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education in the colonial period
Children were required to be educated by their parents or a master if they were apprenticed. If the child was not being educated they could be taken and given to another master. The education received was often comparable to England because the Protestants who came to the new world were often well educated. -
The First Schools in the New World
In the New England Protestant settlements they passed a law that required towns of a certain size to have a school house. If there were 50 or more houses they were required to hire a teacher to teach basic reading, writing, and math. If there were 100 or more houses they were also required to teach grammar. -
(Important) The Impact of Thomas Jefferson 1779-1809
Jefferson supported 3 years of state-paid education for every citizen. Additionally, he believed that those who showed promise should receive scholarships to attend university. He had strong conviction that Democracy required the people to be educated in order to work well. Although he tried to get this passed into law, he was not able to and it was defeated three times in the Senate. He later became president and was able to encourage education, but not to the extent that he desired. -
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(Important) The impact of Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson supported 3 years of state-paid education for every citizen. Additionally, he believed that those who showed promise should receive scholarships to attend university. He had strong conviction that Democracy required the people to be educated in order to work well. Although he tried to get this passed into law, he was not able to and it was defeated three times in the Senate. He later became president and was able to encourage education, but not to the extent that he desired. -
(important) The Blue-Backed Speller Published by Webster
Noah Webster published the Blue-Backed Speller as a way to teach Americans how to speak their own brand of English. Words were spelled in sylables and grouped according to sounds instead of spelling. He made modifications to words to represent modern spelling and pronounciation instead of old rules which meant that words like musick were changed to music. The Blue-Backed Speller has never removed from print and has sold a lot of copies (over 5 million?). The first 5,000 copies sold in 3 mos. -
Common Schools
Common Schools were government operated and taught a common body of knowledge that would give each student an equal chance at life. It was free for students to attend and provided a quality that appealed to both rich and poor alike. The schools provided quality furnishings and textbooks. -
the Impact of Horace Mann
State-funded schools began to form with the help of Horace Mann. Because of his interest in schooling he was asked to be the first secretary of education. In this position he surveyed existing schools and reported of their inequality in detailed reports. This information was used to reinforce the need that schools had to be run by the government. -
Immigration and Population Growth in the 19th Century
Immigration brought a variety of different cultures and religions into the predominantly English-Protestant school system. In these classrooms, protestant prayers, viewpoints, and beliefs were used. This was a significant disadvantage for other nationalities and religions that were unfamiliar with the new culture and whose cultures were often referred to negatively in textbooks and in the class. -
(Important) The Impact of John Dewey
John Dewey was the philosopher behind the Progressive Model of schooling and author of "School and Society". The US education system adopted his model of instruction which focused on the whole child and encouraged experience based learning. Schools that adopted his model focused on issues that weren’t addressed at home by incorporating programs into the school that would address them. Students were taught swimming which addressed hygeine and adults were taught cooking to address riots. -
The Progressive Reform Movement
This type of schooling system was designed to tap all abilities of a student instead of just reading, writing, and arithmetic. One of the main ideologies of this style of schooling was to make every working man a scholar and every scholar a working man. The needs of the community were addressed such as hygiene, life skills, and community education classes. This model helped impoverished imigrants become functioning members of society easier. -
(Important) The Measurement Movement
Terman developed the IQ test to test intelligence. This test was created as an adaptation of the Binet-Simon scale used to determine mental development. It was implemented by the military to be able to measure people quickly to determine which jobs they were suitable for. Another benefit of the measurement movement was that it helped show where deficiencies existed in individuals and school systems. However, results often lead to incorrect assessments of teaching and ability to learn. -
The Eight Year Study
From 1932-1940 the Progressive Education Association conducted a study of 3000 students from progressive and nonprogressive high schools to determine effectiveness in preparing graduates for college. The results showed that students from progressive high schools achieved higher academically and socially. This study showed that students were not disadvantaged by the additional subjects in high school and performed better in social situations because of them. -
The Impact of World War II
Schools became more unified in their support of WWII after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Many Adults left positions of teaching and funding was also decreased for education which made more difficult educational settings. After GI’s returned from war they received government support in the form of the GI bill which allowed many people to attend college. -
(Important) Brown vs. Board of Education
The Supreme Court ruled that segregation has no place in public education. This court case marked the beginning of the Civil Rights movement which later incorporated other racial, ethnic, age, and disability groups. Although it became illegal to segregate, segregation continued in many areas. In some areas Black students were protected by federal military against the state military. Desegregation largely wasn't applied until Pres. Johnson signed the Civil Right's Act in 1964. -
The Civil Rights Movement and the War on Poverty
The Civil Rights movement was started with win of Brown Vs the Board of Education. This created legislation that helped many other groups achieve non-discrimination laws and additional programs to help them assimilate also. Some of the additional programs were created as a War on Poverty and took the form of education benefits those who were at a disadvantage through programs such as head start and bilingual education. -
Civil Rights Act
This statute was proposed by JFK shortly before his assassination and pushed through by Lyndon B. Johnson shortly after his election. It required that public places and programs be nondiscriminatory and was enforced through the withholding of federal money. This was one of the most successful antidiscrimination legislations ever passed. -
Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act
This act established that children with disabilities could attend public school. Previously they were expected to be educated elsewhere. Before this passed only 20% of children with disabilities were granted access to public education and many of the others were admitted into mental hospitals. This also increased the protection of all students to receive a fair education -
A Nation at Risk Report
President Reagan appointed the National Commission on Excellence in Education to evaluate education. They produced the report “A Nation at Risk” which said we had mediocre standards and our schooling was worthy of being described as an act of war. This motivated the Education Reform Movement of the 1980’s. The first wave of the movement was based on a top-down, standards driven model. The second wave of this movement was based on a bottom-up model which empowered teachers and parents. -
The Standards Movement
Education goals were enforced through the creation of standards. The correct teaching of the standards were determined using standardized testing. This approach showed poor ability among those of immigrant and poorer families. Areas with larger immigrant or poor populations consistently perform worse on the testing. -
School Choice Movement: Charter Schools, Vouchers
This idea came about so that parents and students could choose a school that is appropriate for them. As a way to accommodate student transition formation of charter schools were encouraged by the government through increased aid. Vouchers are a way that parents and students can use public money toward cost of attending schooling other than public schooling. -
No Child Left Behind
The NCLB Act includes many requirements that hinge upon standardized testing. Initially, teachers are required to be highly recommended which in most cases means passing a standardized test. Additionally, schools are rated on how well their students perform on standardized tests. If Schools do well they are left alone, and if schools fail to meet their required performance indicators, then they are punished. If they fail 5 years in a row the state can choose to operate or close the school.
