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Horace Mann-- Looks at Public Schools
Horace Mann was elected as Secretary of Education. He focused on making sure the school were enjoyable for the children and that the physical school was in good condition. -
Common Schools
Common Schools were important because they encouraged the schools to teach the same things and this became an equalizer among the people at school. -
** 1: Thomas Jefferson-- Free School
Thomas Jefferson petitioned for 3 years of free schooling for everybody. Analysis: I chose this as an important event because I feel like this is what got the ball rolling on public education. Jefferson saw that there was a need but no one was doing much about it and so he started with the 3 years of free school and this got more people interested in education. https://www.libertarianism.org/publications/essays/excursions/thomas-jefferson-public-education-part-1 -
Desegregation Begins
A law was passed that got rid of segregation within the schools of Massachusetts. This was the beginning of the movement to end segregation in schools around the nation. -
Bishop Hughes
Bishop Hughes argued that the King James Bible shouldn't be used in schools because it made the catholic students uncomfortable. This started the debate about religion within the schools. -
Fredrick Douglass
Fredrick Douglass organized a group that protested the segregated schools. They argued that it was more expensive to have separate schools. -
** 2: Immigrant Children Come to America
The immigrant families coming to America increased the number of students in schools. This forced the government to look at the education system and fix what was broken. Analysis: I chose this as an important event because the increase in students brought to light the problems with education and people were more invested in fixing the education system and getting rid of child labor so that they could get an education. http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/ -
John Dewey
John Dewey came out and said that the school system needed to be focused on the child as a whole instead of just the curriculum. He was known as the Father of Progressive Education. -
**3: Progressive Education Movement
The Progressive Education Movement wanted to teach the students more than just english and math. The students were taught life skills and this was controversial because some felt these skills shouldn't be taught in school. Analysis: I chose this as an important event because I think that it got people thinking about educating the whole of a child rather than just parts. Teachers were more invested in the education of their students. https://progressiveeducationnetwork.org/history/ -
Brown vs. Board of Education
The court decided that children couldn't be prepared for college or to succeed in the future without education and that the separate schools were not equal. Students of color could now attend any school they wanted. -
**4: Civil Rights Act
Under this act schools that weren't integrated would lose federal funding. Schools that previously didn't desegregate were forced to allow anyone to attend their school. Analysis: I chose this as an important event because this finally forced all of the schools to desegregate and allow anyone to go to the schools. Children of color were finally given the opportunity to education that they had been promised many years before. https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=97 -
Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act
This act allowed students with disabilities to attend a public school. Students with disabilities were now able to have the same advantages as students without disabilities. -
**5:Nation at Risk?
The Department of Education saw that the system was failing and so they brought it to the President's attention. Analysis: I chose this as an important event because I think that it is important to always be looking for ways to improve. The Board of Education brought to the Presidents attention that the school system was failing and needed to be changed. I think this is a great example of how we can keep improving the education system. https://www2.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/risk.html -
Standards Movement
School days and hours became longer and the schools become more invested in their students success. President wanted people to start thinking about Education in Excellence. -
No Child Left Behind Act
When this act was passed standardized testing became required in grades 3-6 every year and then once in high school. The government was able to see how the school was performing.
