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Education in the Colonial Period
Before 1778 education was not free nor public. In 1778 Thomas Jefferson drafted an ACT guaranteeing 3 years of education for all children and advanced education for a select few. -
Horace Mann
Most Important- Horace Mann the 1st Secretary of Board of Education made it clear that government needs to step in and help the schools. He pushed for public school reform where students would learn from a common knowledge, each student will have an equal chance at life. He was the equalizer of education and he was the one who started free education by using tax dollars to fund the schools. Today the Federal Government still helps.
pbs.org/onlyateacher/horace.html -
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Population Growth and Immigration in the 19th century
Rise in Irish immigrants led to religious uprising within the education system which up till than was a highly Protestant religion based curriculum. African Americans fought for the removal of segregation in schools. -
Common Schools
Free school system that would be funded by taxes dollars and all would be able to attend rich or poor. Common schools would provided the highest quality of education, have standardized textbooks and classrooms fitted for an environment learning. -
Committee of Ten
Most Important
There was national need to compete academically with other nations and within our communities. A group of educators created a standardization for American High School curriculum to help meet the need to compete by introducing a set standards in areas of math, Latin, Greek, English, and science. Today states have a standard core that educators have to meet and teach.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Committee_of_Ten -
The Impact of John Dewey
Most Important
John Dewey was known as the father of progressive education. The curriculum was to rigid and based off of the teacher, and textbooks, and not on the child himself. Dewey believed education should be anchored on the whole child: social, emotional, intellectual. He designed a new curriculum that was more hands on learning and a child centered education. Today our curriculum is a mix of traditional and other interests.
[https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Dewey] -
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The Progressive Reform Movement
Industrial age was happening, kids were working in factories instead of attending public schools. The Progressive Reform movement called for a ban on child labor and made it compulsory for every child to attend school. -
Brown vs. Board of Education
Most Important- The quality of African American schools was poorly cared for and textbooks were outdated. Rev. Brown tried to enroll his daughter in a school close to home but was turned away due to race. Brown vs the Board of Education argued that the school facilities though separate were indeed not equal.The case went to the supreme court and Brown won. Schools were ordered to desegregate. Today we still have inequality issues (e.g. gender)
https://www.nps.gov/brvb/index.htm -
The Civil Rights Movement & War on Poverty
President Lydon B. Johnson passed the civil rights act of 1964 to help enforce the schools to abide by 1954 Brown vs Board of Education ruling. Although schools were ordered by law to desegregate they were not doing so. The 1964 Civil Rights Act says: states and school districts can lose their federal funding unless they desegregate their schools. Once this law passed many of the schools desegregated in fear of losing their funding. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
The Federal Government passed a 4 billion dollar fund for education to help fight the war in poverty. The funds were issued to help the disadvantage students have a fair and equal chance in education. Programs like head start and student financial aids came to be during this time. -
Individuals and Disabilities in Education Act
Law was passed that children with disabilities will be provided, free, appropriate and with the least restricted environment education. Students with disabilities will have greater inclusion in the community and schools. Students with disabilities will be part of the general education setting and the Federal government will provide support for transition services from high school to post secondary education. -
A Nation at Risk Report
Most Important
Secretary of Education informed President Reagan the that United States schools were falling behind. The President said that our education systems has low standards, our students lack purpose and are failing to strive for excellence and by doing so they are not equipped to perform or compete globally. Today we have the No Child Left Behind act to reinforce that our students are provided the highest quality of education.
http://www.k12.wa.us/esea/NCLB.aspx -
The Standards Movement
Due to the Nation at Risk report the movement of standards was necessary. Our academic standards are to show what our students should know and are able to do. It is also a means of ensuring our students are receiving the high quality education they deserve. -
School Choice Movement: Charter Schools, Vouchers
Charter schools and specialty schools came to be due to the Nation at Risk report. People believed if public schools were not providing the education their children deserved than they should have the right to seek education for them somewhere else. This also allowed for different types of specialty school like schools dedicated to the arts, or schools dedicated to technology. -
No Child Left Behind
This law was a reinforcement of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. States are required to develop assessments to demonstrate basic skills are being met in their school systems in order for states to receive federal school funding. Each state developed its own standards.
