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Future Farmers of America
Public Law 81-740 grants a federal charter to the FFA. The law is revised in 1998 and becomes Public Law 105-225. This allows students to practice tangible work that they can use later in their lives. -
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka
(1952-1954) Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas was a United States Supreme Court case that held that race-based segregation of children into 'separate but equal' public schools violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and is unconstitutional. Kenneth Clark and His wife Mamie Clark conducted an experiment with children and the use of dolls with different races. -
National Defense Education Act
Provided funding to United States education institutions at all levels. -
Project Head Start
This program was created to give every child the same opportunity to succeed regardless of their cultural or social backgrounds. -
Elementary Secondary Education Act
(ESEA)Passed as a part of United States President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty" and has been the most far-reaching federal legislation affecting education ever passed by the United States Congress. -
Bilingual Education Act
(LESA) The first official federal act helping the needs of students with limited English speaking abilities. -
"Science of Education"
Jean Piaget published this book. It was the first time anyone formed a systematic study to understand how children's learning develops. -
TITLE IX
Signed by President Nixon in June of 1972 to become a law, part of the the educational amendments. The main purpose of Title IX prohibits discrimination sex in any education program or activity that is federally funded. -
The Refugee Act of 1980
Signed into law by President Jimmy Carter. Building on the Immigration Act of 1965, it reforms immigration law to admit refugees for humanitarian reasons. Results in the resettlement of more than three-million refugees in the United States. These children bring diverse requirements and social norms to the classroom. -
Board of Education v. Pico
The U.S. Supreme Court states that schools can no longer ban books in the library if school administrators believe them to be offensive. -
A Nation at Risk
The report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education, A Nation at Risk, calls for reforms in public education and training of their teachers. Expansions in high school requirements are starting to include the study of computer science. -
National Board of Professional Teaching Standards
Created in response to the report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education, A Nation at Risk. National Board Certification, based in these standards, is established as a means of measuring teacher's excellency. -
Online School
The University of Phoenix establishes their "online campus," the first to offer online bachelor's and master's degrees. This opens up a whole new era of education for the United States. -
Public Law 101-476
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This act renames and amends Public Law 94-142. Not only does this act change the terminology of handicap to disability, it mandates transition services and adds autism and traumatic brain injury to the eligibility list. -
Teach for America
This organization is formed and it reignites the concept of a National Teachers Corps. -
The Immigration and Nationality Act
The first comprehensive reform since 1965. This results in an increase of the annual immigration to 700,000. The law helps provide for family-sponsored visas; employment-based visas for priority workers, skilled workers, etc. -
SMART Board
An interactive white-white is created by SMART Technologies. This introduces a new technological concept to the classrooms. -
"In Search of Understanding"
Published by Jacqueline and Martin Brooks. This book reintroduces constructivism into classrooms. Constructivism is a learning philosophy that people retain knowledge best when learning through active construction rather then passive reception. -
Right to Read
Developed by psychologists and other specialists in reading. This program was created for children whose first language is not English. It helps educators identify and support children who are having reading difficulties in their earliest school years. Executive Director Joy Sweet has been personally helping parents and educators since the program was created to help students as much as she can. Her diligence brings hope back to many immigrant families. -
"The Culture of Education"
Written by Jerome Bruner, was published. This introduced a new philosophy of how to teach children. -
Grant Wiggins
Along with Jay McTighe, Wiggins wrote "Understanding by Design". This book explained how education should focus on the learning goals then create a curriculum to fit those learning goals. This is an opposite way of how education was viewed during this time. -
Columbine High School Shooting
Two Columbine High School students go on a killing spree that leaves 15 dead and 23 wounded. This is the nation’s first deadliest school shooting incident. Although this resulted in the increase in school security, this is only the start of many mass school shootings to come. -
No Child Left Behind
(NCLB) A federal law passed by President George W. Bush that provides money for extra educational assistance for low income children in return for improvements in their academic progress. NCLB is the most recent version of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act. -
The Great Recession
Many of the teachers faced layoffs. The unemployment rates were extremely high and states have massive budget deficits. -
AAIDD
The American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) became the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), turning toward the use of the term intellectual disability in place of mental retardation to encourage respect to people with disabilities. -
1st Virginia Tech University Shooting
Cho Seung-Hui, a 23-year-old student, kills a total of 33 people including himself and injuring fifteen others. This is now the deadliest school shooting incident in U.S. history. -
Northern Illinois University Shooting
Steven P. Kazmierczak, former graduate student, kills five and wounds seventeen people. He later takes his own life making a total of six victims. -
Quest 2 Learn
(Q2L) In September in New York City, a class of sixth graders were granted The first school to teach primarily through game-based learning, opened in September in New York City with a 76 sixth graders. This program is the start of game-based learning that conforms to what the student needs to learn based on their scores. -
The Great Recession ended
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The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act
Provides more than 90-billion dollars for education. $53.6 billion of the funds are designated to local school districts to prevent layoffs and for school modernization and repair. This act includes the Race to the Top initiative, a 4.35-billion-dollar program designed to induce reform in K-12 education. -
"Curriculum 21:Essential Education for Changing a World"
Edited by Heidi Hayes Jacobs. Jacobs goal is to update the curriculum based on the current students and what they need to know to help them succeed in their future. -
No Child Left Behind Update
33 states and Washington, D.C. were granted waivers from some "No Child Left Behind" requirements. -
Sandy Hook Shooting
Adam Lanza, 20, kills his mother and then trespasses onto the school property and kills twenty children and six adults, including the principal, Dawn Hochsprung. This now, is currently the second deadliest mass shooting by a single person in U.S. history. -
Revolts Against Standardized Testing
The Washington Post reports that Seattle high school teachers have refused to give the district-mandated Measures of Academy Progress. This was done take a strike on overly standardized testing. -
Nevada Middle School Shooting
A 13-year-old student arrived to the middle school armed with a handgun. He wounded two 12-year old boys and killed a teacher who was protecting the other students. Afterwards he killed himself with the handgun. -
Arapohoe High School Shooting
High school senior, Karl Pierson, enters his high school armed with a shotgun, machete, and Molotov Cocktails. His purpose was to get his "revenge" on the school librarian and debate coach who had disciplined him earlier in the school year. Although, he only critically wounded a female classmate and commits suicide. His fellow classmate died eight days later in the hospital. -
Huge Demographic Milestone
Minority students enrolled in K-12 public school classrooms outnumbered the non-Hispanic Caucasians. -
"Every Town for Gun Safety"
CNN interviewed a group called “Every Town for Gun Safety”. CNN then published an article which reported that there have been 74 school shootings over the last year and a half. -
Transgender Evolution in Public School
The Minnesota State High School League passed a vote to adopt a policy that allows transgender students to join female sports teams. Minnesota, along with 33 other states at this time, had formal transgender policies. -
Umpqua Community College Shooting
Chris Harper Mercer killed nine people and wounded several others at a community college in Roseburg, Oregon. Like most, he committed suicide after the shootings. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
The U.S. Senate approved the Every Student Succeeds Act. President Obama signs it into law the next day. This latest version of the ESEA replaced "No Child Left Behind". This gave the state more control with their education curriculum. -
Respecting Transgender Students
The federal government demands school districts to allow transgender students the right to use the restroom that fits their identity if they choose. Although, the directive is not a law, yet, districts that do not could be faced with criminal lawsuits or lose their federal funding. -
Rebel of Transgender Bathrooms in Texas
A federal judge in Texas signs a temporary injunction which allows schools to not participate in the transgender bathroom incentive. -
Recession of Transgender Rights
President Donald Trump rescinds the Obama administration transgender bathroom directive. Many are outraged by the recession of transgender rights in schools. -
Desire for More Gun Safety Laws
Gun control and school safety advocates are on the rise as students become more and more passionate after the Parkland, Florida massacre. As more people get frustrated by the easily accessible firearms, President Trump promised more rigorous background checks and better mental health screenings for future gun owners. He also suggested training and arming teachers to improve school safety, which was rejected by many. -
Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting
Nikolas Cruz is charged with 17 counts of murder in this horrific school massacre that occurred in Parkland, Florida. The big difference in this case, is that he did not commit suicide. This is the 18th school shooting of this year. Eight school shooting have resulted in injury or death. -
Florida Governor Rick Scott takes a Stand
After the Parkland, Florida school shootings, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed legislation that raised the minimum age to purchase a firearm to the age of 21 and imposed a three-day waiting period for firearm purchases. In addition, the bill allowed some school faculty to carry firearms. The state was sued by the NRA in return. Although credit is due to the governor for taking action. -
Nation Wide Walk-Out
Thousands of students across the nation walk out of classrooms on demanding changes in gun laws. Students, rightfully, take a stand for a serious issue that needs to be addressed. -
March for Of Lives
During the March for Our Lives Protest, millions of students from across the nation join to protest in Washington, DC and multiple other cities. -
National Walkout Day
Students across the United States protest gun violence on April 20th, which is now considered National Walkout Day. This day marks the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting tragedy. It has yet to be seen if this "National Walkout Day" is truly in effect. -
Sante Fe High School Shooting
Regardless of the proactive students fighting against school shootings, the school shootings continue. Dimitrios Pagourtzis, a 17-year-old student shot and killed ten people, eight students and two teachers, more wounded at a Texas high school. -
Educators Taking Control
As a result of all of the controversial educational debates, hundreds of educators and former educators ran for office in the mid-term elections. Winners include Minnesota Governor-Elect Tom Walz, Wisconsin Governor-Elect Tony Evers, and 2016 National Teacher of the Year, Jahana Hayes, from Connecticut, who was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Hopefully, we will see some more positive results with our future representatives.
