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Massachusetts Law of 1642
The Law of 1642 stated that individuals who were in charge of children were required to make sure they were literate and fluent in reading and writing. The idea was that if everyone was literate they would be able to read and abide by the laws of the town. -
Education Law of 1647
The Education Law of 1647 forced towns that had at least 50 families to hire a teacher to help teach students to read and write. It also stated that if a town had 100 families they had to establish a grammar school. -
Blue Back Speller Published
Noah Webster published the Blue Back Speller to promote the use of a new language. This book introduced a new type of "english" that was different than what the British spoke (new spellings and pronunciations). This book quickly became known as America's Textbook and versions of the original (mainly dictionaries) are still used today. -
Horace Mann Elected Secretary of Education
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After becoming secretary of education, Mann visited many schools and observed harsh conditions that the students were in. He introduced the idea of common schools, where education would be free and would provide each child an equal opportunity in life. Mann really wanted to equalize the school system. Although common schools were opposed, we can see the effects of Mann now, as all children are offered free public education. -
Committee of Ten
The Committee of Ten consisted of 10 educators that met and recommended the standardization of American curriculum. The committee wanted a big focus on high school to prepare students to be good citizens and also help with college preparation. -
The Gary Plan Introduced
The Gary Plan was introduced in Gary, Indiana in 1907 by William Wirt. This plan focused the school system towards preparing children to enter into the real world. Gary schools focused on departmentalizing their school subjects and providing students with as many opportunities as possible. This system allowed students to work, socialize, and learn basic school skills. -
IQ Test Introduced
The intelligence quotient test allowed for the comparison of individuals based on their intelligence. This was a major factor in WW1 because it helped us see that most soldiers were deficient. The IQ test also helped start progress towards diagnosing learning disabilities in students. -
Brown vs. Board of Education
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Brown vs. Board was a trial that took place in 1954 after many students were denied access to white schools. It was ruled that segregation in schools was no longer legal although no steps were given on how to resolve this. This set the stage for the rest of education, helped us get to today where all classrooms are diverse, and also provided the knowledge that everyone deserves a free, equal education. -
Launch of Sputnik Space Satellite
Sputnik, the first space satellite was launched in 1957 by the Soviet Union. The launching of Sputnik had a huge impact on education because it showed that the U.S. was losing the technological and military race because our schools were lacking. The launch of Sputnik eventually led to the introduction of the NDEA. -
National Defense Education Act
After Sputnik was launched the U.S. realized they needed to focus more on technological education. The NDEA was passed which provided funding to create and support education programs. This is also the time when the government started to step in and influence curriculum in the classroom. -
Civil Rights Act
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After Brown vs. Board of Education, the Civil Rights Act outlawed discrimination in schools for any reason (race, sex, etc.). This was taken seriously because federal funding could be taken away if discrimination was still being allowed. In today's schools we still focus on this act by making sure that discrimination does not occur in our classrooms or other after school activities. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
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ESEA was the beginning of increased federal roles in education. It provided 1 billion dollars in funds to help educate disadvantaged students. Helped buy materials, textbooks, and teacher training. ESEA has been called the most far reaching educational legislation. Funding is still in place and helps educate students in low income areas because local income tax is not high enough to fund a well run school. -
Nation at Risk Report
Ronald Reagan's National Commission on Excellence in Education released the A Nation at Risk Report in 1983. This report reiterated the idea that American schools were failing. It has been said that this report is responsible for the Education Reform Movement. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Before IDEA, education was mostly denied to students with disabilities. The IDEA insured that all students, even those with disabilities, were receiving free and appropriate education. This act provided students with transitional help, accountability programs, and highly qualified special education teachers. -
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
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NCLB provided funding to states who assessed their students on basic skills and were meeting yearly requirements. It also increased the role of federal government in education and focused on bringing minority groups of students up to a specific standard. NCLB improved test scores, but was eventually criticized because most schools were not meeting standards. This was in place until ESSA in 2015.
