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The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Since the founding of the United States as a nation, the federal government has had some role in education (Cross, 2015, p. 2). The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 created the first states beyond the original thirteen states but it also required that every township provide some land to support education in that particular township (Cross, 2015, p. 2). -
Creation of the Dept. of Education
Congress created the original U.S. Department of Education in 1867; however it was not a cabinet-level agency. Its purpose was to collect information on schools and teaching that would assist with the establishment of effective school systems (U.S. Department of Education, 2012). -
Smith-Hughes Act of 1917
The next major event in federal education policy was Congress’ passing of the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 (Vocational Education Act). This legislation addressed the growing enrollment of high school students within the country and “the more than 25 percent illiteracy rate of military inductees in World War I” (Cross, 2015, p. 2). It also provided government funds to schools to purchase equipment for vocational education (agriculture, home economics, and trades). -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
Perhaps the most significant education legislation passed during the 20th century was the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. Part of President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty, the ESEA provided a comprehensive set of federal programs which included the Title I program of federal aid to disadvantaged students in poor urban and rural schools (Cross, 2015, p. 2). -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1975
In 1975, Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which provided education access for children with disabilities and granted parents “the right to sue school districts for appropriate services” necessary for their child’s education (Cross, 2015, p. 3). -
A Nation at Risk
In 1983, a commission appointed by the secretary of education released a report known as A Nation at Risk (Cross, 2015, p. 3). This report called for reform and improvements in the educational system, particularly in the poorer schools that were supposed to receive funding under the ESEA of 1965. -
Education Summit and Goals 2000
In 1989, President George H.W. Bush, along with 49 state governors, participated in an educational summit to address the issues raised in "A Nation at Risk" (Cross, 2015, p. 3). The result of the summit was the creation of national education goals which came to be known as “Goals 2000.” Goals 2000 called for higher standards, improved graduation rates, and educational accountability (Cross, 2015, p. 3). -
1994 Reauthorization of ESEA
Congress passed a reauthorization bill of the ESEA in 1994 known as The Improving America's Schools Act of 1994. This reauthorization, together with the Goals 2000 legislation, provided a significant event in federal education policy history. The combination of these legislations required states to set higher standards and to adopt tests linked to those standards for all students (Cross, 2015, p. 3). If states failed to do so, they risked losing their Title I funds (Cross, 2015, p. 3). -
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
With bipartisan support, Congress reauthorized ESEA in late 2001. On January 8, 2002, President George W. Bush signed the law, giving it a new name: No Child Left Behind (NCLB) (U.S. Department of Education, 2015).
