-
First Free School
The first free or public school opens in Virginia. During this time period most education took place in the home by parents or tutors. Sadly most low income children received little to no educational opportunities. -
Land Ordinance of 1785 http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1150.html
(MOST) The Land Ordinance of 1785 came about to settle issues concerning the settlement of lands westward. A major piece of this ordinance was that it set aside land in every township for public schools. This was a step taken to ensure that all citizens would have access to at least a basic education. This set an early precedent in both funding and setting aside land for public education. We still see this practice used in funding public universities many of which are called "land grant schools" -
Young Ladies Academy https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/education/1700s_3.htm
(MOST) In early education young girls were very rarely allowed to participate. The woman's place was considered to be in the home. This meant that their education consisted of household duties. With the establishment of the academy in Philadelphia girls finally had at least some access to a limited education. The battle for equality still exists today. Data shows that women are still treated differently both in education and the workplace. This academy signifies a vital starting point for women. -
Blackboard
Early education was quite expensive due to the difficulty in obtaining paper and books. This changed in 1801 when James Pillans invented the blackboard. His invention revolutionized education. -
Horace Mann http://www.biography.com/people/horace-mann-9397522
(MOST) In 1837 Horace Mann became the secretary of the Mass. school board. Mann is known for working tirelessly to better fund and increase awareness concerning the needs of public education. His efforts still influence the public education system through the training of teachers and the commitment we have as a country to bettering our public education system. -
African Institute
In 1837 the first opportunity for African Americans to to receive a higher education opened under the name of the African Institute. This was one of the first steps along a very long road for African Americans seeking an education. -
Elizabeth Blackwell
In 1849 Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to graduate from medical school. As such she set the precedent for women participating in the medical field. -
Department of Education
In 1867 the Department of Education was created. Its purpose was to oversee and ensure that the public education system maintained high standards. Thus the United States commitment to a high quality public education system deepened. -
PTA
Alice Birney and Phoebe Hearst started The National Congress of Mothers in 1897. They did so in order to bridge the gap between a federally structured public school system and the parents of students. This congress will later become the National Parent Teacher Association. -
John Dewey http://www.progressiveeducationnetwork.org/who-we-are/history/
(MOST) John Dewey's is known for publishing and promoting ideas meant to improve the public education system. His ideas will help advance the ideas of the progressive education movement which seeks to make schools more effective agents of democracy. This movement continues to influence school systems today. In 2009 the progressive education network was formed in order to continue supporting the public education system and revitalize a system that lost traction in the 1990's. -
Great Depression
After the economy collapsed in 1929 the public education system lost a majority of its funding. This resulted in a mass firing of teachers and a return to more simple ways of educating students. -
Brown VS Board of Education http://www.nationalcenter.org/brown.html
(MOST) In 1954 the Supreme Court shocked the educational world by reversing separate but equal. This was a vital moment in our history where despite the violent protests of thousands schools were forcibly integrated. This started a domino effect where schools were forced to deal with a diverse population including students whose education was greatly lacking. This case still effects our education system today in the way that school systems are formed and set a precedent for laws such as title 9. -
NDEA
During the cold war and the Soviets successful launch of a satellite called Sputnik a sense of urgency spurred the USA to place more importance on math and science. Thus with the passage of NDEA the study of math, science, and the study of foreign language became far more important than ever before. -
ESEA
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was passed on as part of President Johnson's war on poverty. it provides federal funds to help low-income students, which leads to the start of programs such as Title I and bilingual education. -
Massachusetts Education Reform Act
The passing of the Massachusetts Education Reform Act required a common curriculum and statewide tests for the first time. Over time other states follow their example and standardized testing becomes the norm. -
Online Schools http://www.whitmoreschool.org/about/mission-history/
(MOST) CompuHigh was founded in 1994 as the first online high school. This movement started a massive trend towards online schools rather than traditional. They have been a huge asset for non traditional students that are unable to attend a traditional school. These online schools now pull a significant percentage of both traditional and non traditional students into their ranks. Viewed in a negative/positive way by many the virtual school movement threatens to revolutionize the school system. -
NCLB
The controversial No Child Left Behind Act was approved by Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush The law reauthorized ESEA. NCLB mandated high-stakes student testing and holds schools accountable for student achievement levels. -
ESSA
On December 9, the U.S. Senate approved the Every Student Succeeds Act. This law replaces the No Child Left Behind Act and allows more state control in judging school quality.
