all students, regardless of economic status. -
Requirements and Accountability Grow
Under the President Ronald Reagan, a need for educational reform and accountability grew. Students and teachers were subjected to accountability measures, including high stakes testing and higher graduation requirements. This then led into the option for choice in public schools, with the voucher system, and subsequently the feeling of competition between districts. -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
Signed as a law by President George W. Bush in 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act increased the role of the federal government’s responsibility for academic success and achievement within public schools. Mandated high-stakes testing, accountability measures for school performance, and threats of federal intervention forced states to increase their standards of education, including hiring ‘highly qualified’ teachers and maintaining strict focuses on curriculum. -
Introduction to CCSS
Designed to provide unity within academic standards across the states, Common Core State Standards provides a clear expectation of learning goals in English Language Arts and Math, as well as building up 21st Century skills, like technology, collaboration, and critical thinking. States were given the opportunity to adopt the standards and many programs were put in place to encourage the adoption. Assessments were also updated, including SBAC, which are adaptive online assessments. -
President Obama offers Flexibility
Recognizing the flaws within NCLB, President Obama offers waivers for states who are unable to comply with all the requirements of the act. States were given more control over acceptable interventions and given grace for the deadline for all students to become ‘proficient.’ Part of the agreement for the waivers from NCLB includes the implementation of Common Core State Standards. -
Every Student Succeeds Act
Finally providing a release from NCLB, the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 returns control to individual states. Starting this 2017-2018 school year, school systems will be required to submit accountability goals to be reviewed and outline the measures that will be used to rate student achievement. -
Betsy DeVos Nominated as Secretary of Education
Under the elected President Trump, DeVos was nominated to serve as Secretary of Education. The nomination of DeVos brought strong criticisms by many teachers unions, especially since she has limited experience with the public school setting. DeVos strongly favors the school voucher system, originally introduced during the Reagan era, and bringing more choice to education, including more financial assistance for private schools. -
Conclusion and Impact 2
The focus has always been to the make future generations academically competive on a global scale, especially within the last decade, yet America continues to lag behind. Major reform still needs to occur; American policy makers need to learn from global educational leaders, like Finland and China, in order to be able to compete. -
Conclusion and Impact 1
Over the span of education in America, the federal government has been in control over curriculum, accountability, and, ultimately, student achievement. Although some administrations appear to give power back to the individual states, realistically there is little freedom given to teachers about what to teach and how to teach it. -
References 2
Ornstein, A. C., & Hunkins, F. P. (2017). Curriculum: Foundations, principles, and issues (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education -
References 1
Editorial Projects in Education Research Center. (2015, April 10). Issues A-Z: No Child Left Behind: An Overview. Education Week. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/no-child-left-behind-overview-definition-summary.html/ Editorial Projects in Education Research Center. (2016, March 31). Issues A-Z: The Every Student Succeeds Act: An ESSA Overview. Education Week. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/every-student-succeeds-act/
