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Massachussets School Law of 1642
Mass Moments: Massachussets Passes First Education Law On April 14, 1642, Massachussets Bay Colony passed the first law requiring a basic education for children. The law ultimately required basic knowledge in reading English, capital laws, basic religious understanding based in catechism, and a pathway into a trade. To read the law text, click here -
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving is Published
In 1820, Washington Irving brought the character of Ichabod Crane, a Connecticut school teacher, to the American public. Crane was characterized as a stern lecturer who followed the "spare the rod and spoil the child" principle in the school room, and outside school was a grasping, indulgent, ingratiating, and superstitious outsider who sought the hand of a wealthy heiress from the local community for his own reward. This characterization continued to haunt teachers for generations afterward. -
The Normal School in Lexington Opens
Framingham State University In July 1839, The Normal School in Lexington, today known as Framingham State University, opened its doors as the first state-funded post-secondary institution modeled after the <i>Ecole Normale</i> in France. This "normal school," and the ones that followed it, were created specifically for training would-be teachers. -
Oliver Brown, et al. v. Board of Education of Topeka, et al.
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka - 347 U.S. 483 (1954) The 1954 decision in <i>Brown v. Board of Education</i> declared "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." This overturned the 1896 <i>Plessy v. Ferguson</i> decision that allowed for "separate but equal" facilities for education. The key holding was that segregation <b>itself</b> was harmful to children and their education. -
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 Signed Into Law by President George W. Bush
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) at the U.S. Department of Education This reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (April 11, 1965) supports standard-based education reform, but the standards are set by the states, not the federal government. Federal funding for schools revolves around annual testing, progress reports and state-created "Adequate Yearly Progress" goals. NCLB is controversial in its scope and effectiveness.
