-
Period: to
History of American Education
-
Massachusetts Act of 1642
This was the first law that required that parents see to it that their children knew the principles of religion and the capital laws of the commonwealth. -
Massachusetts Law of 1647
This law designates that every town of at least 50 families hire a schoolmaster who would teach the town's children to read and write. This is still impacting education today because it was the beginning of education and learning. More info: https://www3.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/masslaws.html -
Young Ladies Academy
The first academy for girls in America opens in Philadelphia. Originally girls were not taught in schools. -
Horace Mann Introduces the idea of Common Schools
Mann is credited with leading the Common School Movement, which helped to lay the framework for a publicly funded education system. -
Horace Mann, Board of Education
A visionary educator and proponent of public (or "free") schools, Mann works tirelessly for increased funding of public schools and better training for teachers. -
Integration and Sarah Roberts
Sarah Roberts, a young black girl, faces the Massachusetts Supreme Court in the first case against segregation in public school. The case failed, but racial integration was introduced in the world of education. -
End of the Civil War
This is the most important event in the history of education. It took a divided country and united it as one. This allowed education to progress for everyone. Resulting in the end of the Civil War and Slavery in the United States, 4 million former slaves could now become literate. This is still impacting education today because it gave all people in the United States the opportunity to learn to read and write. More info: http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/civil-war -
Education grows in the United States
By 1890 the United States was providing more schooling to more children than any other nation on earth. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
This decision means that the federal government officially recognizes segregation as legal. One result is that southern states pass laws requiring racial segregation in public schools. This case coined the phrase "separate but equal". -
Brown v. Board of Education
The idea of "separate but equal" was determined to be inherently unequal. The nation made great strides toward opening the doors of education to all students. This is impacting education today because it started equality in the classroom, giving all the right to learn in the same environment. More info: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/landmark_brown.html -
NDEA
The National Defense Education Act was to improve and strengthen all levels of the American school system and to encourage students to continue their education beyond high school. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin, is considered one of the crowning legislative achievements of the civil rights movement. This further enforced the racial integration of public schools. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
The most expansive federal education bill ever passed. Part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's “War on Poverty.” Provided over a billion dollars to aid disadvantaged students. This is still impacting education today because it is continually being adjusted and modified for student benefit. More info: http://education.laws.com/elementary-and-secondary-education-act -
IDEA
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was enacted to ensure that children with disabilities have the opportunity to receive a free appropriate public education, just like other children. This is still impacting education today because we as teachers need to be conscious of our disabled students and make sure they are being accommodated. More info: http://idea.ed.gov/ -
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind act is designed to put a special focus on ensuring that states and schools boost the performance of certain groups of students, such as English-language learners, students in special education, and poor and minority children, whose achievement, on average, trails their peers.
