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First Schools Established in America
The first public school is established in Boston Massachusetts. -
First Education Laws
First laws towards a public education. -
Horace Mann Develops Common Schools
Ensured children get the basic knowledge of a state funded school. -
Noah Webster
Noah Webster developed the first dictionary. This dictionary not only provided students with definitions of words but also helped teachers understand how to teach the words. -
Immigration Increases School Attendance
Public school attendance is increased as new immigrants flock to America -
John Dewey (MOST IMPORTANT)
Dewey reformed education from what used to be authoritarian to a more student centered education. Dewey believed that education should not only be centered around things like Arithmetic but the lessons should be "centered around students lives". This is relevant today because it illustrated how students should be taught and what works still today.
http://www.pbs.org/onlyateacher/john.html -
Growth of Education post Civil War
Public education grew post civil war as freed slaves were able to have access to a free education. -
Progressive Reform Movement
Fought for laws that prohibited child labor and made school mandatory. -
Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement impacted desegregation of schools. The government enforced integration by threatening to take away a schools federal funding. -
Brown vs. Board of Education (MOST IMPORTANT)
Brown vs. Board of Education deemed the ruling "separate but equal" unconstitutional. The ruling called for integration of the public school system. While the ruling was landmark it didn't fully integrate public schools because of fear of racism. This is relevant today because our schools are desegregated.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/landmark_brown.html -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Governments commitment to equality provided 4 billion dollars of financial aid to students in poverty. -
A Nation at Risk Report
President Ronald Reagans report that the public school system is failing. -
Growth of Standardized Testing (MOST IMPORTANT)
After the publication of "A Nation at Risk" standardized testing became more prevalent to measure students knowledge. With this became a more narrow approach to teaching to prepare students for standardized tests. This is relevant because as teachers we have to make sure we are preparing our students for standardized testing.
http://neatoday.org/2013/04/25/a-nation-at-risk-turns-30-where-did-it-take-us-2/ -
IDEA (MOST IMPORTANT)
An act passed to ensure that students with disabilities get the opportunity to a free public education. Before this act students with disabilities were in horrific conditions. This act is relevant today because still today it provides students with disabilities the option to an appropriate safe education. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individuals_with_Disabilities_Education_Act -
No Child Left Behind Act (MOST IMPORTANT)
With the passing of the "No Child Left Behind Act" schools became more "accountable for students outcomes". Schools became responsible for making sure students met the requirements and if they failed they faced consequences. This is relevant because it effects the way we teach today. http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/no-child-left-behind-overview-definition-summary.html