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Committee of Ten
The Committee of Ten created a high school curriculum. The curriculum was based on traditional Liberal arts studies, like Geography, English literature and Algebra. Elective classes were introduced into the curriculum as well. The mandatory years of schooling were also set, eight years of elementary, and four years of secondary. The decisions the Committee made are still being practiced today. Mandatory schooling is from K-12, electives are offered and Liberal Arts are core fundamental classes. -
Brown v. Board of Education
The court found "Separate but equal" to be "Inherently unequal." The court said that education was the most important state or local government function. Segregated schools had unequal educational opportunities. Segregated schools tended to limit African American student's educational and mental development. By creating mixed classrooms, there was an opportunity to equalize education for all students and to boost their academic opportunities. This ruling was a pinnacle moment in U.S. education. -
Individuals with Disabilities Act
After the Brown ruling in 1954, parents of students with disabilities demanded change. In 1958 laws were passed to give training for special education teachers. In the early 1970's, court decisions allowed all children with "intellectual disabilities" to free and appropriate education. In 1975, the Court passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. In 1990, it became the Individuals with Disabilities Act. Now, all children regardless of race or disability have access to good education. -
A Nation at Risk
A Nation at Risk was a report that criticized American public schools. The report claimed that the schools were "standards centered" instead of "student centered." This spurred policy makers to make schools more accountable through standardized testing. Emphasis on the mastering of basic skills and school report cards are why scores began to rise. A Nation at Risk, pushed for student centered learning. What was produced was a harsher standard centered education which is in place today. -
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act was passed in 2002. The NCLB was the U.S. governments first attempt at holding schools accountable for the unequal achievement of certain student groups. If one subgroup failed to make the specified goal, the whole school failed. At the the end of the given amount of time the results showed that elementary grades made consistent gains while middle and high schoolers had far less progress. The NCLB created the current trend in the education field.
